r.>?.\i 




HISTORY 



O F 



RICE COUNTY 



INCLUDING 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS of MINNESOTA, 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA 

By Rev. Edward D. Neill; 



ALSO 



SIOUX MASSACRE OF 1862, 



AND 



State EDU(3y\TiON, 



BY CHARLES S. BRYANT. 



MINNEAPOLIS: 

MINNESOT.A. IIISTOKIC.\L COMPANV, 
1SS2. 






MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 



4/'-/ 

■0- 



'/-^ 



PREFACE. 



In the conipibitioii of the IfisToRY of Rice (Bounty it h.'is been the aim of the 
I'rm.isHERS to pvfscut ;i local liistorv, eoiiijirisiiio-, in a single volume of convenient 
form, a varied fuml of information, not only of interest to the present, hut from wliich the 
comiut^- searcher for historic data may draw without the tedium incurred in its preparation. 
There is always more or less difficulty, even in a historical work, in selectin.^' tli<jse things 
which will interest the greatest number of readers. Individual tastes differ so widely, that 
wliat may be of aljsorbing interest to one, has no attractions for another. Some ai'e inter- 
ested in that which concerns themselves, and do not care to read of even the most thrilling 
adventures where they were not participants. Such persons are apt to conclude that what 
they are not interested in is of no value, and its preservation in history a useless expense. 
In the settlement of a new Count\' or a new Township, there is no one jierson entitled to all 
tl>e credit for what has been accomplished. Every individual is a part of the great whole, 
id this work is prepared for the })urpose of giving a general rcHiime of what has thus far 
been thine to plant the civilization of the present century in Rice County. 

That our work is wholly errorless, or that nothing of interest has been omitted, is more 
than we dare hope, and more than is reasoaaldi' to e.Kpect. In closing our labors we have 
the gratifying consciousness of having used our utmost endeavors in securing reliable data, 
and feel no hesitancy in submitting the result to an intelligent public. The impartial 
critic, to whom only we look for comment, will, in passing judgment upon its merits, be 
governed by a knowledge of the manifold duties attending the jirosecution of the under- 
taking. 

We have been especially fortunate in enlisting the interest of Rev. Edward D. Neill 
and Charles S. Bryant, whose able productions are herewith presented. We also desire to 
e.xpress our sincere thanks to Prof. J. L. Noyes. who. assisted by Prof. J. J. Dow and Dr. CI. 
H. Knight, furnished the able sketch of " The Minnesota f nstitute for the Education 
of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, and the School for Imlieciles and Idiots."' Oui- ac- 
knowledgements are likewise tendered to the County, Town, and Village officials for their 
nniform kindness to us in our tedious labors: and in general terms we express our indebted- 
ness to the Press, the Pioneers, and the Citizens, who have extended universal encourage- 
ment and endorsement. 

That our efforts ma\' prove satisfactory, and this volume receive a welcome commensu- 
rate with the care bestowed in its preparation, is the earnest desire of the publishers, 

ELLIS C. TURNER. 
F. W. HARRINGTON. 
B. F. PINKNEY. 



CONTENTS, 



I'lilfC. 



Pbeface . - - . . 


III 


CHAPTER I-XXIII. 




Explnrers and Pioueers uf Minnesota 


1-128 


CHAPTER XXIV-XXVII. 




Oiitliue History of the State of Minnesot; 


129-160 


CHAPTER XXVIII-XXIX. 




State Education . . . . 


161-176 


CHAPTER XXX-XLIII. 




History of the Sioux Massacre 


177-256 


CHAPTER XLIV. 




Chronology . ■ _ _ . 


257-262 


CHAPTER XLV-XLIX. 




Rice County - . . . . 


263-817 


CHAPTER L-LI. 




City of Fariliault - . . . 


318-396 


CHAPTER LII-LIII. 




City of Xorthfield - - - . 


396-437 


CHAPTER LIV. 




Bridgewater Township 


437-453 


CHAPTER LV. 




Wheeling Township 


454-464 


CHAPTER LVI. 




Richland Township 


464-470 



I'lr;/!'. 
CHAPTER LVII. 
Walcott Township - - - 470-477 

CHAPTER LVIII. 
Forest Township - - - - 478-490 

CHAPTER LIX. 
Wells Township . - . . 491-504 

CHAPTER LX. 
Warsaw Township - - - 505-517 

CHAPTER LXI. 
Cannon City Township - - - 518-534 

CHAPTER LXII. 
Webster Township - - - 534-544 

CHAPTER LXIII. 
Wheatland Township - - - 545-553 

CHAPTER LXIY. 
Erin Township - _ . . 554-564 

CHAPTER LXV. 

Northfield Township - - - 564-574 

CHAPTER LXVI. 
Shieldsville Township - - - 575 -582 

CHAPTER LXVII. 
Morristown Township - - - 583-595 
Index 596-603 



EXPLORERS 



PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER I. 

FOOTrKINTS OF CIVILIZATION TOWAUD THE EXTREMITY OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



Minne6otji*s Cenlriil Position.— D'AvaEour's Prediction.— Nicoiefs Visit to (!rcpn 
Bay.— First White Men in Minnpsota. — Notices of Groselliers and Radisson.— 
Uurons Flee to Minnesota. — Visited by Frenchmen. — Father Menard Disap- 
pears. — Groselliers Visits Hudson's Bay, — Father Allouez Describes the Sioux 
Mission at La Pointe.— Father Marquette.- Sioux at Sault St. Marie. — Jesuit 
Missions Fiiil,— Groselliers Visits England.— Captain Gillani, ot Boston, at Hud- 
son's Bay. — Letter of Mother Superior of Vrsulines., at Quebec.- Death oT 
Groselliers. 

The Dako talis, called by the Ojibways, Nado- 
waysioux, or Sioux (Soos), as abbreviated by the 
French, used to claim superiority over other peo- 
ple, because, their sacred men asserted that the 
mouth of the Minnesota River was immediately 
over the centre of the earth, and below the centre 
of the heavens. 

While this teaching is very different from that 
of the modem astronomer, it is certainly true, 
that the region west of Lake Superior, extending 
through the valley of the lilinnesota, to the Mis- 
souri lliver, is one of the most healthful and fer- 
tile regions beneath the skies, and may prove to 
be the centre of the republic of the United States 
of America. Baron D'Avagour, a brave officer, 
who was killed in fighting the Turks, while he 
was Governor of Canada, in a dispatch to the 
French Government, dated August 14th, 1663, 
after refei-ring to Lake Huron, wrote, that beyond 
" is met another, called Lake Superior, the waters 
of which, it is believed. How into Kew Spain, and 
this, according to general opinion, ought to he the 
centre of the country.''^ 

As early as 1635, one of Champlain's interpre- 
ters, Jean Nicolet (Nicolay), who came to Cana- 
da in 1618, reached the western shores of Lake 
Michigan. In the summer of 1634 he ascended 



the St. Lawrence, witli a party of Ilurons, and 
probably during the next winter was trading at 
Green Bay, in Wisconsin. On the ninth of De- 
cember, 1635, he had returned to Canada, and on 
the 7th of October, 1637, was married at Quebec, 
and the next month, went to Three Rivers, where 
he lived until 1642, when he died. Of him it is 
.said, in a letter written in 1640, tliat he had pen- 
etrated farthest into those distant comitries, and 
that if he had proceeded " three days more on a 
great river which flows from that lake [Green 
Bay] he would have found the sea." 

The first white men in Minnesota, of whom we 
have any record, were, according to Garneau, two 
persons of Huguenot affinities, Medard Chouart, 
known as Sieur Groselliers, and Pierre d'Esprit, 
called Sieur Radisson. 

Groselliers (pronoimced Gro-zay-yay) was born 
near Ferte-sous-Jouarre, eleven miles east of 
Meaux, in France, and when about sixteen years 
of age, in the year 1641, came to Canada. The fur 
trade was the great avenue to prosperity, and in 
1646, he was among the Huron Indians, who then 
dwelt upon the eastern shore of Lake Huron, 
bartering for peltries. On the second of Septem- 
ber, 1647, at Quebec, lie was married to Helen, 
the widow of ('laude Etienne, who was the daugh- 
ter of a pilot, Abraham Martin, whose baptismal 
name is still attached to the suburbs of that city, 
the " Plains of Abraham," made famous by the 
death there, of General Wolfe, of the English 
army, in 1759, and of General Montgomery, of 
the Continental armv, In December, 1775; at the 



EXPLOBURS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



commencement of the " War for Independence." 
His son, Medard, was bom in 1657, and the next 
year his mother died. The second wife of Gro- 
selliers was ilarguerite nayet(IIayay) Ratlisson, 
tlie sister of his associate, m the exploration of 
the region west of Lalie Superior. 

Kadisson was born at St. Malo, and, while a 
boy, went to Paris, and from thence to Canada, 
and in 1()56, at Three Rivers, married Elizabeth, 
the daughter of Madeleine Hainault, and, after 
her death, the daugliter of Sir David Kirk or 
Kerkt, a zealous Huguenot, became his wife. 

The Iroquois of New York, about the year 1650, 
drove the Hurons from their villages, and forced 
them to take refuge with their friends the Tinon- 
tates, called by the French, Petuns, because they 
cultivated tobacco. In time the Iliuons and 
their allies, the Ottawas (Ottaw-waws), were 
again driven by the Iroquois, and after successive 
wanderings, were found on the west side of Lake 
Michigan. In time they reached the Mississippi, 
and ascending above the Wisconsin, tliey found 
the Iowa Kiver, on the west side, which they fol- 
lowed, and dwelt for a time with the Ayoes 
(loways) who were very friendly ; but l)eing ac- 
customed to a country of lakes and forests, tliey 
were not satisfied with the vast prairies. Return- 
ing to the Mississippi, they ascended this river, 
in search of a better land, and were met by some 
of the Sioux or Dakotahs, and conducted to their 
villages, where they were well received. The 
Sioux, delighted with the axes, knives and awls 
of European manufacture, which had been pre- 
sented to them, allowed the refugees to settle 
upon an island in the Itlississippi, below the 
moutli of the St. Croix River, called Bald Island 
from the absence of trees, about nine miles from 
the site of the present city of Hastings. Possessed 
of firearms, the Hurons and Ottawas asserted 
their superiority, and determined to conquer the 
country for themselves, and having incurred the 
hostility of the Sioux, were obliged to flee from 
the isle in the Mississippi, Descending below 
Lake Pepin, they reached the Black River, and 
ascending it, found an unoccupied country around 
its sources and that of tlie Chippeway. In this 
region the Hurons established themselves, while 
their alhes, the Ottawas, moved eastward, till 
they found the shores of Lake Superior, and set- 
tled at Chagouamikon (Sha - gah - wah - mik - ong ) 



near what is now Bayfield. In the year 1659, 
GroselUers and Radisson arrived at Chagouamik- 
on, and determined to visit the Hurons and Pe- 
tuns, with whom the former had traded when 
they resided east of Lake Huron. After a six 
days' journey, in a southwesterly direction, they 
reached their retreat toward the sources of the 
Black, Chippewa, and AViseonsin Rivers. From 
this point they journeyed north, and passed the 
winter of 1659-60 among the "Nadouechiouec," 
or Sioux villages in the ilille Lacs (Mil Lak) re- 
gion. From the Hurons they learned of a beau- 
tiful river, wide, large, deep, and comparalile with 
the Saint Lawrence, the great JNIississippi, which 
flows through the city of Mumeapolis, and whose 
sources are in nortliern Minnesota. 

jS'ortheast of Mille Lacs, toward the extremity 
of Lake Superior, they met the " Poualak," or 
Assiniboines of the prairie, a separated band of 
the Sioux, who, as wood was scarce and small, 
made fire with coal (eharbon de terre) and dwelt 
in tents of skins ; although some of the more in- 
dustrious built cabins of clay (terre grasse), like 
the swallows liuild their nests. 

The spring and summer of 1660, Groselliers and 
Radisson passed in trading aroimd Lake Superior. 
On the 19th of August they returned to Mon- 
treal, with three hundred Indians and sixty ca- 
noes loaded with " a wealth of skins." 

" Furs of bison and of beaver, 
Furs of sable and of ermine." 

The citizens were deeply stirred by the travelers' 
tales of the vastness and richness of the region 
they had visited, and their many romantic adven- 
tures. In a few days, they began their return to 
the far West, accompanied by six Frenchmen and 
two priests, one of whom was the Jesuit, Rene ile- 
nard. His hair whitened by age, and his mind 
ripened by long experience, he heemed the man 
for the mission. Two hours after midnight, of the 
day before departure, the venerable missionary 
Ijenned at " Three Rivers," the following letter 
to a friend : 

'Reverend Father: 
" Tlie peace of Christ be with you : I write to 
you probably the last, which I hope will be the 
seal of our friendship luilil eternity. Love whom 
the Lord Jesus did not disdain to love, though 
the greatest of sinners; for he loves whom he 



FATHER MENAUD LOST IN WISCONSIN. 



loads with bis cross. Let your friendsliip, my 
good Fatlier, be useful to me by the desii-able 
fruits of your daily sacrifice. 

" In three or foiu' mouths you may remember 
me at the memento for the dead, on account of 
my old age, my weak constitution and the hard- 
ships I lay under amongst these ti'ibes. Never- 
tlieless, I am in peace, for I liave not been led to 
this mission by any temporal motive, but I think 
it was by the voice of God. I was to resist tlie 
grace of God by not coming. Eternal remorse 
would have tormented me, had I not come when 
1 had the opportunity. 

" We have been a little surprized, not being 
able to provide ourselves with vestments and oth- 
er things, but he who feeds the little birds, and 
clothes the lilies of the fields, will take care of 
his servants; and though it should happen we 
should die of want, we would esteem ourselves 
happy. I am burdened with business. \Vliat I 
can do is to recommend our journey to your daily 
sacrifice, and to embrace you with the same sen- 
timents of heart as I hope to do in eternity. 
" My Eeverend Father, 

Your most humble and affectionate 
servant in Jesus Christ. 

E. MENARD. 
"From the Three Elvers, this 2tith August, 2 

o'clock after midnight, 1660." 

On the loth of October, the party with which 
he journeyed reached a bay on Lake Superior, 
where he foimd some of the Ottawas, who had 
fled from the Iroquois of New York. For more 
than eight months, surroimded by a few French 
voyageurs, he lived, to use his words, " in a kind 
of small hermitage, a cabin built of fir branches 
piled one on another, not so much to shield us 
from the rigor of the season as to correct my im- 
agination, and persuade me I was sheltered." 

During the summer of 1661, he resolved to visit 
the Ilurons, who had fled eastward from the Sioux 
of Minnesota, and encamped amid the marshes of 
Northern Wisconsuj. Some Frenchmen, who had 
been among the Ilurons, in vain attempted to dis- 
suade him from the journey. To their entreaties 
he replied, " I must go, if it cost me my life. I 
can not suffer souls to perish on the ground of 
saving the bodily Ufe of a miserable old man like 
myself. What! Are we to serve (Jod only when 
there is nothing to suffer, and no risk of Ufe?" 



Upon De ITsle's map of Louisiana, published 
nearly two centuries ago, there appears the Lake 
of the Ottawas, and the Lake of the Old or De- 
serted Settlement, west of (ireen J5ay, and south 
of Lake Superior. The Lake of the Old Planta- 
tion is supposed to ha\e been the spot occupied 
by the Hurons at the time when Menard attempt- 
ed to visit them. One way of access to this seclu- 
ded spot was from Lake Superior to the head- 
waters of the Ontanagon River, and then by a port>- 
age, to the lake. It could also be reached from 
the headwaters of the Wisconsin, Black and Cliip- 
pewa Rivers, and some have said that Menard 
descended the Wisconsm and ascended the Black 
River. 

Perrot, who lived at the same time, writes : 
" Father Menard, who was sent as missionary 
among the Outaouas [Utaw-waws] accompanied 
by certain Frenchmen who were going to trade 
with that people, was left by all who were with 
him, except one, who rendered to him until death, 
all of the sei-vices and help that he could have 
hoped. The Father followed the Outaouas f Utaw- 
waws] to the Lake of the Illinoets [Illino-ay, now 
Michigan] and in theii' flight to the Louisianue, 
[Mississippi] to above the Black River. There 
this missionary had but one Frenchman for a 
companion. This Frenchman carefully followed 
the route, and made a portage at the same place 
as the Outaouas. He found himself in a rapid, 
one day, that was carrying him away in his canoe. 
The Father, to assist, debarked from his ovra, but 
did not find a good path to come to him. He en- 
tered one that had been made by beasts, and de- 
siring to return, became confused in a labyrmth 
of trees, and was lost. The Frenchman, after 
havmg ascended the rapids with great labor, 
awaited the good Father, and, as he did not come, 
resolved to search for him. AVith all his might, 
for several days, he called his name in the woods, 
hopmg to find him, but it was useless. He met, 
however, a Sakis [Sauk] who was carrying the 
camp-kettle of the missionary, and wlio gave him 
some intelligence. He assured him that he had 
found his foot -prints at some distance, but that 
he had not seen the Father. He told him, also, 
that he had found the tracks of several, who were 
going towards the Scioux. He declared that he 
stipposed that the Scioux might have killed or 
captured him. Indeed, several years afterwards, 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIOKEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



there were found among this tribe, his breviary 
and cassock, which they exposed at their festivals, 
making offerings to them of food." 

In a journal of the Jesuits, Menard, about the 
seventh oreightli of August, 1661, is said to have 
been lost. 

GroselUers (Gro-zay-yay), whUe Menaid was 
endeavoring to reach the retreat of the Hnrons 
which he had made known to tlie authorities of 
Canada, was pushing through the country of the 
Assineboines, on the northwest shore of Lake 
Superior, and at length, probably by Lake Alem- 
pigon, or Nepigon, reached Hudson's Bay, and 
early in May, 1662, returned to Montreal, and 
surprised its citizens vvdth his tale of new discov- 
eries toward the Sea of the North. 

The Hurons did not remain long toward the 
sources of the Black Kiver, after Menard's disap- 
pearance, and deserting their plantations, joined 
their allies, the Ottawas, at La Pointe, now Bay- 
field, on Lake Superior. While here, they deter- 
mined to send a war party of one hundred against 
the Sioux of MUle Lacs (Mil Lak) region. At 
length they met their foes, who drove them into 
one of the thousand marshes of the water-shed 
between Lake Superior and the Mississippi, where 
they hid themselves among the tall grasses. The 
Sioux, suspecting that they miglit attempt to es- 
cape in the night, cut up beaver skins into strips, 
and hung thereon little bells, which they had ob- 
tained from the French traders. The Hurons, 
emerging from their watery hiding place, stumbled 
over the unseen cords, ringing the bells, and the 
Sioux instantly attacked, killing all but one. 

About the year 1665, four Frenchmen visited 
the Sioux of Minnesota, from the west end of 
Lake Superior, accompanied by an Ottawa chief, 
and in the summer of the same year, a flotilla of 
canoes laden with peltries, came down to Mon- 
treal. Upon their return, on the eighth of Au- 
gust, the Jesuit Father, Allouez, accompanied the 
traders, and, by the first of October, reached Che- 
goimegon Bay, on or near the site of the modern 
town of Bayfield, on Lake Superior, where he 
found the refugee Hurons and Ottawas. While 
on an excursion to Lake Alemplgon, now Ne- 
pigon, this missionary saw, near the mouth of 
Saint Louis River, in Minnesota, some of the 
Sioux. He writes : " There is a tribe to the west 
of this, toward the great river called Messipi. 



They are forty or fifty leagues from here, in a 
country of prairies, abounding in all kinds of 
game. They have fields, in wliich they do not 
sow Indian corn, but only tobacco. Providence 
has provided them with a species of marsh rice, 
which, toward the end of summer, they go to col- 
lect in certain small lakes, that are covered with 
it. They presented me with some when I was at 
the extremity of Lake Tracy [Superior], where I 
saw them. They do not use the gun, but only 
the bow and arrow with great dexterity. Their 
cabins are not covered with bark, but with deer- 
skins well dried, and stitched together so that the 
cold does not enter. These people are above aU 
other savage and warUke. In our presence they 
seem abashed, and were motionless as statues. 
They speak a language entirely unknown to us, 
and the savages about here do not understand 
them." 

The mission at La Pointe was not encouraging, 
and Allouez, " weary of their obstinate unbelief," 
departed, but Marquette succeeded him for a brief 
period. 

The ''Belations" of the Jesuits for 1670-71, 
alkide to the Sioiix or Dakotahs, and their attack 
upon the refugees at La Pointe : 

" There are certain people called Nadoussi, 
dreaded by their neighbors, and although they 
only use the bow and arrow, they use it with so 
much skill and dexterity, that in a moment they 
fill the air. After the Parthian method, they 
turn their iieads in flight, and discharge tlieir ar- 
rows so rapidly that they are to be feared no less 
in their retreat than in their attack. 

" They dwell on the shores and around the 
great river Messipi, of which we shall speak. 
They niunber no less than fifteen populous towns, 
and yet they know not how to cultivate the earth 
by seeding it, contenting themselves with a sort 
of marsh rye, which we call wild oats. 

" For sixty leagues from the extremity of the 
upper lakes, towards sunset, and, as it were, in 
the centre of the western nations, they have all 
united their force by a general league, which has 
been made against them, as against a common 
enemy. 

" Tliey speak a peculiar language, entirely dis- 
tinct from tliat of the Algonijuins and Hurons, 
whom they generally surpass in generosity, .since 
they often content themselves with the glory of 



GROSELLIERS AND RADISSON IN THE ENGLISH SER VICE. 



5 



having obtained the %'ictory, and release the pris- 
oners they have taken in battle. 

" Our Outoiiacs of the Point of the Holy ( iliost 
[La PoLnte, now Bayfield] had to the present time 
kept up a kind of peace with them, but affairs 
havhig become embroiled durinij; last winter, and 
some murders having been committed on both 
sides, our savages had reason to apprehend that 
the storm would soon biu'st upon them, and judged 
that it was safer for them to leave the place, which 
in fact they did in the spring." 

Marquette, on the 13th of September, 1669, 
writes : " The Xadouessi are the Iroquois of this 
country. * * * they lie northwest of the Mission 
of the Holy Ghost [La Pouite, the modern Bay- 
field] and we have not yet visited them, having 
confined ourselves to the conversion of the Otta- 
was.'' 

Soon after this, hostilities began between the 
Sioux and the Hurons and Ottawas of La Pointe, 
and the former compelled their foes to seek an- 
other resting place, toward the eastern extremity 
of Lake Superior, and at length they pitched 
their tents at Mackinaw. 

In 1674, some Sioux warriors came down to 
Sault Saint Marie, to make a treaty of peace with 
adjacent tribes. A friend of the Abbe de Galli- 
nee wrote that a council was had at flie fort to 
which " the Xadouessioux sent twelve deputies, 
and the others forty. During the conference, 
one of the latter, knife in hand, drew near the 
breast of one of the Xadouessioux, who sliowed 
siu-jirise at the movement ; when the Indian with 
the knife reproached him for cowardice. The 
Nadouessioux said he was not afraid, when the 
other planted the knife in his heart, and killed 
him. All the savages then engaged in conflict, 
and the Xadouessioux bravely defended them- 
selves, hut, overwhelmed by numbers, nine of 
them were killed. The two who survived rushed 
into the chapel, and closed the door. Here they 
found munitions of war, and fired guns at their 
enemies, who became anxious to bum do^vii the 
chapel, but the .lesuits would not permit it, be- 
cause they had their skins stored between its roof 
and ceiling. In this extremity, a Jesuit, Louis 
Le Boeme, advised that a cannon should be point- 
ed at the door, which was discharged, and tiie two 
brave Sioux were killed." 

Governor Frontenac of Canada, was indignant 



at the occurrence, and in a letter to Colbert, one 
of the Ministers of Louis the Fourteenth, speaks 
in condemnation of this discharge of a cannon by 
a Brother attached to the Jesuit Mission. 

From this period, the missions of the Church of 
Rome, near Lake Superior, began to wane. Shea, 
a devout liistorian of tluil church, writes: "In 
1680, Father Enjalran was apparently alone at 
Green Bay, and Pierson at Mackinaw ; the latter 
mission still comprising the two villages, Huron 
and Kiskakon. Of tlie other missions, neither 
Le Clerq nor Ilemiepin, the Recollect, writers of 
the West at this time, makes any mention, or in 
any way alludes to their existence, and La lion- 
tan mentions the Jesuit missions only to ridicule 
them." 

The Pigeon River, a part of the northern boun- 
dary of Minnesota, was called on the French maps 
Grosellier's River, after the first explorer of Min- 
nesota, whose career, with his associate Radisson, 
became quite prominent in connection with the 
Hudson Bay region. 

A disagreement occurring between Groselliers 
a)id his partners in Quebec, he proceeded to Paris, 
and from thence to London, where he was intro- 
duced to the nephew of Charles I., who led the 
cavalry charge against Fairfax and Cromwell at 
Naseby, afterwards commander of the English 
fleet.- The Prince listened witli pleasure to the 
narrative of travel, and endorsed the plans for 
prosecuting the fur trade and seeking a north- 
west passage to Asia. The scientific men of Eng- 
land were also full of the enterprise, in the hope 
that it would increase a knowledge of uatm'e. 
The Secretary of the Royal Society wrote to Rob- 
ert Boyle, the distinguished philosopher, a too 
sanguine letter. His words were : " Surely I need 
not tell you from hence what is said here, with 
great joy. of the discovery of a nortliwest passage; 
and by two Englislimen and one Frenchman 
represented to his Majesty at Oxford, and an- 
swered by the grant of a vessel to sail into Hud- 
son's Bay and channel into the South Sea." 

The ship Nonsuch was fitted out, in charge of 
Captain Zachary Gillam, a son of one of the early 
settlers of Boston ; and in this vessel Groselliers 
and Radisson left the Thames, in June, 1668, and 
in September reached a tributary of Hudson's 
Bay. The next year, by way of Boston, they re- 
turned to England, and in 1670, a trading com- 



HXPLOBEIiS Alrv PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



pany was chartered, still known among venerable 
English corporations as " The Hudson's Bay 
Company." 

The Reverend Mother of the Incarnation, Su- 
perior of the Ursulines of Quebec, in a letter of 
the 27th of August, 1670, wi-ites thus : 

" It was about this time that a Frenchman of 
our Tourame, named des Groselliers, married in 
this coimtiy, and as he had not been successful 
in making a fortune, was seized with a fancy to 
go to New England to better his condition. He 
excited a hope among the English that he had 
found a passage to the Sea of the North. With 
this expectation, he was sent as an envoy to Eng- 
land, where there was given to him, a vessel, 
with crew and every thmg necessary for the voy- 
age. With these advantages, he put to sea, and 
in place of the usual route, which others had ta- 
ken in vain, he sailed in another direction, and 
searched so wide, that he found the grand Bay of 
the North. He foimd large population, and filled 
his ship or ships with peltries of great value. * * * 



He has taken possession of this great region for 
the King of England, and for his personal benefit 
A publication for the benefit of this French ad- 
venturer, has been made in England. He was 
a youth when he arrived here, and his wife and 
children are yet here." 

Talon, Intendent of Justice in Canada, in a dis- 
patch to Colbert, Minister of the Colonial Depart- 
ment of France, WTote on the 10th of November, 
1670, that he has received intelligence that two 
English vessels are approaching Hudson's Bay, 
and adds : " After reflecting on all the nations 
that might have penetrated as far north as that, 
I can aUght on only the EngUsh, who, under the 
guidance of a man named Des Grozellers, for- 
merly an inhabitant of Canada, might possibly 
have attempted tliat navigation." 

After years of service on the shores of Hudson's 
Bay, either with English or French trading com- 
panies, the old explorer died in Canada, and it has 
been said that his son went to England, where he 
was livmg in 1696, in receipt of a pension. 



iJATlLV MENTION OF LAKE SUPERIOR COPPER. 



CIIAPTKR ir. 



EARLY JtKNTION OF LAKE SUPERIOK COrPER. 



Sftgard, A. D. 1636, on Copper Mine?.— Boucher, A. D. 1R40, Describes Lake Siipo 
rior Copper.— Jesuit Relations, A. D. lefirj-^i?.- Copper on Islo Roynls.— Hiilf- 
Breed Voyageur Goes to France with T.ilon.— Jolliet and Perrot Scnrch for 
Copper.— St. Lusson Plants the French Arms at Sault St. Marie.— Copper at 
Outanogon and Head of Lake Superior. 

Before white men had explored tlie shores of 
Lake Superior, Indians had brouglit to the tra- 
ding posts of the St. Lawrence Elver, specimens of 
copper from that region. Sagard, in his History 
of Canada, published in 1636, at Paris, writes : 
"There are mines of copper whicli miglit be made 
profitable, if there were inhabitants and worlv- 
men who would labor faithfully. That would be 
done if colonies were established. About eighty 
or one hundred leagues from the Hurons, there 
is a mine of copper, from which Truchemont 
Brusle showed me an ingot, on his return from a 
voyage which he made to the neighboring nation." 

Pierre Boucher, grandfather of Sieur de la Ye- 
rendrye, the explorer of the lakes of the northern 
boundary of Minnesota, in a volume published 
A. D. 1640, also at Paris, writes : "In Lake Su- 
perior there is a great island, fifty oronehimdred 
leagues in circumference, in which there is a very 
beautiful mme of copper. There are other places 
in those quarters, where there are similar mines ; 
so I learned from four or five Frenchmen, who 
lately returned. They were gone three years, 
without finding an opportunity to return; they 
told me that they had seen an ingnt nf copper all 
refined which was on the coast, and \\'eighed more 
than eight himdred poimds, according to their es- 
timate. They said that the savages, on passing 
it, made a fire on it, after which they cut off pie- 
ces with their axes." 

In tlie Jesuit Relations of 1666-67, there is this 
description of Isle Royale : " Advancing to a 
place called the Grand Anse. we meet with an 
island, three leagues from land, which is cele- 
brated for the metal which is found there, and 
for the thunder which takes place there; for they 
say it always thmiders there. 



" But farther towards the west on the same 
mirth shore, is the island most famous for copper, 
Minong (Isle Royale). This island is twenty-five 
leagues in length ; it is seven from the mainland, 
and sixty from the head of the lake. Nearly all 
aromid the island, on the waters edge, pieces of 
copper are fomid mixed with pebbles, but espe- 
cially on the side which is opposite the south, 
and principally in a certain bay, which is near 
the northeast exposure to the great lake. * * * 

" Advancing to the head of the lake (Fon du 
Lac) and returning one day's journey by the south 
coast, there is seen on the edge of the water, a 
rock of copper weighing seven or eight hundred 
pounds, and is so hard that steel can hardly cut it, 
but when it is heated it cuts as easily as lead. 
Near Point Chagouamigong [Sha - gah - wah - mik- 
ong, near Bayfield] where a mission was establish- 
ed rocks of copper and plates of the same metal 
were found. * * * Returning still toward the 
mouth of the lake, following the coast on the .south 
as twenty leagues from the place last mentioned, 
we enter the river called Nantaouagan [Ontona- 
gon] on which is a hill where stones and copper 
fall into the water or upon the earth. They are 
readily found. 

"Tliree years snice we received a piece which 
was brought from this place, which weighed a 
hundred poiuids, and we sent it to (Quebec to Mr. 
Talon. It is not certaui exactly wliere this was 
broken from. We thuik it was from the forks of 
the river ; others, that it was from near the lake, 
and dug up." 

Talon, Intendent of Justice in Canada, visited 
France, taking a half-breed voyageur with him, 
and while in Paris, wrote on the 26th of Febru- 
ary, 1669, to Colbert, the Minister of the Marine 
Department, "that this voyageur had penetrated 
among the western nations fartlier than any other 
Frenchman, and had .seen the copper mine on 
Lake Huron. [Superior?] The man oflers to go 



8 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOIA. 



to that mine, and explore, either by sea, or by 
lake and river, the communication supposed to 
exist between Canada and the South Sea, or to 
the regions of Hudson's Bay." 

As soon as Talon returned to Canada he com- 
missioned JoUiet and Pere [Perrot] to search for 
the mines of copper on the upper Lakes. Jolliet 
received an outfit of four himdred livTcs, and four 
canoes, and Perrot one thousand Uvres. Muiis- 
ister Colbert wrote from Paris to Talon, in Feb- 
ruary, 1671, ajjprovmg of the search for copper, 
in these words ; " The resolution you have taken 
to send Sieur de La Salle toward the south, and 
Sieur de St. Lusson to the north, to discover the 
South Sea passage, is very good, but the principal 
thing you ought to apply yourself in discoveries 
of this nature, is to look for the copper mine. 

" Were this mine discovered, and its utility 
evident, it would be an assured means to attract 
several Frenchmen from old, to New France." 

On the 14th of June, 1671, SaintLusson at Sault 
St. Marie, planted the ^rms of France, in the pres- 
ence of Nicholas Perrot, who acted as interpreter 
on the occasion ; the Sieur Jolliet ; Pierre Moreau 
or Sieur de la Taupine ; a soldier of the garrison 
of Quebec, and several other Frenchmen. 

Talon, in announcing Saint Lusson's explora- 
tions to Colbert, on the 2d of November, 1671, 
wrote from Quebec : " The copper which I send 
from Lake Superior and the river Nantaouagan 
[Ontonagon] proves lliat there is a mine on tlie 
border of some stream, wliich produces this ma- 
terial as pure as one could wish. More than 
twenty Frenchmen have seen one lump at the 
lake, which they estimate weiglis more than eight 
himdred pounds. The Jesuit Fathers among the 
Outaouas [Ou-taw-waws] use an anvil of this ma- 
terial, which weighs about one hundred pounds. 
There will be no rest until the source from whence 
these detached lumps come is discovered. 

" The river Nantaouagan fOntonagonJ appears 



between two high hills, the plain above which 
feeds the lakes, and receives a great deal of snow, 
which, in melting, forms torrents which wash the 
borders of this river, composed of solid gravel, 
which is rolled down by it. 

" The gravel at the bottom of this, hardens it- 
self, and assumes different shapes, such as those 
pebbles which I send to Mr. Bellinzany. My 
opinion is that these pebbles, rounded and carried 
off by the rapid waters, then have a tendency to 
become copper, by the influence of the sun's rays 
which they absorb, and to form other nuggets of 
metal similar to those which I send to Sieur de 
Bellinzany, found by the Sieur de Saint Lusfon, 
about fourhundred leagues, at some distance from 
the mouth of the river. 

" He hoped by the frequent journeys of the 
savages, and French who are beginning to travel 
by these routes, to discern the source of nroduc- 
tion." 

Governor Denonville, of Canada, sixteen years 
after the above circumstances, wrote : " The cop- 
per, a sample of which I sent M. Arnou, is found 
at the head of Lake Superior. The body of the 
mine has not yet been discovered. I have seen 
one of our voyageurs who assures me that, some 
fifteen months ago he saw a lump of two hundred 
weight, as yellow as gold, in a river which falls 
into Lake Superior. When heated, it could be 
cut with an axe ; but the superstitious Indians, 
regarding this boulder as a good spirit, would 
never permit him to take any of it away. His 
opinion is that the frost undermined this piece, 
and that the mine Is in that river. He has prom- 
ised to search for it on his way back." 

In the year 1730, there was some correspond- 
ence with the authorities in France relative to 
the discovery of copper at La Pointe, but, practi- 
cally, little was done by the French, in developing 
the mineral wealth of Lake Superior. 



DV LUTH PLANTS THE FBENCTT ATIMS m MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER III. 



DU LUTH PLANTS TnE FKENCII ARMS TN jmra^SOTA 



l)ri Luth'a Relatives.— Randin Visits Extremity of Lake Saperior. ~ Du Luth 
Plants Kings Arras.— Post at Kaministigoya.— Pierre MorcuF, alias LaTaupine. 
- La Salle's Visit.— A Pilot Deserts to the Sioux Country.— uafTart. Du Luth's 
Interpreter- — Descent of the River St. Croix.- Meets Father Hennepin. — Crit- 
tcised hy Ijx S»lle.— Trades with New Kncland. —Visits Franee.— In Command 
at Mivekinaw.— Frenchmen Murdered at Keweenaw.— Du Luth Arrests and 
Shoots Miirderere.- Builds Fort above Detroit. — With Indian Allies in the 
Seneca War.— Du Luth's Brother.— Cadillac Defends the Brandy Trade —Du 
Luth Disapproves of Selling Brandy to the Indians.— In Command at Fort 
Frontenac . — Death. 

In the year 1678, se-weral prominent merchants 
of Quebec and Montreal, with tlie support of 
Governor Frontenac of Canada, formed a com- 
pany to open trade with the Sioux of JMinnesota, 
and a nepliew of Pati'on, one of tliese merchants, 
a brother - in - law of Sieur de Lusigny, an officer 
of the Governor's Guards, named Daniel Grey- 
solon Du Luth [Doo-loo], a native of St. Germain 
en Laye, a few miles from Paris, although Lalion- 
tan speaks of him as from Lyons, was made the 
leader of the expedition. At the battle of Seneffe 
against the Prince of Orange, he was a gendarme, 
and one of the King's guards. 

Du Luth was also a cousin of Henry Tonty, who 
had been in the revolution at Naples, to throw off 
the Spanish dependence. Du Luth's name is va- 
riously spelled in the documents of his day. Hen- 
nepin writes, "Du Luth;" others, "Dulhut," 
" Du Lhu," " Du Lut," " De Luth," " Du Lud." 

The temptation to procure valuable furs from 
the Lake Superior region, contrary to the letter 
of the Canadian law, was very great ; and more 
than one Governor -ninked at the contraband 
trade. Randin, who visited the extremity of 
Lake Superior, distributed presents to the Sioux 
and Ottawas in the name of Governor Frontenac, 
to secure the trade, and after his death, DuLuth 
was sent to complete what he had begun. With 
a party of twenty, seventeen Frenchmen and 
three Indians, he left Quebec on the first of 
September, 1678, and on the fifth of vVpril, 1679, 
Du Luth writes to Governor Frontenac, that he 
is in the woods, about nine miles from Sault St. 
Marie, at the entrance of Lake Superior, and 



adds that : he " will not stir from the Nadous- 
sioux, until further orders, and, peace being con- 
cluded, he will set up the King's Arms; lest the 
English and other Europeans settled towards 
California, take possession of the country." 

On the second of July, 1679, he caused his 
Majesty's Arms to be planted in the great village 
of the Nadoussioux, called Kathio, where no 
Frenchman had ever been, and at Songaskicons 
and Houetbatons, one hundred and twenty leagues 
distant from the former, where he also set up the 
King's Arms. In a letter to Seignalay, published 
for the first time by Harrisse, he writes that it 
was in the village of Izatys [Issati]. Upon Fran- 
quelin's map, the Mississippi branches into the 
Tintonha [Teeton Sioux] country, and not far from 
here, he alleges, was seen a tree upon which was 
this legend: " Arms of the King cut on this tree 
in the year 1679." 

He established a post at Kamanistigoya, which 
was distant fifteen leagues from the Grand Port- 
age at the westei-n extremity of Lake Superior ; 
and here, on the fifteenth of September, he held 
a council with the Assenipoulaks [Assineboines] 
and other tribes, and urged them to be at peace 
with the Sioux. During tliis summer, he dis- 
patched Pierre Moreau, a celebrated voyageur, 
nicknamed LaTaupine, with letters to Governor 
Frontenac, and valuable furs to the merchants. 
His arrival at Quebec, created some excitement. 
It was charged that the Governor corresponded 
with Du Luth, and that he passed the beaver, 
sent by him, in the name of merchants in his in- 
terest. The Intendant of Justice, Du Cliesneau, 
wrote to the ]\Iinister of the Colonial Department 
of France, that " the man named La Taupine, a 
famous coureur des bois, who set out in the month 
of September of last year, 1678, to go to the Ou- 
tawacs, with goods, and who has always been in- 
terested with the Governor, hiiving returned this 
year, and I, being ad\ased that he had traded in 



10 



EXPLOREBS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



two days, one hundred and fifty beaver robes in 
one village of this tribe, amounting to nearly nine 
hundred beavers, which is a matter of public no- 
toriety ; and that he left with Du Lut two men 
whom he had with him, considered myself bound 
to liave him arrested, and to inteiTogate him ; but 
having presented me with a license from the Gov- 
ernor, permitting him and his comrades, named 
Lamonde and Dupuy, to repair to the Outawac, 
to execute his secret orders. I had him set at 
liberty : and immediately on his going out, Sieur 
Prevost, Town Mayor of Quebec, came at the head 
of some soldiers to force the prison, in case he 
was still there, pursuant to his orders from the 
Governor, in these terms : " Sieur Prevost, ^Mayor 
of Quebec, is ordered, in case the Intendant arrest 
Pierre jSIoreau alias La Taupine, whom we have 
sent to Quebec as bearer of our dispatches, upon 
pretext of his having been in the bush, to set him 
fortln\ith at liberty, and to employ every means 
for this purpose, at his peril. Bone at Montreal, 
the 5th September, 1679." 

La Tau]iine, in due time returned to» Lake Su- 
perior with another consignment of merchandise. 
The interpreter of Du Lutli, and trader with the 
Sioux, was Faffart, who had been a soldier \mder 
La Salle at Fort Frontenac, and bad deserted. 

La Salle was commissioned in 1678, by the 
King of France, to exijlore the West, and trade in 
Cibola, or buffalo skins, and on condition that he 
did not traffic with the Ottauwaws, who carried 
their beaver to Montreal. 

On the 27th of August, 1679, he arrived at 
Mackinaw, in the " Griffin," the first saiUng ves- 
sel on the great Lakes of the West, and from 
thence went to Green ]5ay, where, in the face of 
his commission, he traded for beaver. Loading 
his vessel with peltries, he sent it back to Niag- 
ara, while he, in canoes, proceeded with his ex- 
pedition to the Illinois Eiver. The ship was 
never heard of, and for a time supposed to be lost, 
but La Salle afterward learned from a Pawnee 
boy fourteen or fifteen years of age, who was 
brought prisoner to his fort on the Illinois by some 
Indians, that the pilot of the " Griffin " had been 
among the tribes of the Upper Missouri. He had 
ascended the Mississippi with four others in two 
birch canoes with goods and some hand grenades, 
taken from the ship, with the intention of join 
big Du Luth, who had for months been trading 



with the Sioux ; and if their efforts were unsuc- 
cessful, thgy expected to push on to the English, 
at Hudson's Bay. Wliile ascending the Missis- 
sippi they were attacked by Indians, and the pilot 
and one other only survived, and they were sold 
to the Indians on the Missouri. 

In the month of June, 1680. Du Luth, accom- 
panied by Faffart, an interpreter, with four 
Frenchmen, also a Chippeway and a Sioux, with 
two canoes, entered a river, the mouth o'f which 
is eight leagues from the head of Lake Superior 
on the South side, named Nemitsakouat. Peach- 
ing its head waters, by a short portage, of half a 
league, he reached a lake which was the source 
of the Saint Croix River, and by this, he and his 
companions were the first Europeans to journey 
in a canoe from Lake Superior to the Mississippi. 

La Salle writes, that Du Luth, finding that 
the Sioux were on a hunt in the Mississippi val- 
ley, below the Saint Croix, and that Accault, Au- 
gelle and Hennepin, who had come up from the 
Illinois a few weeks before, were with them, de- 
scended until he found them. In the same letter 
he disregards the truth m order to disparage his 
rival, and writes: 

"Thirty-eight or forty leagues above the Chip- 
peway they found the river by which the Sieur 
Du Luth did descend to the Mississippi. He had 
been three years, contrary to orders, with a com- 
pany of twenty " coureurs du bois " on Lake Su- 
perior; he had borne himself bravely, proclaiming 
everywhere that at the head of his brave fellows 
he did not fear the Grand Prevost, and that he 
would compel an amnesty. 

'' A\nule he was at Lake Superior, the Nadoue- 
sioux, enticed by the presents that the late Sieur 
RancUn had made on the part of Count Fronte- 
nac, and the Sauteurs [Ojibways], who are the sav- 
ages who carry the peltries to ilontreal, and who 
dwell on Lake Superior, wishing to obey the re- 
peated orders of the Comit, made a peace to 
unite the Sauteurs and French, and to trade with 
the Nadouesioux, situated about sixty leagues to 
the west of Lake Superior. Du Luth, to disguise 
liis desei-tion, seized the opportunity to make 
some reputation for himself, sending two messen- 
gers to the Count to negotiate a truce, during 
\\nich period their comrades negotiated stUl bet- 
ter for beaver. 

Several conferences were held with the Nar 



FAFFART. DV LUTII'S INTFIlPIiETETi. 



11 



(louessioux, and as he needed an interpreter, he led 
off one of mine, named Failart, formerly a sol- 
dier at Fort Frontenap. During this iicriod there 
were fre(iuent visits between the Sauteiirs [Ojib- 
ways] and Xadouesioux, and suiiposiiii; that it 
miRht increase the number of beaver skins, ho 
sent Faifartby land, with the Nadoncsioiix and 
Sauteurs [Ojibways]. The young man on his re- 
turn, having given an account of the (juaiitity of 
beaver in that region, he wished to proceed thither 
himself, and, guided by a Sauteur and n Nadoue- 
sioux, and four Frenchmen, he ascended the river 
iNemitsakouat, where, by a short portage, he de- 
scended that stream, whereon he passed through 
forty leagues of rapids [Upper St. Croix River], 
and finding that the Xadonesioux were below with 
my men and the Father, who had come down 
agaui from the village of the Xadouesioux, he 
discovered them. They went up again to the 
village, and from thence they all together came 
do-mi. They returned by the river Ouisconsing, 
and came back to Montreal, where I)u Lutli in- 
sults the commissaries, and the deputy of the 
'procureur general,' named d'Auteuil. Count 
Frontenac had him arrested and imprisoned in 
the castle of Quebec, with the iutentiou of return- 
ing him to France for the amnesty accorded to 
the coureurs des bois, did not release him." 

At this very period, another party charges 
Frontenac as being Du Luth"s particular friend. 

Du Luth, during the fall of 16S1, was engaged 
in the beaver trade at Montreal and Quebec. 
Du Chesneau, the Intendant of .Justice for Can- 
ada, on the 13th of November, IG.sl, wrote to the 
Marquis de Siegnelay in Paris : " Xot content 
with tlie profits to be derived from the countries 
under the King's dominion, the desire of making 
money everywhere, has led the Governor [Fron- 
tenac], Boisseau, Du Lut and Patron, his luicle, 
to send canoes loaded with peltries, to tlie En- 
glish. It is said sixty thou.sand livres' worth has 
been sent thither ;" and he further stated that 
there was a very general report that within five 
or six days, Frontenac and his associates had di- 
vided the money received from the beavers sent 
to New England. 

At a conference in Quebec of some of the dis- 
thiguished men in that city, relative to difficulties 
with the Iroquois, held on the lOth of October, 
1682, Du Luth was present. From thence he went 



to France, and, early in 1683, consulted with the 
Minister of Marine at Versailles relative to the 
interests of trade in the Hudson's Bay and Lake 
Superior region. ITpon his return to Canada, he 
departed for jMatHvinaw. Governor De la Barre, 
on the 9th of Novemlier, 16S3, wrote to the French 
Government that the Indians west and north of 
Lake Superior, " when they heard by expresses 
sent them by Du Lhut, of his arrival at Missili- 
makinak, that he was coming, sent him word to 
come quickly an<l they would luiite with him to 
prevent others going thither. If I stop that pass 
as I hope, and as it is necessary to do, as the Eng- 
lish of the Bay [Hudson's] excite against us the 
savages, whom Sieur Du Lhut alone can quiet." 

While stationed at Mackinaw he was a partici- 
pant in a tragic occurrence. During the summer 
of 1683 Jacques le Maire and Colin Berthot, while 
on their way to trade at Keweenaw, on Lake Su- 
perior, were suri)rised by three Indians, robbed, 
and murdered. Du Luth was prompt to arrest 
and punish the assassins. In a letf er from Mack- 
inaw, dated April 12, 1684, to the Governor of 
Canada, he writes: "Be pleased to know. Sir, 
that on the 24th of October last, I was told that 
Folle Avome, accomplice in the murder and rob- 
bery of the two Frenchmen, had arrived at Sault 
Ste. Marie with fifteen families of the Sauteurs 
[Ojibways] who had fled from Chagoamigon [La 
Pointe] on account of an attack wlucli they, to- 
gether with the people of the land, made last 
Spruig upon the Nadouecioux [Dakotahs.J 

" He believed himself safe at the Sault, on <ic- 
count of the number of allies and relatives he had 
there. Rev. Father Albanel informed me that 
the French at the Saut, being only twelve in num- 
ber, had not arrested him, believing themselves 
too weak to contend with such numbers, espe- 
cially as the Sauteurs had declared that they 
would not allow the French to redden the land 
of their fathers with the blood of their brothers. 

" On receivmg this information, I immediately 
resolved to take with me six Frenchmen, and em- 
bark at the da^^^l of the next day for Saidt Ste. 
Marie, and if possible obtain possession of the 
murderer. I made known my design to the Rev. 
Father Engalran, and, at my request, iis he had 
some business to ari'ange with Rev. Father Al- 
banel, he placed himself in my canoe. 

'• Having arrived within a league of the village 



12 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



of the Saut, the Eev. Father, the Chevalier de 
Fourcllle, Cardonnierre, and .1 disembarked. I 
caused the canoe, in wliieh were Baril)aud, Le 
Mere, La Fortune, and Macons, to proceed, while 
we went across the wood to the honse of the Rev. 
Father, fearing that the savages, seeing me, might 
SHspect the object of my visit, and ca<ise Folle 
Avoine to escape. Finally, to cut the matter 
short, I arrested him, and cansed him to be 
guarded day and night by six Frenchmen. 

" I then called a council, at which I requested 
all the savages of the place to be present, where 
I repeated what I had often said to the Hurons 
and Ottawas since the departure of M. Fere [Per- 
rot], giving them the message you ordered me. 
Sir, that in case there should be among them any 
spirits so evil disposed as to follow tlie example 
of those who have murdered the Fi'encli on Lake 
Superior and Lake Micliigan, they must separate 
the guilty from the innocent, as I did not wish 
the whole nation to suffer, unless they protected 
the guilty. * * * The savages held several 
councils, to which I was invited, b:.t tlieir only 
object seemed to be to exculpate the prisoner, in 
order that I might release him. 

" All united in accusing Achiganaga and his 
children, assuring themselves with the beUef that 
M. Pere, [Perrot] with his detachment would not 
be able to arrest them, and wishing to persuade 
me that they apprehended that all the Frenchmen 
might be killed. 

" I answered them, * * * ' As to the antici- 
pated death of ^L Pere [Perrot]. as well as of the 
otlier Frenchmen, that would not embarrass me, 
smce I believed neither the allies nor the nation 
of Achiganaga would wish to have a war witli ns 
to sustain an action so dark as that of which we 
were speaking. Having only to attack a few 
murderers, or, at most, those of their own family, 
I was certain tliat the French would have them 
dead or alive.' 

" This was the answer they had from me during 
the three days that the councils lasted ; after 
which I embarked, at ten o'clock in the morning, 
sustained by only twelve Frenchmen, to show a 
few unruly persons who boasted of taking the 
prisoner away from me, that the French did not 
fear them. 

" Daily I received accounts of tlie number of 
savages that Achiganaga drew from his nation to 



Kiaonan [Keweenaw] under pretext of going to 
war in the spring against the Nadouecioux, to 
avenge the death of one of his relatives, son of Ou- 
enaus, but really to protect himself against us, 
in case we should become convinced that liis chil- 
dren had killed the Frenchmen. This precaution 
placed me between hope and fear respecting the 
expedition which M. Pere [Perrot] had under- 
taken. 

"On the 24th of November, [1683], he came 
across the wood at ten o'clock at night, to tell me 
that he had arrested Achiganaga and four of his 
children. He said they were not all guilty of the 
murder, but had thought proper, in this affair, to 
follow the custom of the savages, which is to seize 
all the relatives. Folle Avoine, whom I had ar- 
rested, he considered the most guilty, being with- 
out doubt the originator of the mischief. 

" I immediately gave orders that Folle Avoine 
sliould be more closely confined, and not allowed 
to speak to any one ; for I had also learned that 
he had a brother, sister, and imcle in the village 
of the Kiskakons. 

" M. Pere informed me that he had released the 
youngest son of Achiganaga, aged about thirteen 
or fourteen years, that he might make known to 
their nation and the Sauteurs [Ojibways], who are 
at Nocke and in tlie neigliborhood, the reason 
why the Frencli had arrested his father and bro- 
thers. M. Pere bade him assure the savages that 
if any one wished to complain of what he had 
done, he would wait for them with a firm step ; for 
he considered himself in a condition to set them 
at defiance, having found at Kiaonan [Keweenaw] 
eighteen Frenchmen who had wintered tliere. 

" On the 2.5tli, at daybreak, M. Pere embarked 
at the Sault, with four good men whom I gave 
him, to go and meet tlie prisoners. He left them 
four leagues from there, under a guard of twelve 
Fren'chmen ; and at two o'clock in the afternoon, 
they arrived. I had prepared a room in my house 
for the prisoners, in wliich they were placed under 
a strong guard, and were not allowed to converse 
with any one. 

" On the 26th, I commenced proceedings; and 
tliis, sir, is tlie course I pursued. J gave notice 
to all the chiefs and others, to appear at the 
council which I had appointed, and gave to Folle 
Avoine the privilege of selecting two of his tela 



IXDTANS CONDEMNED TO BE SHOT. 



13 



tives to support his interests ; aiid to tlie other 
prisoners I made the same offer. 

" The council being assembled, I sent lor ToUe 
Avome to be interrogated, and caused Ids answers 
to be written, and afterwards th(\v were read to 
him, and inquiry made whether they were not, 
word for word, what he had said. lie was then 
removed under a safe guard. I used the same 
form with tlie two eldest sons of Acliiganaga, and, 
as i'oUe Avoiue liad indirectly charged the father 
with being accessoiy to the murder, I sent for 
him and also for Folle AvoLne, and bringing them 
into the council, confronted the four. 

" FoUe Avoiue and the two sons of Achiganaga 
accused each other of committing the murder, 
without denying that they were participators in 
the crime. Achiganaga alone strongly maintained 
that he knew nothing of the design of Folle 
Avoine, nor of his children, and called on them 
to .say if he had advised them to kill the French- 
men. They answered, ' Xo.' 

" This couf routatiou, which the savages did not 
expect, surprised them; and, seeing the prisoners 
had convicted themselves of the murder, the 
Chiefs said: 'It is enough; you accuse your- 
selves; the French are masters of your bodies.' 

" The next day I held another council, in which 
I said there could be no doubt that the French- 
men had been murdered, that the murderers were 
known, and that they knew what was the prac- 
tice among themselves upon such occasions. To 
all this they said nothing, which obliged us on 
the following day to hold another council in the 
cabin of Brochet, where, after having spoken, and 
seeing that they w ould make no decision, and that 
all my councils ended only in reducing tobacco to 
ashes, I told them that, since they did not wish to 
decide, I should take the responsibility, and that 
the next day I woidd let them know the deter- 
mination of the French and myself. 

" It is proper. Sir, you should know that I ob- 
served all these forms only to see if they would 
feel it their duty to render to us the same justice 
that lUey do to each other, having liad divers ex- 
amples in which when the tribes of those who 
liad <'ommitted the murder did not wish to go to 
war with the tribe aggrieved, the nearest rela- 
tions of the murderers killed them themselves; 
that is to say, man for man. 

" On the 29th of November. I gathered together 



the French that were here, and, after the interro- 
gations and answers of the accused had been read 
to them, tlie guilt of tlie lhic(! appeared so evi- 
dent, from their own (unifessions, that the vote 
was unanimous that all should die. Ihit as the 
French who remained at Kiaonan to pass the win- 
ter had written to Father Engalran and to myself, 
to beg us to treat the affair with all possible len- 
iency, the savages declaring that if they made 
the prisoners die they would avenge themselves, 
I told the gentlemen who were with me in coun- 
cil that, this being a case without a precedent, I 
believed it was expedient for the ^safety of the 
French who would pass the winter in the Lake 
Superior country to put to death only two, as that 
of the third might bring aljout grievous conse- 
quences, while the putting to death, man for 
man, could give the savages no complaint, since 
this is their custom. M. de la Tour, chief of the 
Fathers, who had served much, sustained my 
oiiinions by strong reasoning, and all decided that 
two should be shot, namely, Folle Avoine and 
the older of the two brothers, while the younger 
should be released, and hold his life. Sir, as a gift 
from you. 

" I tl;en returned to the cabin of Brochet with 
Messrs. Boisguillot, Fere, De Repentigny, De 
Maiitliet, De la Ferte, and ]Macons, where were 
all the chiefs of the Outawas du Sable, Outawas 
Sinagos, Kiskakons, Sauteurs, D'Achiliny, apart 
of the Hurons, and Oumamens, the chief of the 
Amikoys. I informed tliem of our decision * 

* * that, the Freuclimen having been killed by 
the different nations, one of each must die, and 
that the same death they had caused tlie French 
to suffer they must also suffer. * * * This 
decision to put the murderers to death was a hard 
stroke to them all, for none had believed that I 
would dare to undertake it. * * * I then left 
the council and asked the Rev. Fathers if they 
wished to baptize the prisoners, which they did. 

"An hour after, I put myself at the head of 
forty-two Frenchmen, and, in sight of more than 
four hundred savages, and within two hundred 
paces of their fort, I c<iused tlie two murderers 
to be shot. The impossibility of keeping them 
until spring made me hasten their death. * * 

* "WTien M. Pere made the anest, those who had 
committed the murder confessed it; and when he 
asked them what they Lad done with our good* 



14 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



they answered that they were ahnost all con- 
cealed. He proceeded to the place of conceal- 
ment, and was very much surprised, as were also 
the French with him, to find tliem, in fifteen or 
twenty Uiilereut places. By the carelessness of 
the savages, the tobacco and powder were entire- 
ly destroyed, having been placed in the pinery, 
under the roots of trees, and being soaked in the 
water caused by ten or twelve days' continuous 
Klin, which inundated all the lower country. 
The season for snow and ice having come, they 
had all the trouble in the world to get out the 
bales of cloth. 

" They then went to see the bodies, but could 
not remove them, these miserable wretches hav- 
ing thrown them into a marsh, and thrust them 
down into holes which they had made. Not sat- 
isfied with this, they bad also piled branches of 
trees upon the bodies, to prevent them from float- 
ing when the water should rise in the spring, 
hoping by this precaution the French would find 
no trace of those who were killed, but would think 
tliem drowned; as they reported that they had 
foiuid in the lake on the other side of the Portage, 
a boat with the sides all broken in, which they 
believed to be a French boat. 

"Those goods which the French were able to 
secure, they took to Kiaonau [Keweenaw], where 
were a number of Frenchmen who had gone there 
to pass the winter, wlio knew nothing of the death 
of Colin Berthot and Jacques le Maire, vuitil il. 
Pere arrived. 

''The ten who formed M. Pere's detachment 
having conferred together concerning the means 
they should take to prevent a total loss, decided 
to sell the goods to the highest bidder. The sale 
was made for 1100 livres, which was to be paid in 
beavers, to M. de la Chesnaye, to whom I send 
the names of the purchsers. 

" The savages who were present when Achiga- 
naga and his children were arrested wished to 
pass the calumet to M. Pere, and give him cap- 
tives to satisfy him for the murder committed on 
the two Frenchmen ; but he knew their inten- 
tion, and would not accept their offer. He told 
them neither a hundred captives nor a hundred 
packs of beaver woukl give back the blood of his 
lii'others; that the murderers must be given np 
to me, and I would see what I would do. 

" I caused M. Pere to repeat these tilings in the 



coimcU, that in future the savages need not think 
by presents to save those who commit similar 
deeds. Besides, sir, M. Pere showed plamly by 
his conduct, that he is not strongly inclined to 
favor the savages, as was reported. Indeed, I do 
not know any one whom they fear more, yet who 
flatters them less or knows them better. 

" The criminals being in two different places, 
M. Pere being obliged to keep four of them, sent 
Messrs. de Repentigny, Manthet, and six other 
Frenchmen, to arrest the two who were eight 
leagues in the woods'. Among others, M. de Re- 
pentigny and M. d(^ Manthet showed that they 
feared nothing when their honor called them. 

" M. de la Chevrotiere has also served well in 
person, and by his advice, having pointed out 
where the prisoners were. Achiganaga, who had 
adopted him as a son, had told him where he 
should hunt during the winter. ***** 
It still remained for me to give to Acliiganaga and 
his three childi-en the means to return to his 
family. Their home from which they were taken 
was nearly twenty-six leagues from here. Know- 
ing their necessity, I told them you would not be 
satisfied hi giving them life ; you wished to pre- 
serve it, by giving them all that was necessary to 
prevent them from dying with himger and cold 
by the way, and that your gift was made by my 
hands. I gave them blankets, tobacco, meat, 
hatchets, knives, twine to make nets for beavers, 
and two bags of com, to supply them till they 
could kill game. 

" They departed two days after, the most con- 
tented creatm-es in the world, but God was not ; 
for when ouly two days' journey from here, the 
old Achiganaga fell sick of the quinsy, and died, 
and his children returned. When the news of his 
death arrived, the greater part of the savages of 
this place [Mackinaw] attributed it to the French, 
saying we had caused him to die. I let them 
talk, and laughed at them. It is only about two 
months since the children of Achiganaga retumei 
to Kiaonan." 

Some of those opposed to Du Luth and Fron- 
tenac, prejudiced the King pf France relative to 
the transaction we have described, and in a letter 
to the Governor of Canada, the King writes : " It 
appears to me that one of the princii^al causes of 
the war arises from one I)u Luth having caused 
two to be killed who had assassinated two French- 



ENGLISH TRADERS CAl'TUREl). 



lo 



men on Lake Superior; and you snlliciently see 
now niiicli this man's voyage, wliich can not pro- 
duce any advantage to the colony, and wliirh waa 
permitted oidy in the interest of sonu' i)ri\ate 
persons, lias contributed to distract llie peace of 
the colony."' 

Du Luth and his yoimg brother appear to have 
traded at the western extremity of Lake Superior. 
and on the north shore, to Lake Nipegon. 

In June, 1(584, (iovernor l)e la Barre sent (iuil- 
let and llebert from ^loutreal to request Du Liith 
and I>urantaye to bring down voyageurs and In- 
dians to assist in an expedition against the Iro- 
quois of New Y(u-k. Early in September, they 
reported on the St. Lawrence, with one hundred 
and lifty coureurs des bois and three hundred and 
lifty Indians ; but as a treaty liad just been made 
with the Senecas, they returned. 

De la Barre 's successor, Governor Denonville, 
in a dispatch to the French Government, dated 
November 12tli. I(i8.5, alludes to Du Luth being 
in the far West, in these words : ■• I likewise sent 
to M. De la Durantaye, who is at Lake Superior 
imder orders from M. De la Barre, and to Sieur 
Du Luth, who is also at a great distance in an- 
other direction, and all so far beyond reach that 
neither the one nor the other can hear news from 
me this year ; so that, not being able to see them 
at soonest, before next July, I considered it best 
not to think of undertaking anything during the 
whole of next year, especially as a great number 
of our best men are among the Outaouacs. and 
cannot return before the ensuing summer. * * * 
In regard to Sieur Du Luth, 1 sent him orders to 
repair here, so that I may learn the number of 
savages on whom I may depend. He is accredit- 
ed among them, and rendered great services to 
M. De la Barre by a large nimiber of savages he 
brought to Niagara, who would have attacked 
tlie Senecas, was it not for an express order from 
JI. De la Barre to the contrary." 

In 1686, while at Mackinaw, he was ordered to 
establish a post on the Detroit, near Lake Erie. 
A portion of the order reads as follows : " After 
having given all the orders that you may judge 
necessary for the safety of this post, and having 
well secured the obedience of the Indians, you 
will return to Miehilimackinac, there to await 
Rev. Father Engelran, by whom I will commu- 
nicate what I wish of you, there." 



Tlie design of this post was to block the pas- 
sage of tlin lOnglisli to tlie upper lakes. Before 
it was established, in the fall of 1686, Thomas 
liosebodiu, a daring trader from Albany, on the 
Hudson, hail found his way to the viciinty of 
Mackinaw, and by the proffer of brandy, weak- 
ened the allegiance of the tribes to the FifMuIi. 

A canoe coming to Mackinaw with dispatches 
for the French and their allies, to march to the 
Seneca country, in New York, perceived tins New 
York trader and associates, and, giving the alarm, 
tlu'y were met by three hundred coureurs du 
bois and captured. 

In the spring of 1687 Du Lutli, Durantaye, 
and T-)nty all left the vicinity of Detroit for Ni- 
agara, and as they were coasthig along Lake Erie 
they met another English trader, a Scotchman 
by birth, and by name Major Patrick McGregor, 
a person of some intluence, going with a number 
of traders to ^Mackinaw. Having taken him ]ii'is- 
oner, he was sent with Ilosebo<im to .Montreal. 

Du Luth, Tonty, and Durantaye arrived at Ni- 
agara on the :27tli of June, 1687, with one hun- 
dred and seventy French voyageurs, besides In- 
dians, and on the loth of July joined the army of 
Denonville at the mouth of the (ieuesee Kiver, 
and on the 13th Du Luth and his associates had 
a skirmish near a Seneca village, now the site of 
the town of Victor, twenty miles southeast of the 
city of Rochester, New Y'ork. Governor Denon- 
ville, in a report, writes: " On the 13th, about 4 
o'clock in the afternoon, having pas.sed through 
two dangerous detiles, we arrived at the third, 
where we were vigorously attacked by eight hun- 
dred Senecas, two hundred of whom tired, wish- 
ing to attack our rear, wlule the rest would attack 
our front, but the resistance, made produced 
such a great consternation that they soon resolved 
to fly. * * * We witnessed the p^iinful sight 
of the usual cruelties of the savages, who cut the 
dead into quarters, as is done in slaughter houses, 
in order to put them into the kettle. The greater 
numlier were opened while .still warm, that the 
blood might be drunk. Our rascally Otaoas dis- 
tinguished tliemselves particularly by these bar- 
barities. * * * We had live or six men killed 
on the spot, French and Indians, and aliout 
twenty wounded, among the first of whom was the 
Rev. Father Angelran, superior of all the Otaoan 
Missions, by a very severe gun-shot. It is a great 



16 



EXPLORERS A ND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



misfortune that this wound will prevent him go- 
jng back again, for he is a man of capacity." 

In the orcter to Du Luth assigning him to duty 
at tho post on the site of the modern Fort Gra- 
tiot, above the city of Detroit, the Governor of 
Canada said: " If you can so arrange your affairs 
that your brother can be near you in tlie Spring, 
I shall be very glad. He is an intelligent lad, 
and might be a great assistance to you; he might 
also be very serviceable to us." 

This lad, Greysolon de la Tourette, during the 
winter of 1686-7 was trading among the Assina- 
bouies and other tribes at the west end of Lake 
Superior, but, upon receiving a dispatch, hastened 
to his brother, journeying in a canoe without any 
escort from Mackinaw. He did not arrive until 
after the battle with the Senecas. Governor Den- 
onville, on the 25th of August, 1687, wrote: 

" Du Luth's brother, who has recently arrived 
from the rivers above the Lake of the Allempi- 
gons [Nipegon], assures me that he saw more than 
fifteen hvmdred persons come to trade with him, 
and they were very sorry he had not goods suffi- 
cient to satisfy them. They are of the tribes ac- 
customed to resort to the English at Port Nelson 
and Kiver Bourbon, where, they say, they did not 
go this year, through Sieur Du Lhu's influence." 

After the battle in the vicinity of Rochester, 
New York, Du Luth, with his celebrated cousin, 
Henry Tonty, returned together as far as the post 
above the present city of Detroit, Michigan, but 
this point, after 1688, was not again occupied. 

From this period Du Luth becomes less prom- 
inent. At the time when the Jesuits attempted 
to exclude brandy from the Indian country a bit- 
ter controversy arose between them and the 
traders. Cadillac, a Gascon by birth, command- 
ing Fort Buade, at Mackiaiaw, on August 3, 1695, 
wrote to Count Frontenac: "Now, what reason 
can we assign that the savages should not drink 
brandy bought with their own money as well as 
we? Is it prohibited to prevent them from- be- 
coming intoxicated? Or is it because the use of 
brandy reduces them to extreme .misery, placing 
it out of their power to make war by depriving 
them of clothing and arms? If such representa- 
tions in regard to the Indians have been made to 
the Count, they are very false, as every one knows 
who is ac(iuainted with the ways of the savages. 
* * * It is bad faith to represent to the Count 



that the sale of brandy reduces the savage to a 
state of nudity, arfd by that means places it out 
of his power to make war, since he never goes to 
war in any other condition. * * » Perhaps it 
will be said that the sale of brandy makes the 
labors of the missionaries unfruitful. It is neces- 
sary to examine this proposition. If the mission- 
aries care for only the extension of commerce, 
pursuing the course they have hitherto, I agree 
to it; but if it is the use of brandy that hinders 
the advancement of the cause of God, I deny it, 
for it is a fact which no one can deny that there 
are a great number of savages who never drink 
brandy, yet who are not, for that, better Chris- 
tians. 

I "All the Sioux, the most numerous of all the 
tribes, who inhabit the region along the shore of 
Lake Superior, do not even like the smell of 
brandy. Are they more advanced in religion for 
that? They do not wish to have the subject men- 
tioned, and when the missionaries address them 
they only laugh at the foolishness of preiiching. 
Yet these priests boldly fling before the eyes of 
Europeans, whole volumes fdled with glowing 
descriptions of the conversion of souls by thou- 
sands in this country, causing the poor missiona- 
ries from Europe, to run to martyrdom as flies to 
sugar and honey." 

Du Luth, or Du Lhut, as he wrote his name, 
d>iring this discussion, was found upon the side 
of order and good morals. His attestation is as 
follows : " I certify that at different periods I 
have lived about ten years among the Ottawa 
nation, from the time that 1 made an exploration 
to the Nadouecioux people until FoTt Saint Jo- 
seph was estabUshed by order of the Monsieur 
Marquis DenonvUle, Governor General, at the 
head of the Detroit of Lake Erie, which is in the 
Iroquois country, and which I had the honor to 
command. During this period, I have seen that 
the trade in eau-de-vie (brandy) produced great 
disorder, the father kiUing the son, and the son 
throwing his mother into the fire; and I mamtain 
tliat, morally speaking, it is impossible to export 
brandy to the woods and distant missions, with- 
out danger of its leading to misery." 

Governor Frontenac, in an expedition against 
the Oneidas of New York, arrived at Fort Fron- 
tenac, on the 19th of July, 1695, and Captain Du 
Luth was left in command with forty soldiers, 



DU LIJTH AFFLICTED WITH GOUT. 



17 



ami masons and carpenters, with orders to erect 
new buildings. In about foiir weeks lie erected 
a building one hundred and twenty feet in leugtli, 
containing officers' quarters, store-rooms, a bakery 
and a chapel. Early in 1097 ho ■was still in com- 
mand of the post, and in a report it is mentioned 
that " everybody was then in good health, except 
Captain Dnlliut the commander, who was unwell 
of the gout." 

It was just before this period, that as a member 
of the Eoman Catholic Cluirch, he was firmly 
impressed that he had been helped by prayers 
which he addressed to a deceased Iroquois girl, 
who had died in the odor of sanctity, and, as a 
thank offering, signed the following certificate : 
" I, the subscriber, certify to all whom it may 
concern, that having been tormented by the gout, 
for the space of twenty-three years, and with such 



severe pains, that it gave me no rest for the spac 
of three months at a time, I addressed myself to 
Catherine Tegahkouita, an Inxpiois virghi de- 
ceased at the Sault Saint Loins, in the reputation 
of sanctity, and I promised her to visit her tomb, 
if God should give me health, through her uiter- 
cession. I have been as perfectly cured at the 
end of one novena, which I made in her honor, 
tliat after five months, I have not perceived the 
slightest touch of my govit. Given at Fort Fron- 
tenac, this ISth day of August, 1696." 

As soon as cold weather returned, his old mal- 
ady again appeared. He diedearly in A. D. 1710. 
Marquis de Vaudreuil, Governor of Canada, im- 
der date of first of ]SIay of that year, wrote to 
Count Pontchartrain, Colonial Minister at I'aris, 
" Captain Du Lud died this winter. lie was a 
very honest man." 



18 



EXl'LOliEliS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER IV. 



FIKST WHITE SIETST AT FALLS OF SAINT ANTHONT OF PADUA. 



Falls of St. Anthony Visited by White Men.— La Salle Gives the Fiist Description 
of Upper Mississippi Valley.— Accault, the Leader, Accompanied by Avipelle 
and Hennepin, at Falls of Saint Anthony.— Hennepin Declared Unreliable by 
La Salle.— His E.arly Life.—His First Book Criticised by Abbe Eernou and 
Tronson- — Deceptive Map. — First Meeting with Sioux ;— Astonishment at 
Reading His Breviary,— Sioux Name lor Guns. —Accault and Hennepin at 
Lake Pepin.— Leave the River Below Saint Paul.— At Mille Lacs.— A Sweating 
Cabin.— Sioux Wonder at Mariner's Compass.— Fears of an lion Pot.— Making 
a Dictionary.- Infant Baptised.— Route to the Pacific— Hennepin Descends 
RumRiver.— First Visitto Falls of Saint Anthony.— On a Buffalo Hnnt.-Meets 
Du Luth.— Returns to Mille L.acs.- With Du Luth at Falls of S(. Anthony.— 
Returns to France. — Subsequent Life.—His Books Examined.- Denies in First 
Book His Descent to the Gulf of Mexico.— Dispute with Du Luth at Falls of St, 
Anthony.— Patronage of Du Luth.— Tribute to Du Luth.- Heunepin's Answer 
to {'riticisras.— Denounced by D'Iberville and Father Gravier.— Residence in 
Rome. 

In the summer of 1680, ISIicliael Accault (Ako), 
Heiuiepiu, the Frauciscan missionary, Augelle, 
Du Luth, and FafCart all visited the Falls of 
Saint Anthony. 

The fast description of the valley of the iipper 
Jlississippi was written by La Salle, at Fort 
Frontenac, on Lake Ontario, on the 22d of Au- 
gust, 16S2, a month before Hennepin, in Paris, 
obtained a license to print, and some time before 
the Franciscan's first work, was issued from the 
press. 

La Salle's knowledge must have been received 
from Alichael Accault, tlie leader of the expedi- 
tion, Augelle, his comrade, or the clerical attache, 
the Franciscan, Hennepin. 

It differs from Hennepin's narrative in its free- 
dom from bombast, and if its statements are to 
be credited, tlie Franciscan must be looked on as 
one given to exaggeration. The careful student, 
however, soon learns to be cautious m receiving 
the statement of any of the early explorers and 
ecclesiastics of the Northwest. The Franciscan 
depreciated the Jesuit missionary, and La Salle 
did not hesitate to misrepresent l>u Luth and 
others for his Gwn exaltation. La Salle makes 
statements which we deem to be wide of the 
truth when his prejudices are aroused. 

At the very time that the Intendant of Justice 
in Canada is complaining that Governor Fronte- 
nac is a friend and correspondent of Du Luth, 



La Salle writes to his friends in Paris, thatDii 
Luth is looked upon as an outlaw by the governor. 

AMiile official documents prove that Du Luth 
was in Jliimesota a year before Accault and asso- 
ciates, yet La SaUe wTites: " Moreover, the Na- 
donesioux is not a region which he has discov- 
ered. It is known that it was discovered a long 
time before, and that the Eev. Father Hennepin 
and Michael Accault were there before him." 

La Salle in this communication describes Ac- 
cault as one well acquamted with the language 
and names of the Indians of the Illinois region, 
and also " cool, brave, and prudent,'' and the head 
of the party of exploration. 

■\\'e now proceed wfth the first description of 
the country above the "Wisconsin, to which is 
given, for the first and only time, by any writer, 
the Sioux name, lileschetz Odeba, perhaps in- 
tended for ^Meshdeke "Wakpa, River of the Foxes. 

He describes the Upper Mississippi in these 
words : " Followuig the windings of the Missis- 
sippi, they found the river Ouisconsing, "Wiscon- 
sing, or Meschetz Odeba, which flows between 
Bay of Puaus and the Grand river. » * * About 
twenty-three or twenty-four leagues to the north 
or northwest of the mouth of the Oiiisconshig. 
* * * they found the Black river, called by tlie 
Nadouesioux, Chabadeba [Chapa "Wakpa, Beaver 
i-iver] not very large, the mouth of which is bor- 
dered on the two shores Viy alilers. 

" Ascending about thixty leagues, almost at the 
same point of the compass, is the Buffalo river 
l^Chippewa], as large at its mouth as that of the 
Illinois. They follow it ten or twelve leagues, 
where it is deep, small and without rapids, bor- 
dered by liiUs which widen out from time to time 
to form prairies." 

About three o'clock in the afternoon of tlie 1 Uh 
of April, 1680, the travelers were iiet by a war 
party of one hundred Sioux in thirty-three birch 
bark canoes. "Michael Accault, who was the 



HE^'NE^IX CRITICISED BY LA SALLE. 



19 



leader," says La Salle, " presented the Calumet." 
The Indians were presented by Accanlt with 
twenty knives and a fathoni and a half of tobacco 
and some goods, rrocceding with the Indians 
ton days, on the 22d of April the isles in the ^lis- 
sissippi were reached, where the Sioux had killed 
some Maskoutens, and they halted to weep over 
the death of two of their own number; and to 
assuage their grief, Accanlt gave them in trade a 
box of goods and twenty-four hatchets. 

AVhen they were eight leagues below the Falls 
of Saint Anthony, they resolved to go by land to 
their village, sixty leagues distant. They were 
well received ; the only strife among the villages 
was that which resulted from the desire to have 
a Frenchman in their midst. La Salle also states 
that it was not correct to give the impression that 
Du Lnth had rescued his men from captivity, for 
they could not be properly called prisoners. 

He continues: " In going up the Mississippi 
again, twenty leagues above that river [Saint 
CroixJ is found the falls, which those I sent, and 
who passuig there first, named Saint Anthony. 
It is thirty or forty feet high, and the river is nar- 
rower here than elsewhere. There is a small 
island m the midst of the chute, and the two 
banks of the river are not bordered by high hills, 
which gradually diminish at this point, but the 
country on each side is covered with thin woods, 
such as oaks and other hard woods, scattered wide 
apart. 

" The canoes were carried three or four hun- 
dred steps, and eight leagues above was found 
the west [east?] bank of the river of the Xailoue- 
sioux, eniling in a lake named Issati, which ex- 
pands into a great marsh, where the wild rice 
grows toward the mouth." 

In the latter part of his letter La Salle uses the 
following language relative to his old chaplain: 

" 1 believed that it was appropriate to make for 
you the narrative of the adventures of this canoe, 
because I doubt not that they will speak of it, and 
if you wish to confer with the Father Louis Hen- 
nepin, KecoUect, who has returned to France, you 
must know him a little, because he will not fail 
to exaggerate all things; it is his character, and 
to me he has written as if he were about to be 
burned when lie was not even in danger, but he 
believes that it is honorable to act in this manner, 



and he speaks more confornial)ly to that wliich 
he wishes than to that which he knows." 

Ilemiepin was born in Ath, an inland town of 
the Nethei'lands. From boyhood he longed to 
visit foreign lands, and it is not to be wondered 
at that he assumed the priesfs garb, for ne^xt to 
the soldier's life, it suited one of wandering pro- 
pensities. 

At one time he is on a begging expedition to 
some of the towns on the sea coast. In a few 
months he occupies the post of chaplain at an 
hospital, where he shrives the dying and admin- 
isters extreme unction. From the quiet of the 
hospital he proceeds to the camp, and is present 
at the battle of Seueffe, which occurred in the 
year lfi74. 

His whole mind, from the time that he became 
a priest, appears to have been on " things seen 
and temporal," rather than on those that are '• un- 
seen and eternal." AVhile on duty at some of the 
ports of the Straits of Dover, he exhibited the 
characteristic of an ancient Athenian more than 
that of a professed successor of the Apostles. 
He sought out the society of strangi>;:"s " who 
spent their time in nothing else bat either to tell 
or to hear some new thing." "With perfect non- 
chalance he confesses that notwithstanding the 
nauseating fumes of toliacco, he used to slip be- 
hind the doors of sailors" taverns, and spend days, 
without regard to the loss of his meals, listening 
to the adventures and hair-breadth escapes of the 
mariners in lands beyond the sea. 

In the year 1676, he received a welcome order 
from his Superior, recpiiring him to embark for 
Canada. Unaccustomed to the world, and arbi- 
trary in his disposition, he rendered the cabin of 
the ship in which he sailed any thing but heav- 
enly. As in modern days, tlie passengers in a 
vessel to the new world were composed of hete- 
rogeneous materials. There ^\•ere young women 
going out in search for brothers or husbands, ec- 
clesiastics, and those engaged in the then new, 
but profitable, commerce in furs. One of his 
fellow passengers was the talented and enterpri- 
prising, though unfortunate. La Salle, with whom 
he was afterwards associated. If he is to be 
credited, his intercourse with La Salle was not 
very pleasant on ship-board. The young women, 
tired of being cooped up in the narrow accommo- 
dations of the ship, when the e\'eniug was fair 



20 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOIA. 



sought the deck, and engaged in the rude dances 
of the French peasantry of that age. Hennepin, 
feeling that it was improper, began to assume 
the air of the priest, and forbade the sport. La 
Salle, feeling that his inteirference was uncalled 
for, called him a pedant, and took the side of the 
girls, and during the voyage there were stormy 
discussions. 

Good humor appears to have been restored 
when they left the ship, for Hennepin would oth- 
erwise have not been the companion of La Salle 
in his great western journey. 

Sojourning for a short period at Quebec, the 
adventure-loving Franciscan is permitted to go 
to a mission station on or near the site of the 
present town of Kingston, Canada West. 

Here there was much to gratify his love of 
novelty, and he passed considerable time in ram- 
blhig among the Iroquois of XewYork. In 1678 
he returned to Quebec, and was ordered to join 
the exiiedition of Eobert La Salle. 

On the 6th of December Father Hennepin and 
a portion of the exploring party had entered the 
Niagara river. In the vicinity of the Falls, the 
winter was passed, and while the artisans were 
preparing a ship above the Falls, to navigate the 
great lakes, the Recollect wliiled away the hours, 
in studying tlie manners and customs of the Sen- 
eca Indians, and in athnirrng the sublimest han- 
diwork of God on tlie globe. 

On the 7th of August, 1679, the ship being 
completely rigged, unfurled its sails to the breezes 
of Lake Erie. The vessel was named the " Grif- 
fin," hi honor of the anns of Frontenac, Governor 
of Canada, the first ship of European construc- 
tion tliat had ever ploughed the waters of the 
great inland seas of Korth America. 

After encounteruig a violent and dangerous 
storm on one of the lakes, during which they had 
given up all hope of escaping shipwreck, on the 
27th of tbe month, they were safely moored in 
the harbor of " MissiUmackinack." From thence 
the party proceeded to Green Bay, where they 
left the ship, procured canoes, and continue<l 
along the coast of Lake Michigan. By the mid- 
dle of January, 1680, La Salle had conducted his 
expedition to the Illinois Kiver, and, on an emi- 
nence near I^ake Peoria, he commenced, with 
much heaviness of heart, the erection of a fort, 



which he called Crevecoeur, on account of the 
many disappointments he had experienced. 

On the last of February, Accault, Augelle, and 
Hennepin left to ascend the Mississippi. 

The first work bearing the name of the Rev- 
erend Father Louis Hennepin, Franciscan Mis- 
sionary of the Recollect order, was entitled, "De- 
scription de la Louisiane," and in 1683 published 
in Paris. 

As soon as the book appeared it was criticised. 
Abbe Bernou, on the 29th of February, 1684, 
writes from Rome about the "paltry book"' (mes- 
hcant livre) of Father Hennepin. About a year 
before the pious Tronson, imder date of ilarch 
13, 1683, wrote to a friend: " I have interviewed 
the P. Recollect, who pretends to have descended 
the Mississippi river to the Gulf of Mexico. I do 
not know that one leill helieve ivhat he speaks any 
more than that whicli is in the printed relation of 
P. Louis, which I send you that you may make 
your own reflections." 

On the map accompanymg his first book, he 
boldly marks a Recollect Mission many miles 
north of the point he had visited. In the Utrecht 
edition of 1697 this deliberate fraud is erased. 

Tlu'oughout the work he assumes, that he was 
the leader of the expedition, and magnifies trifles 
into tragedies. For uistance, Mr. La SaUe writes 
that Michael Accault, also written Ako, who was 
the leader, presented the Sioux with the calu- 
met ;" but Hennepm makes the occurrence more 
formidable. 

He writes : " Oiu- prayers were heard, when on 
the 11th of April, 1680, about two o'clock in the 
afternoon, we suddenly perceived thirty -tliree 
bark canoes manned by a hundred and twenty 
Indians coming dowii with very great speed, on a 
war party, against tlie JSIiamis, Illinois and Maro- 
as. These Intlians surroimded us, and while at 
a distance, discharged some arrows at us, but as 
they approached our canoe, the old men seeing us 
with the calumet of peace in oiu' hands, iirevent- 
ed the young men from kilUng us. These sava- 
ges leaping from their canoes, some on land, 
others into the water, with frightful cries and 
yells approached us, and as we madfe jio resist- 
ance, being oidy three against so great a number, 
one of them wrenched our caltimet from our 
hands, while our canoe and theirs were tied to 
the shore. We first presented to them a iiiece of 



IfEJ^Nl^PIN'S DIFFICULTY WITll I'llAYEli-BOOK. 



21 



rrencli tobacco, better for smoking tliau tlieirs' 
ami the eldest among them uttered the words' 
" Miamiha, Miamiha." 

" As we did not nnderstand their language, we 
took a little stick, and by signs which we made 
on the sand, showed them that their enemies, the 
Miamis, whom they sought, had fled across tlie 
river Colbert [Mississippi] to join the Isliiiois; 
when they saw themselves discovered and unable 
to surprise their enemies, three or four old men 
laying their hands on my head, wept in a mourn- 
ful tone. 

" With a spare handkerchief I had left I wiped 
away their tears, but they woidd not smoke our 
Calimiet. They made us cross tlie river with 
great cries, while all shouted with tears in tlieir 
eyes; they made us row l)efore them, and we 
heard yells capable of striking tlie most resolute 
with terror. After landing our canoe and goods, 
part of which had already been taken, we made a 
fire to boil our kettle, and we gave them two large 
■wild turkeys which we liad killed. These Indians 
having called an assembly to deliberate what they 
were to do with us, the two head chiefs of the 
party approachmg, showed us by signs that the 
warriors wished to tomahawk us. This com- 
pelled me to go to the war cliiefs -nith one yoimg 
man, leaving the other by our property, and 
throw into theu- midst six axes, fifteen kiuves 
and six fathom of our l)lack tobacco ; and then 
brmging dowi my head, I showed them with an 
axe tliat they might kill me, if they thought 
proper. This present appeased many individual 
members, who gave us some beaver to eat, put- 
ting the three first morsels into our mouths, accor- 
tling to the custom of the country, and blowing on 
the meat, which was too hot, before puttuig the 
bark dish before us to let us eat as we liked. We 
spent the night in anxiety, because, before reti- 
ring at night, they had returned us our peace 
calumet. 

" Our two boatmen were resolved to sell their 
lives dearly, and to resist if attacked ; theii- arms 
ami swords were reafly. As for my own part, I 
determined to allow myself to be killed without 
any resistance ; as I was going to amiounce to 
them a God who had been foully accused, un- 
justly condemned, and cruelly crucified, without 
showmg the least aversion to those who put him 
to death. We watched in turn, in oiu- anxiety, 



so as not to be suqirised asleep. The n«xt morn- 
ing, a chief named Narrhetoba asked for the 
peace calumet, filled it with willow bark, and all 
smoked. It was then signified that the white 
men were to return with them to their villages." 

In his narrative the Francdscan remarks, "I 
foinid it difiicidt to say my ofllco before these 
Indians. Many seeing me move my lips, said in 
a fierce tone, ' Ouakanche.' Michael, all out of 
countenance, told me, that if I continued to say 
my breviary, we should all three be killed, and 
the Pieard begged me at least to pray apart, so as 
not to provoke them. I followed the latter 's 
advice, but the nwu-e I concealed myself the more 
I had the Indians at my heels ; for when I en- 
tered the wood, they thought I was going to hide 
some goods imder ground, so that I knew not on 
what side to turn to pray, for they never let me 
out of sight. This obliged me to beg pardon of 
my canoe -men, ass\iring them I could not dis- 
pense with saying my office. By the word, ' Ou- 
akanche,' the Indians meant that the book I was 
readhig was a spirit, but by their gesture they 
nevertheless showed a kind of aversion, so that 
to accustom them to it, I chanted the litany of 
the Blessed Virgin in the canoe, with my book 
opened. They thought that the breviary was a 
spirit which taught me to sing for their diversion ; 
for these people are naturally fond of singing." 

This is the first mention of a Dahkotah word 
m a European book. The savages were aimoyed 
rather than enraged, at seeing the white man 
reading a book, and exclaimed, " Wakan-de !" 
this is wondei-ful or supernatural. The war 
party was composed of several bauds of the M'de- 
wahkantonwan Dahkotahs, and there was a di- 
versity of opinion in relation to the disposition 
that should be made of the white men. The 
relatives of those who had been killed by the 
Miamis, were in favor of tiikhig their scalps, but 
others were anxious to retain the favor of the 
French, and open a trading intercourse. 

Perceiving one of the canoe-men shoot a wild 
turkey, they called the gim, " Manza Ouackange," 
iron that has miderstanding ; more coiTectly, 
" iSIaza Wakande," this is the supernatiu'al metal. 

Aqnipaguetui. one of the head men, resorted 
to the following device to obtam merchandise. 
Says the Father, " This M'ily savage had the 
bones of some distinguished relative, which he 



22 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



preserved with great care in some skins dressed 
and adorned witli several rows of black and red 
porcupine qiulls. From time to time he assem- 
bled his men to give it a smoke, and made us 
fome several days to cover the bones with goods, 
and by a present wipe away t!ie tears he had shed 
for him, and for his own son killed by the Miamis. 
To appease this captious man, we threw on the 
bones several fatlioms of tobacco, axes, knives, 
beads, and some black and white wampum brace- 
lets. * * * We slept at the point of the Lake 
of Tears [Lake Pepin], which we so called from 
the tears which this chief shed all night long, or 
by one of his sons whom he caused to weep when 
he grew tired." 

The next day, after four or five leagues' sail, a 
chief came, and telling them to leave their canoes, 
he pulled up three piles of grass for seats. Then 
taking a piece of cedar full of little holes, he 
placed a stick into one, which he revolved between 
the palms of his hands, until lie kintlled a fire, 
and informed the Frenchmen that they would be 
at Mille Lac in six days. On the nmeteenth day 
after their captivity, they arri\ed in the vicinity 
of Saint I'aul, not fai", it is ])robable, from the 
marshy ground on which the Kaposia band once 
lived, and now called Pig's Eye. 

The journal remaiks. '■ Having arrived on the 
nineteenth day of our navigation, live leagues 
below St. Anthony's Falls, these Indians landed 
us in a bay, broke our canoe to nieces, ahd se- 
creted their own in tlie reeds." 

They then followed the traU to Mille Lac, sixty 
leagues distant. As they approached their villa- 
ges, tlie various bands began to show their spoils. 
The tobacco was highly jirized, and led to some 
contention. The chalice of the Father, which 
glistened in the sun, they were afraid to touch, 
supposing it was "wakan." After five days' 
walk tliey reached the Issati [Dahkotali] settle- 
ments in the valley of the Rum or Knife river. 
The different bands each conducted a Frenchman 
to their village, the cliief Aquipaguetin taking 
charge of Hennepin. After marching through 
the marshes towards the sources of I?um river, 
five wives of the chief, m three bark canoes, met 
tliem and took them a sliort league to an island 
where tlieir cabins were. 

An aged Indian kindly rubbed dovm the way- 
worn Franciscan; placing him on a bear- skin 



near the fire, he anointed his legs and the soles 
of his feet with wildcat oil. 

The son of the chief took great pleasure in car- 
rying upon his bare back the priest's robe with 
dead men's bones enveloped. It was called Pere 
Louis Chiunen. In the Dahkotah language Shin- 
na or Shinnan signifies a buffalo robe. 

Hennepin's description of his life on the island 
is m these words : 

" The day after our arrival, Aquipaguetin, wlio 
was the head of a large family, covered me with 
a robe made of ten large dressed beaver skhis, 
trimmed with porcupine qiulls. This Indian 
showed me five or six of his wives, telling them, 
as I afterwards learned, that they shoid-' in fu' 
ture regard me as one of their children. 

'•He set before me a bark dish full of fish, and 
seeing that I could not rise from the ground, he 
had a small sweatmg-cabiu made, in wloich he 
made me enter with four Indians. Tliis cabin he 
covered with Ijuffalo skins, and inside he put 
stones red-hot. He made me a sign to do as the 
others before beginning to sweat, but I merely 
concealed my nakedness with a handkerchief. 
As soon as these Indians had several times 
breathed out quite violently, he began to sing vo- 
ciferously, the others putting their hands on me 
and rubbing me while they wept bitterly. I be- 
gan to faint, but I came out and could scarcely 
take my habit to put on. "When he made me 
sweat thus three times a week. I felt as strong as 
ever." 

The marmer's compass was a constant source 
of wonder and amazement. Aquipaguetin hav- 
ing assembled the braves, would ask Hennepin 
to show his compass. Perceiving that the needle 
turned, the chief harangued his men, and told 
them that the Europeans were spirits, capable of 
doing any thing. 

In the Franciscan's possession was an iron pot 
with feet like lions', which the Indians would not 
touch luiless tlieir hands were wrapped in buffalo 
skins. The women looked upon it as "wakan," 
and would not enter the cabm where it was. 
' " The chiefs of these savages, seeing that I was 
desirous to learn, frequently made me write, 
naming all the jiarts of the Innnan body ; and as 
I would not put on paper certain indelicate words, 
at ^\■hich they do not blush, they were heartily 
amused." 



HENNHPIN'S VISIT TO FALLS OF SAINT ANTHONY. 



23 



They often asked the Franciscan questions, to. 
answer wliich it was necessary to refer to his lex- 
icon. This appeared very strange, and, as tliey 
liad no word lor paper, they said, "Tliatwlute 
tiling must be a spirit wliicli tells Pere Louis all 
we say."' 

Hennepin remarks: "Tliese Indians often 
asked me how many wives and children I had, 
and how old 1 was, tliat is, how many winters; 
for so these natives always count. Never illu- 
mined by the light of faith, they were surprised 
at my answer. Pointing to oiu- two Frenchmen, 
whom I was then visiting, at a point three leagues 
from our village, I told them that a man among 
us could only have one wife ; that as for me, I 
had promised the Master of life to live as they 
saw me, and to come and live with them to teach 
them to be like the French. 

" But that gross people, till then lawless and 
faithless, turned all I said into ridicule. ' How,' 
said they, ' would you have these two men with 
thee have wives? Ours would not live with them, 
for they have hair all over their face, and we have 
none there or elsewhere.' In fact, they were 
never better pleased with me than when I was 
shaved, and from a complaisance, certainly not 
criminal, I shaved every week. 

'■ As often as I went to \asit the cabins, I found 
a sick child, whose father's name was Mamenisi. 
Michael Ako would not accompany me ; the 
Picard du Gay alone followed me to act as spon- 
sor, or, rather, to \\'itness the baptism. 

" I christened the child Antoinette, in honor of 
St. Anthony of Padua, as well as for the Picard's 
name, which was Anthony Auguelle. He was a 
native of Amiens, and nephew of the Prociu-ator- 
General of the Premonstrateusians both now at 
Paris. Having i)oin-ed natural water on the head 
and uttered these words : ' Creature of God, I 
baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' I took half an 
altar clotli which I had wrested from the hands 
of an Indian who had stolen it from me, and put 
it on the body of the baptized child; for as I 
C(udd not say mass for want of wine and vest- 
ments, this piece of linen could not be put to bet- 
ter use than to enshroud the. first Chiistian child 
among these tribes. I do not know whether the 
softness of the linen had refreshed her. luit she 
was the next day smiling in her mother's arms. 



who believed that I bad cTired the child ; but she 
died soon after, to my great consolation. 

" During my stay among them, tliere arrived 
fo\ir savages, who said they were come alone live 
hundred leagues from tlie west, and bad been four 
months upon tlie way. They assured us there 
was no such place as the Straits of Anian, and 
that they had traveled witliout resting, except to 
sleep, and had not seen or passed ov.er any great 
lake, by which phrase they always mean the sea. 

" They further informed us that the nation of 
the Assenipoulacs [Assiniboines] who lie north- 
east of Issati, was not above six or seven days' 
journey ; that none of the nations, within their 
knowledge, who lie to the east or northwest, had 
any great lake about their countries, which were 
very large, but only rivers, which came from the 
north. They further assured us that there were 
very few forests in the coiuitries through which 
they passed, insomuch that -now and then they 
were forced to make fires of buffaloes' dung to 
boil their food. All these circumstances make it 
appear that there is no such jilace as the Straits 
of Anian, as we usually see them set down on the 
maps. And whatever efforts have been made for 
many years past by the English and Dutch, to 
find out a passage to the Frozen Sea, they have 
not yet been able to effect it. But by the help of 
my discovery and the assistance of God, I doubt 
not but a passage may still be found, and that an 
easy one too. 

" For example, we may be transported into the 
Pacific Sea by rivers which are large and capable 
of carrying great vessels, and from thence it is 
very easy to go to China and Japan, witho%d cross- 
ing the. equinoctial line; and, in all prohahility, 
Japan is on the same continent as America." 

Hennepin in his first book, thus describes his 
first visit to the Falls of St. Anthony : '• In the 
beginning of July, 1680, we descended the [Rum] 
River in a canoe southward, with the great chief 
Ouasicoude [AVauzeekootay] that is to say Pierced 
Pine, with about eighty cabins composed of more 
than a hundred and thirty families and about 
two hundretl and fifty warriors. Scarcely would 
the Indians give me a place in their little flotilla, 
for they had only old canoes. They went four 
leagues lower down, to get birch bark to make 
some more. Having made a hole in the ground, 
to hide our silver chalice and our papers, till our 



24 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



return from the liimt, and keeping only our bre- 
viary, so as not to be loaded, I stood on the bank 
of the lake formed by the river we had called St. 
Francis [now Kum] and stretched out my hand 
to the canoes as they rapidly passed in succession. 

"Our Frenchmen also liad one for themselves, 
which the Indians had given tliem. Tliey would 
not take me in, IMichael Ako saying that he liad 
taken me long enough to satisfy him. I was hurt 
at tliis answer, seeing myself thus abandoned by 
Christians, to whom I had always done good, as 
they both often acknowledged; but God never 
having abandoned me on tliat painful voyage, in- 
spired two Indians to take me in their little 
canoe, where I had no other employment than to 
bale out with a little bark tray, the water which 
entered by little holes. This 1 did not do with- 
out getting all wet. This boat might, indeed, be 
called a death box, for its lightness and fragility. 
These canoes do not generally weigh over fifty 
pounds, the least motion of the body upsets them, 
unless you are long accustomed to that kind of 
navigation. 

" On disembarking in the evening, the Picard, 
as an excuse, told me that their canoe was half- 
rotten, and that had we been three in it, we 
should have run a great risk of remaining on the 
way. * * ■ * Four days after our departure for 
the buffalo hunt, we halted eight leagues above 
St. Anthony of Padua's Falls, on an emmence 
opposite the mouth of the River St. Francis [Rum] 
* * * The Picard and myself went to look for 
liaws, gooseberries, and little wild fruit, which 
often did us more harm than good. This obliged 
us to go alone, as Michael Ako refused, in a 
\\Tetched canoe, to Ouiscousin river, which was 
more than a himdred leagues off, to see whether 
the Sieur de la Salle had sent to that place a re- 
inforcement of men, with powder, le;ul, and 
other munitions, as he had promised us. 

" Tlie Indians would not have suffered this 
voyage had not one of the three remained witli 
them. They wished me to stay, but JMiohael 
Ako absolutely refused. As we were making the 
portage of our canoe at St. Anthony of Padua"s 
Falls, we perceived five or six of our Indians wlio 
had taken the start •, one of them was up in an 
oak opposite the great fall, weeping bitterly, with 
a rich dressed beaver robe, whitened inside, and 
trimmed with porcupine qmlls, which he was 



offering as a sacrifice to the faUs; which is, in it- 
self, admirable and frightful. I heard him while 
shedding copious tears, say as he spoke to the 
great cataract, ' Thou wlio art a spirit, grant lliat 
our nation may pass here quietly, without acci- 
dent ; may kill buffalo in abundance ; conquer 
our enemies, and bring in slaves, some of wliom 
we will put to death before thee. The Messenecqz 
(so they call the tribe named by the French Outa- 
gamis) have killed our kindred ; grant that we 
may avenge them.' This robe offered in sacrifice, 
served one of our Frenchmen, who took it as we 
returned." 

It is certainly wonderful, that Hennepin, who 
knew nothing of the Sioux language a few weeks 
before, should understand the prayer offered at 
the Falls without the aid of an interpreter. 

The narrator contmues : " A -league beyond 
St. Anthony of Padua's Falls, the Picard was 
obliged to land and get his powder horn, which he 
had left at the Falls. * * * As we descended 
the river Colbert [Mississippi] we found some of 
our Indians on the islands loaded with buffalo 
meat, some of which they gave us. Two hours 
after landing, fifteen or sixteen warriors whom we 
had left above St. Anthony of Padua's Falls, en- 
tered, tomakawk in hand, upset the cabin of those 
who had invited us, took all the meat and bear 
oil they found, and greased themselves from head 
to foot," 

Tliis was done because the others had violated 
the rules for the buffalo hunt. With the Indians 
Hennepin went down the river sixty leagues, and 
then went up the river again, and met buffalo. 
He continues : 

""While seeking the Oulsconsin River, that 
savage father, Aquipaguetin, whom I had left, 
and who I believed more than two hinidred 
leagues off, on the 11th of July, 1680, appeared 
with the waiTiors." After this, Hennepin and 
Picard continued to go up the river almost eighty 
leagues. 

There is great confusion here, as the reader 
will see. "When at tlie mouth of the Rum River, 
he speaks of the Wisconsin as more than a hun- 
dred leagues off. He floats down the river sixty 
leagues ; then he ascended, but does not state the 
distance; then he ascends eighty leagues. 

He continues : " The Indians whom he had left 
with Michael Ako at Buffalo [Chippeway] Eiver, 



HENNEPIN MEETS SIEUR DU LUTIL 



25 



with the flotilla of canoes loaded with meat, came 
down. * * * All tilt' Indian women had their 
stock of meat at the mouth of Uuffalo Kiver and 
on the islands, and atjain we went down the Col- 
hert [JSIississippi] about eighty leagues. * * * 
We liad another alarm in our camp : the old men 
on duty on the top of the mountains announced 
that they saw two warriors in the dislance; all 
the bowmen hastened there witli speed, each try- 
ing to outstrip the others; butthey bronght back 
<iuly two of their enemies, who came to tell them 
that a party of their people were hunting at the 
extremity of Lake Conde [Superior] and had found 
four Spirits (so they call the French) who, by 
means of a slave, had expressed a wish to come 
on, knowing ns to be among them. * * * On 
the 25th of July, IbSO, as we were ascending the 
river Colbert, after the buffalo hunt, to the In- 
dian villages, we met Sieiu- du Luth, who came 
to the Nadouessious with live French soldiers. 
They joined us about two hundred and twenty 
leagues distant from the country of the Indians 
who had taken us. As we had some knowledge 
of the language, they begged us to accompany 
them to the villages of these tribes, to which I 
readily agreed, knowing that these two French- 
men had not approached the sacrament for two 
years." 

Ilere again the munber of leagues is confusing, 
and it is impossilile to believe that I)u Luth and 
his interpreter Faffart, who had been trading 
with the Sioux for more than a year, needed the 
help of Hennepin, who had been about three 
months with these people. 

We are not told by what route Hennepin and 
Du Luth reached Lake Issati or Mille Lacs, but 
Hennepm says they arrived there on the 11th of 
August, 1680. and he adds, " Toward the end of 
September, having no implements to begin an 
establishment, we resolved to tell these people, 
that for their benefit, we would have to return to 
the French settlements. The giand Chief of the 
Issati or Nadouessiouz consented, and traced in 
pencil on paper I gave him, the route I should 
take for four hundred leagues. AVith tins chart, 
we set out, eight Frenchmen, in two canoes, and 
descended the river St. Francis and Colbert [Rum 
and Jilississippi]. Two of our men took two bea- 
ver roljes at St. Anthony of Padua's Falls, which 
the Indians had hung in sacrifice on the trees." 



Tlie second work of Hennepin, an enlargement 
of the first, appeared at Utrecht in the year 1697, 
ten years after La Salle's death. During the in- 
terval between the pvdjlication of the first and 
second book, he had passed three years as Supin- 
inf endent of the Ilecollects at Reny in the province 
of A rtois, when Fiither Hyacinth Lefevre, a friend 
of La Salle, and Connnissary Provincial of Ilecol- 
lects at Paris, wished hi!u to return to Canada. 
He refused, and was ordered to go to Rome, and 
upon his coming back was sent to a convent at 
St. Omer, and there received a dispatch from the 
Minister of State in France to return to the coun- 
tries of tlie King of Spain, of which he was a 
subject. This order, he asserts, he afterwards 
learned was forged. 

In the preface to the English edition of the 
New Discovery, published in 1698. in London, he 
writes : 

"The pretended reason of tliat violent order 
was because I refused to return into America, 
where I had been already eleven years ; though 
the particular laws of our Order oblige none of us 
to go beyond sea against his will. I would have, 
however, returned very willingly liad I not known 
the malice of M. La Salle, who woidd have ex- 
posed me to perish, as he did one of the men w ho 
accompanied me in my discovery. God knows 
that I am sorry for his unfortunate death ; but 
the judgments of the Almighty are always just, 
for the gentleman was killed by one of his own 
men, who were at last sensible that he exposed 
them to visible dangers without any necessity and 
for his private designs." 

After this he was for about five years at Gosse- 
lies, in Brabant, as Confessor in a convent, and 
from thence removed to his native place, Ath, in 
Belgium, where, according to his narrative in the 
preface to the " Nonveau Decouverte," he was 
again persecuted. Then Father Payez, Grand 
Commissary of Recollect^i at Louvain, being in- 
formed that the King of Spain and the Elector of 
Bavaria recommended the step, consented that 
he should enter the service of William the Third 
of (ireat Britain, who had been very kind to the 
Roman Catholics of Netherlands. By order of 
Payez he was sent to Antwerp to take the lay 
habit in the convent there, and subsequently 
went to Utrecht, where lie finished his second 
book known as the New Discovery. 



26 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



His first volume, printed in 1683, contains 312 
pages, witli an appendix of 107 pages, on tlie 
Customs of tlie Savages, wliile the Utrecht bools 
of 1697 contains 509 pages -witliout an appendix. 

On page 249 of the Kew Discovery, he begins 
an account of a voyage alleged to have been made 
to the mouth of the Mississippi, and occupies 
over sixty pages in the narrative. Tlie opening 
sentences give as a reason for concealing to this 
time his discovery, that La Salle would have re- 
ported him to his Superiors for presuming to go 
down instead of ascending the stream toward the 
north, as had been agreed ; and that the two with 
him threatened that if he did not consent to de- 
scend the river, tliey would leave him on shore 
during tlie night, and pursue their own course. 

He asserts that he left the Gulf of Jlexico, to 
return, on the 1st of April, and on the 24th left 
the Arkansas ; but a week after this, lie declares 
he lauded with the Sioux at the marsh about two 
miles below the city of Saint Paul. 

The account has been and is still a puzzle to 
the historical student. In our review of his first 
book we have noticed that as early as 1683, he 
claimed to have descended the Mississippi. In 
the Utrecht publication he declares that wliile at 
(Quebec, upon his retin-n to France, he gave to 
Father Valentine Roux, Commissary of Recol- 
lects, his journal, upon the promise tliat it would 
be kept secret, and that tliis Father made a copy 
of liis whole voyage, including the visit to the 
Gulf of Mexico ; but m his Description of Louis- 
iana, Hennepin wrote, " We had some design of 
going to the mouth of the river Colbert, which 
more probably empties into thei Gulf of Mexico 
than into the Red Sea, but the trilies that seized 
us gave us no time to sail up and down the river." 

The additions in his Utrecht book to magnify 
his importance and detract from others, are 
many. As Sparks and Parkman have pointed 
out the plagiarisms of this edition, a reference 
here is unnecessary. 

Du Luth, who left Quebec in 167S, and had 
been in northern ^Minnesota, with an interpreter, 
for a year, after he met Ako and Hennepin, be- 
comes of secondary importance, in the eyes of 
tlie Franciscan. 

In the Description of Louisiana, on page 280, 
Hennepin speaks of passing the Falls of Saint 
Anthony, upon his return to Canada, in these 



few words : " Two of our men seized two beaver 
robes at the Falls of St. Anthony of Padua, 
which the Indians had in sacrifice, fastened to 
trees."' But in the Utrecht edition, commencing 
on page 416, there is much added concerning Du 
Lnth. After using the language of the edition 
of 16S3, already quoted it adds: "Hereupon 
there arose a dispute between Sieur du Luth and 
myself. I commended what they had done, say- 
ing, ' The savages might judge by it that they 
disliked the superstition of these people.' Tlie 
Sieur du Luth, on the contrary, said that they 
ought to have left the robes where the savages 
placed them, for they would not fail to avenge 
the insult we had put upon them by this action, 
and that it was feared that they would attack us 
on this journey. I confessed he had some foun- 
dation for wliat he said, and that he spoke accor- 
ding to the rules of prudence. But one of the 
two men flatly replied, the two robes suited them, 
and they cared nothing for the savages and their 
superstitions. The Sieur du Luth at these words 
was so greatly enraged that he nearly struck the 
one who uttered them, but I intervened and set- 
tled the dispute. The Pieard and Michael Ako 
ranged themselves on the side of those who liad 
taken the robes in question, which might have 
resulted badly. 

" I argued with Sieur duLuth that the savages 
would not attack us, because I was persuaded 
that their great chief Ouasicoude would have our 
interests at heart, and he had great credit with 
his nation. The matter terminated pleasantly. 

" When we arrived near tlie river Ouisconsin, 
we halted to smoke the meat of the buffalo we 
had killed on the journey. During our stay, three 
savages of the nation we had left, came by the 
side of our canoe to teU us that their great chief 
Ouasicoude, having learned that another chief of 
these people wished to pursue and kill us, and 
that he entered the cabin where he was consult- 
ing, and had struck liLm on the head with such 
violence as to scatter his brains upon his associ- 
ates ; thus preventing the executing of this inju- 
rious project. 

" We regaled the three savages, having a great 
abundance of food at that time. The Sieur du 
Luth, after the savages had left, was as enraged 
as before, and feared that they would pursue and 
attack us on oiu- voyage. He would have pushed 



TBIBUTE TO DAMEL GBETSOLON IJU LTJTIl. 



27 



tlie matter further, but seeing that one man would 
resist , and was not in the humor to be imposed 
uiion, lie moderat('<l. and I api)easecl lliem in the 
end with the assuninec that God would notaljan- 
don us in distress, anil, jirox ided avo cunlidcd in 
Ilim, ho would deliver us from our foes, because 
lie is the proteetor of men and angels." 

After describing a conference with the Sioux. 
he adds, " Thus the savages were very kind, 
wilhdut mentioning the beaver robes. The chief 
Ouasicoude told me to offer a fathom of ISIarti- 
nico tobacco to the chief Aquipaguetin, who had 
adopted me as a son. This had an admirable 
effect upon the barbarians, who went off shouting 
several times the word ' Louis.' [Ouis or We] 
which, as he said, means the sun. AVithout van- 
ity, I uuist say that my name will be for a long 
time among these people. 

"The savages having left us, to go to war 
against the jNIessorites, the Maroha, the Illinois, 
and other nations which live toward the lower 
part of the ^Mississippi, and are irreconcilable foes 
of the people of the North, the Sienr du Lutli, 
who iqion many occasions gave me marks of his 
friendship, could not forbear to tell our men that 
I had all the reason in tlie world to believe that 
the Viceroy of Canada would give me a favorable 
reception, should we arrive before winter, and 
that lie wished with all his heart that he had been 
among as many natives as myself." 

The style of Louis Hennepin is unmistakable 
in this extract, and it is amusing to read his pa- 
tronage of one of the fearless explorers of the 
Northwest, a cousin of Tonty, favored by Fron- 
tenac, and who was in Minnesota a year before 
his arrival. 

In 1691, six years before the Utrecht edition of 
Ilemiepin, another Recollect Franciscan had pub- 
lished a book at Paris, called " The First Estab- 
lishment of the Faith in New France," in which 
is the following tribute to Du Luth, whom Hen- 
nepin strives to make a subordinate : " In the last 
years of M. de Frontenac's administration, iSieur 
DuLuth,a man of talent and experience, opened 
a way to the missionary and the Gospel in many 
different nations, turning toward the north of 
that lake [Superior] where he even built a fort, 
he advanced as far as the Lake of the Issati, 
called Lake Buade, from the family name of M. 



de Frontenac, plantmg the arms of his Majesty 
in several nations on the right and left." 

In the s(n-oud volume of his last book, which is 
called "A Gonlinuanct^ of the JSlew Discovery of 
a vast Country in America," etc., Ileiiucpiii no- 
ticed some criticisms. 

To the objection that his work was dedicated 
to "William the Third of (Jreat Ihitain.he rei)lies : 
" My King, his most Catholic Majesty, his Elec- 
toral Iliglmess of Bavaria, the consent in writing 
of the Superior of my order, the integrity of my 
faith, and the regular observance of my vows, 
which his Britannic Majesty allows me, are the 
l)est warrants of the uprightness of my inten- 
tions." 

To the q<iery, how he could travel so far upon 
the Mississippi in so little time, he answers with 
a bold face, " That we may, with a canoe and a 
pair of oars, go twenty, twenty-live, or thirty 
leagues every day, and more too, if there be oc- 
casion. And though we had gone but ten leagues 
a day, yet in thirty days we might easily have 
gone three hundred leagues. If during the time 
we spent from the river of the Illinois to the 
mouth of the Mescliasii]i. in the Gulf of ^Mexico, 
we had used a little more baste, we might have 
gone the same -twice over." 

To the .objection, that he said, he nad passed 
eleven years in America, when he had been there 
but about four, he evasively replies, that '■ reck- 
oning from the year 1074, when I first set out, to 
the year 1688, when I printed the second edition 
of my ' Louisiana,' it appears that I have spent 
fifteen years either in travels or prmthig my 
Discoveries." 

To those who objected to the statement in his 
first book, in the dedication to Louis the Four- 
teenth, that the Sioux always call the sun Louis, 
he writes : " I repeat what I have said before, 
that being among the Issati and Nadouessans, Ijy 
whom I was made a slave in America, I never 
heard them call the smi any other than Louis. 
It is true these savages call also the moon Louis, 
but with this distinction, that they give the moon 
the name of Louis Bastache, which in their lan- 
guage signifies, the sun that shines in the night." 

The Utrecht edition called forth much censure, 
and no one in France doubted that Hennepin 
was the author. DTberville, Governor of Lou- 
isiana, while in Paris, wrote on July 3d 1699, to 



28 



UXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



the Minister of Marine and Colonies of France, 
in these words : " Very much vexed at the Rec- 
ollect, whose false narratives had deceived every 
one, and cansed our sufferinj^ and total failure of 
our enterprise, by tlie time consimied in the 
search of things which alone existed in his imag- 
ination." 

The Rev. Father .James Gravier, in a letter 
from a fort on the Gulf of Mexico, near the Mis- 
sissippi, dated February 16th, 1701, expressed the 
sentiment of his times wlien lie speaks of Hen- 
nepin '• who presented to King William, the Rela- 
tion of the Mississippi, where he never was, and 
after a tliousflud falsehoods and ridiculous boasts, 



* * * he makes Mr. de la Salle appear in his 
Relation, wounded with two balls in the head, 
turn toward the Recollect Father Anastase, to 
ask him for absolution, having been killed in- 
stantly, without uttermg a word • and other like 
false stories." 

Hennepin gradually faded out of sight. Bru- 
net mentions a letter written by J. B. Dubos, 
from Rome, dated ISIarch 1st, 1701, which men- 
tions that Ilennepui was Uving on the Capitoline 
Hill, in the celebrated convent of Ara Coeli, and 
was a favorite of Cardinal Spada. The time and 
place of his death has not been ascertained. 



NICHOLAS PEBIiOT, FOUNDER OF FIRST POST ON LAKE PEPIN. 



29 



CHAPTER V. 



NICHOLAS PEEROT, FOUNDER OF FIRST POST ON LAKE I'EriN. 



£&rly Life. — Searches for Copper.— Interpreter at Sault St. Marie, Employed by 
La Salle. — Bmlds Stocltade at Lake Pepin. — Hostile Indians Reliulced. — A 
Silver Ostensorium Given to a Jesuit Chapel. — Perrot in the Rattle against 
Senecas, in New York. — Second Visit to Sioux Country. — Taking Possession by 
"Proces Verbal." — Discovery of Lead Mines. — Attends Council at Montreal. — 
Establishes a Post near Detroit, in Michigan.— Perrot's Death, and his Wife. 



Nicholas Perrot, sometimes written Pere, was 
one of the most energetic of the class in Canada 
known as "coureurs des bois," or forest rangers. 
Born in 1644, at an early age he was identified 
with the f nr trade of the great inland lakes. As 
early as 1665, he was among the Outagamies 
[Foxes], and in 1667 was at Green Bay. In 1669, 
he was appointed by Talon to go to the lake re- 
gion in search of copper mines. At the formal 
taking possession of that country in the name of 
the King of Prance, at Sault St. Marie, on the 
14th of May, 1671, he acted as interpreter. In 
1677, he seems to have been employed at Port 
Prontenac. La Salle was made very sick the 
ne.xt year, from eating a salad, and one Nicholas 
Perrot, called Joly Ca?ur (Jolly Soul) was sus- 
pected of havuig mingled poison with the food. 
After this he was associated with Du Lutli in 
the execution of two Indians, as we have seen. 
In 16X4, he was appointed by I)e la Barre, the 
tJovernor of Canada, as Commandant fur the 
West, and left Montreal with twenty men. Ar- 
riving at (ireen Bay in AVisconsin, some Indians 
told him that they had visited countries toward 
the setting sim, where they obtained the blue 
and green stones suspended from tlieir ears and 
noses, and that they saw horses and men like 
Frenchmen, probably the Spaniards of New Mex- 
ico ; and others said that they had obtained hatch- 
ets from persons who lived in a house that walked 
on the water, near the uiouth of the river of the 
Assiniboines, alluding to the English estabhshed 
at Hudson's Bay. Proceeding to the portage be- 
tween the Fox and Wisconsin, thirteen Ilurons 
Wfrt^ met, who were bitterly opposed to the es- 
tablishment of a post near the Sioux. After the 



Mississippi was readied, a party of Winnebagoes 
was employed to notify the tribes of Northern 
Iowa that the French had ascended the river, 
and wished to meet them. It was further agreed 
that prairie fires would be kindled from time to 
time, so that the Indians could follow the French. 

After entering Lake Pepin, near its mouth, on 
the east side, Perrot found a place suitable for a 
post, where there was wood. Tlie stockade was 
built at the foot of a bluff beyond which was a 
large prairie. La Potherie makes this statement, 
which is repeated by Penicaut, who writes of 
Lake Pepin : " To the right and left of its shores 
there are also prairies. In that on the right on 
the bank of the lake, there is a fort, which was 
built by Nicholas Pen'ot, whose nimieityet[1700] 
bears." 

Soon after he was established, it was announced 
that a band of Aiouez [loways] was encamped 
above, and on the way to visit the post. The 
French ascended in canoes to meet them, but as 
they drew nigh, the Indian women ran up the 
bluffs, and hid in the woods ; but twenty of the 
braves mustered courage to advance and greet 
Perrot, and bore him to the chief's lodge. The 
chief, bending over Perrot, began to weep, and 
allowed the moisture to fall upon his visitor. 
After he had exhausted himself, tlio principal 
men of the party repeated the slabbering process. 
Then buffalo tongues were boiled in an earthen 
pot, and after being cut into small pieces, the 
chief took a piece, aiul, as a mark of respect, 
placed it in Perrot's mouth. 

During the winter of 1684-85, the Frencli tra- 
ded in Minnesota. 

At the end of the beaver hunt, the Ayoes 
[loways] came to the post, but Perrot was absent 
^^siting the Nadouaissioux. and they sent a chief 
to notify him of their arrival. Four Illinois met 
him on the way, and were anxious for the return 
of foiu' children held by the French. When the 



30 



JEXPLOBEBS AND PI0NEEB8 OF MINNESOTA. 



Sioux, who were at war with the Illinois, per- 
ceived them, they wished to seize their canoes, 
but the Prench vo^'ageurs who were giiardins; 
them, pushed into the middle of the river, and 
the French at the post coming to their assistance, 
a reconciliation was effected, and four of the 
Sioux took the Illinois upon their shoulders, and 
bore them to the shore. 

An order having been received from Denon- 
ville, Governor of Canada, to bring the Miami?, 
and other tribes, to the rendezvous at Niagara, 
to go on an expedition against the Senecas, Per- 
rot entrusting the post at Lake Pepin to a few 
Frenchmen, visited the Miamis, who were dwel- 
ling below on the Mississippi, and with no guide 
but Indian camp fires, went sixty miles into the 
country beyond the river. 

Upon his return, he perceivea a great smoke, 
and at first thought that it was a war party pro- 
ceeding to the Sioux country. Ft)rtunately he 
met a Maskouten chief, who had been at the post 
to sec him, and he gave the intelligence, that the 
Outagamies [Foxes], Kikapous [Kickapoos], and 
Mascoutechs [Maskoutens], and others, from the 
region of Green Bay, had determined to pillage 
the post, kill the French, and then go to war 
against the Sioux. Hurrying on, he readied the 
fort, and learned that on that very d;iy three 
spies had been there and seen that there were 
only SIX Frenchmen in charge. 

The next day two more spies appeared, but 
Perrot had taken the precaution to put loaded 
guns at the door of each hut, and caused his men 
frequently to change their clothes. To the query, 
'• IIuw many French were thereV"' the reply was 
given, " Forty, and that more were daily expected, 
who had been on a builalo hunt, and that the 
guns were well loaded and knives well sharpened." 
They were then told to go back to their camp 
and bring a chief of each nation represented, and 
that if Indians, in large numbers, came near, they 
would be lired at. In accordance with this mes- 
sage six chiefs presented themselves. After their 
bows and arrows were taken away they were in- 
vited to Perrot 's cabin, who gave something to 
eat and tobacco to smoke. Looking at Perrot "s 
loaded guns they asked, '• If he was afraid of his 
children?" He replied, he was not. They con- 
tinued, "Yon are displeased." Tie answered, 
" I have good reason to be. The Spirit has warned 



me of your designs; you will take my things 
away and put me in the kettle, and proceed 
against the Nadouaissioux, The Spirit told me 
to be on my guard, and he would help me." At 
this they were astonished, and confessed that an 
attack was meditated. That night the chiefs 
slept in the stockade, and early the next morn- 
ing a part of the hostile force was encamped in 
the vicinity, and wished to trade. Perrot had 
now only a force of fifteen men, and seizing the 
chiefs, he told them he would break their heads 
if they did not disperse the Indians. One of the 
chiefs then stood up on the gate of the fort and 
said to the warriors, " Do not advance, young 
men, or you are dead. The Spirit has warned 
^letaminens [PerrotJ of your designs." They fol- 
lowed the advice, and afterwards Perrot present- 
ed them with two guns, two kettles, and some 
tobacco, to close the door of war against the Na- 
douaissioux, and the chiefs were all permitted to 
make a brief visit to the post. 

Returning to Green Bay in 1686, he passed much 
time in collecting allies for the expedition against 
the Iroquois in Kew York. During this year he 
gave to the Jesuit chapel at Depere, five miles 
above Green Bay, a church utensil of silver, fif- 
teen inches high, still in existence. The stand- 
ard, nine inches in height, supports a radiated 
circlet closed with glass on both sides an<l sur- 
mmnited with a cross. This vessel, weighuig 
about twenty ounces, was intended to show the 
consecrated wafer of the mass, and is called a 
soleil, monstrance, or ostensoriimi. 

Around the oval base of the rim is the follow- 
ing inscription: 






V 



.^ 



■S^ 






%. 



4' 



%. 






c«^' 



Si"' 



,^' 



In 1802 some workmen in digging at Green 
Bay, \\'isconsin, on the old Langlade estate dis- 



A err OF Jih'Ayj))- AM> wateh detects a riiiKF. 



31 



covered this relic, which is now kept in the vault 
of the Konirtii Catholic bishop of that diocese. 

During the spring of IBs; I'errot, with J)e Lii- 
th and Tonty, was witli the Indian allies and tlie 
Fren(;h in the expedition against the Senecas of 
the (tenesseo Yalley in Xew York. 

The next year Denonville, Governor of Canada, 
again sent Terrot with forty rrcnchmen to tlie 
Sionx who, says Potheric, " were very distant, 
and wlio would not trade witli ns as easily as 
the other tribes, the Outagamis [Foxes] having 
boasted of having cut off the passage tliereto." 

"Wlien Perrot arrived at ^lackinaw, tlie tribes 
of that region were much excited at tlie hostility 
of tlie Outagamis [Foxes] toward the Sautenrs 
[Cliippeways]. As soon as Perrot and his party 
readied Green Bay a deputation of the Foxes 
sought an interview. He told them that he had 
nothing to do with this quarrel with the t!hippe- 
ways. In justification, they said that a party of 
their young men, in going to war against the 
Xadouaissioux, had found a young man and three 
Chippeway gii'ls. 

Perrot was silent, and continued his journey 
towards the Nadouaissioux. Soon he was met by 
live chiefs of the Foxes in a canoe, who begged 
him to go to their village. Perrot consented, and 
when he went into a chiefs lodge they placed be- 
fore him broiled venison, and raw meat for the 
rest of the French. He refused to eat because, 
said he, "that meat did not give him any spirit, 
but he would take some when the Outagamis 
[Foxes] were moi'e reasonable." He then chided 
them for not having gone, as requested by the 
(iovernor of Canada, to the Detroit of Lake 
Erie, and during the absence of the French tiglit- 
ing witli the Chippeways. Having ordered tliem 
to go on their beaver hunt and only light against 
tlie Iroquois, he left a few Frenchmen to trade 
and proceeded on his journey to the Sioux couii- 
t ry . Arriving at the portage between the Fox and 
Wisconsin lUvers they were impeded by ice, but 
wiUi tlie aid of some Pottawattomies they trans- 
ported tlieir goods to the "Wisconsin, which they 
found no longer frozen. The Chippeways were 
iufornied that their daughters had been taken 
from tlie Foxes, and a deputation came to take 
tlieni bac-k. but being attacked by the Foxes, wlio 
did not know their errand, they fled without se- 
curing the three girls. Perrot then ascended the 



Mississippi to the pust which in l(;s4 lie liad 
erected, just above the iiiiiuni, and on the east 
side of Lake Pepin. 

As soon as the rivers were navigable, tlie Na- 
douaissioux came down and escorted Perrot to 
one of their villages, where he was welcomed 
with niiicli entliusiasm. He was carried upon a 
lieaver robe, followed by a long line of warriors, 
earh iieariiig a pipe, and singing. After taking 
liinianiiuid the village, lie was borne to the chief's 
lodge, when several came in to weep over 'lis head, 
witli the same tenderness that tlie Ayoes ( loways) 
did, when Perrot several years before arrived at 
Lake Pepin. " These weepings," says an old 
clironicler " do not weaken tlieir souls. They are 
very good warrims, and reported the bravest in 
that region. They are at war with all the tribes 
at present except the Saulteurs [Cliippeways] aiiG 
Ayoes [loways], and even with these they have 
quarrels. At the break of day the Nadouaissioux 
liatlie, even to the youngest. Tliey have very line 
forms, but the women are not comely, and they 
look upon them as slaves. They are jealous and 
suspicious about them, and lliey are the cause 
of quarrels and blood-shedding. 

"The Sioux are very dextrous with their ca- 
noes, and they fight unto deatli if surrounded, 
Tlieir country is full of swamps, which shelter 
them in summer from lieing molested. One must 
be a Nadouaissioux, to find tlie way to tlieir vil- 
lages." 

While Perrot was absent in Xew York, fight- 
ing the Seuecas, a Sioux chief knowing tliat few 
Frenchmen were left at Lake I'epiu, came witli 
one hundred warriors, and endeavored to jiillage 
it. Of this complaint was made, and tlie guilty 
leader was near being put to deatli by his associ- 
ates. Amicable relations having been formed, 
preparations were made by Perrot to return to 
his post. As they were going away, one of tlie 
Frenchmen complained tliat a box of his goods 
had been stolen. Perrot ordered a voyageur to 
bring a cup of water, and into it he poured some 
brandy. He tlien addressed the Indians iuid told 
them he would dry up their marshes if tlie goods 
were not restored ; and then he set on fire the 
liiaudy in tlie cup, Tlie savages were astonished 
and terrified, and supposed that he possessed su- 
pernatural powers ; and in a little "■'^'ie the goods 



32 



HXPLOREBS AND PIONJEIJRS OF MINNESOTA. 



were found and restored to the owner, and the 
French descended to their stockade. 

The Toxes, wliile Perrot was in the Sioux 
coinitry, changed their village, and settled on the 
Mississippi. Coming up to visit Perrot, they 
asked him to establish friendly relations between 
them and the Sioux. At the time some Sioux 
were at the post trading furs, and at first they 
supposed the French were plotting with the 
Foxes. Perrot, however, eased them by present- 
ing the calumet and saying that the French con- 
sidered the Outagamis [Foxes] as brothers, and 
then adding: "Smoke in my pipe; this is the 
manner with which Onontio [Governor of Can- 
ada] feeds his children." The Sioux replied that 
they wished the Foxes to smoke first. This was 
reluctantly done, and the Sioux smoked, but 
would not conclude a definite peace until they 
consulted their chiefs. This was not concluded, 
because Perrot, before the chiefs came down, 
received orders to return to Canada. 

About this time, in the presence of Father Jo- 
seph James ^Slarest, a Jesuit missionary, 15oisguil- 
lot, a trader on the Wisconsin and Mississippi, Le 
Sueur, who afterward built a post below the Saint 
Croix Itiver, about nine miles from Hastings, the 
following document was prepared: 

" Nicholas Perrot, commanding for the King at 
the post of the Nadouessioux, commissioned by 
the Alarqiiis Denonville, Go\'ernor and Lieuten- 
ant Governor of all New France, to manage the 
interests of commerce among all the Indian tribes 
and people of the Bay des Puants [Green Bay], 
Nadouessioux, Mascoutens, and other western na- 
tions of the Upper Mississippi, and to take pos- 
session in the King's name of all the places where 
he has heretofore been and whither he will go: 

" We this day, the eighth of ilay, one thousand 
six hundred and eighty-nine, do, in tlie presence 
of the Reverend Father Marest, of the- Society of 
Jesus, Missionary among the Nadouessioux, of 
Monsieur de Boisgiiillot, commanding the French 
in the neighborliood of the Ouiskonche, on the 
Mississippi, Augustin Legardeur, Esquire, Sieur 
de Canmout, and of Messieurs Le Sueiu", Ilebert, 
Lemire and Blein. 

" Declare to all whom it may concern, that, be- 
ing come from the Bay des Puants, and to the 
Lake of the Ouiskonches, we did transport our- 
selves to the country of the Nadouessioux, on the 



border of the river St. Croix, and at the mouth 
of the river St. Pierre, on the bank of which were 
the Mantautans, and further up to the interior, 
as far as the Menehokatonx [Med-ay-wah-kawn- 
twawn], with whom dwell the majority of the 
Songeskitons [Se-see-twawnsj and other Nadou- 
essioux who are to the northwest of the lilissis- 
sippi, to take possession, for and in the name of 
the King, of the countries and rivers inhabited by 
the said tribes, and of which they are proprietors. 
The present act done in our presence, signed with 
our hand, and subscribed." 

The three Chippeway girls of whom mention 
has been made were still with the Foxes, and 
Perrot took them with him to ilackinaw, upon 
his return to Canada. 

While there, the Ottawas held some prisoners 
upon an island not far from the mainland. The 
Jesuit Fathers went over and tried to save the 
captives from harsh treatment, but were unsuc- 
cessful. The canoes appeared at length near each 
other, one man paddling in each, while the war- 
riors were answering the shouts of the prisoners, 
who each held a white stick in his hand. As 
they neared the shore the chief of the party made 
a speech to the Indians who lived on the shore, 
and givhig a history of the campaign, told them 
that they were masters of the prisoners. The 
warriors then came on land, and, according to 
custom, abandoned the spoils. An old man then 
ordered nine men to conduct the prisoners to a 
separate place. The women and the young men 
formed a line with big sticks. The young pris- 
oners soon foiuid their feet, but the old men were 
so badly used they spat blood, and they were con- 
demned to be burned at the Mamilion. 

The Jesuit Fathers and the French officers 
were much embarrassed, and feared that the Iro- 
(juois would complain of the little care which had 
been used to prevent cruelty. 

Perrot, in this emergency, walked to the place 
where the prisoners were singing the death dirge, 
in expectation of being burned, and told them to 
sit down and be silent. A few Ottauwaws rudely 
told them to sing on, but Perrot forbade. He 
then went back to the Council, where the old men 
bad rendered judgment, and ordered one prisoner 
to be burned at Mackinaw, one at Sault St. Marie 
and another at Green Bay. Undaunted he spoke 
as follows : "I come to cut the strings of the 



PERh'or VISITS 'I'lll-J LKM) MIXES. 



dogs. I will not sulftT llii'in to be eaten . I have 
pity on them, since my Father, Onontio, has com- 
numded me. You Oulaoiiaks [Oltawaws] are 
like tame bears, who will not reco{,'iii/.e them who 
hasliriiimiit tlicm up. Yon have forgotten Onon- 
tio's in-otet-tion. When he iisks your obedience, 
yon want to rule over hini, and eat the flesh of 
those children he does not wish to give to you. 
Take care, tliat, if oyu swallow them, Onontio 
will tear them with violence from between your 
teeth. I speak as a brother, and I think I am 
showing pity to your children, by cutting the 
bonds of your prisoners." 

His bolihiess had the desired effect. The pris- 
oners were released, and two of them were sent 
with him to JNhintreal, to be returned to the Iro- 
quois. 

On tlie 22nd of May, 1600, with one liuudred 
and forty-three voyageurs and si.x Indians, Per- 
rot left Montreal as an escort of Sieur de Lou- 
viguy La Porte, a half-pay captain, appointed to 
succeed Durantaye at Mackinaw, by Frontenac, 
the new Governor of Canada, who in October of 
the previous year had arrived, to take the place 
of Denonville. 

Perrot, as he approached Mackinaw, went in 
advance to notify the French of the coming of 
the commander of the post. As he came in sight 
of the settlement, he hoisted the white flag with 
the lleur de lis and the voyageurs shouted, " Long 
live the king! " Louvigny soon appeared and was 
received by one huudi-ed '' coureur des bois "' 
under arms. 

From Mackinaw, Perrot proceeded to Green 
Bay, and a party of Miamis there begged him to 
make a trading establishment on the Mississippi 
towards the Ouiskonsing (Wisconsin.) The chief 
made him a present of a piece of lead from a 
mine which he had found in a small stream ^\•hich 
flows into the Mississippi. PeiTot promised to 
visit him within twenty days, and the chief then 
returned to his village below the d'Ouiskonche 
(iAVsconsm) Eiver. 

Having at length reached his post on Lake 
Pepm, he was informed that the Sioux were 
forming a large war party against the Outaga- 
mis (Foxes) and other allies of the French. He 
gave notice of his arrival to a party of about four 
hundred Sioux who were on the Jlississippi. 



They arrested the msssengers and came to the 
post for the puri)ose of pimidcr. Perrot asked 
them why tliey acted in lliis manner, and said 
that the Foxes, Miamis, Kickapoos, Illinois, and 
Maskoutens had united in a war party against 
them, but tliat he had iiersuaded them to give it 
up, and now he wished them to return to their 
families and to their beaver. The Sioux declared 
that they had started on the war-path, and that 
they were ready to die. After they had traded 
their furs, they sent for Perrot to come to their 
camp, and begged that he would not hinder them 
from searching for their foes. Perrot tried to dis- 
suade them, but they insisted that the Spirit had 
given them men to eat, at three days' journey 
from the post Then more powerful influences 
were used. After giving them two kettles and 
some merchandise, Poerrt spoke thus: " I love 
your life, and I am sure you will be defeated. 
Your Evil Spirit has deceived you. If yon kill 
the Outagamis, or their allies, you must strike me 
first; if you kill them, you kill me just the same, 
for I hold them under one wing and you under 
the other." After this he extended the calumet, 
which they at first refused; but at length a chief 
said he was right, and, making invocations to the 
sun, wished Perrot to take him back to liis arms. 
This was granted, on condition that he would 
give up his weapons of war. The chief tlien tied 
them to a pole in the centre of the fort, turning 
them toward the sun. He then persuaded the 
other chiefs to give up the expedition, and, send- 
ing for Perrot, he placed the calumet before him, 
one end in the earth and the other on a small 
forked twig to hold it firm. Then he took from 
his own sack a ])air of his cleanest moccasins, and 
taking off Perrofs shoes, put on these. After he 
had made him eat, presenting the calumet, he 
said: " AVe listen to you now. Do for us as you 
do for our enemies, and prevent them from kill- 
ing us, and we will separate for the beaver hunt. 
The sun is the witness of our obedience." 

After this, Perrot descended the Mississippi 
and revealed to the Maskoutens, who had come to 
meet him, how he had pacified the Sionx. He, 
about this period, in accordance with his prom- 
ise, visited the lead mines. He found the ore 
almndant " but the lead hard to work because it 
lay between rocks which required blowing up. 
It had very Little dross and Avas easily melted." 



31 



EXPLOREBS AND PIONEERS OF illNNESOTA. 



Penicaut, who ascended the Mississippi in 1700, 
wrote tliat twenty leagues below the Wisconsin, 
on both sides of the Mississippi, were mines of 
lead called " Nicolas Perrot's."' Early French 
maps indicate as the locality of lead mines the 
site of modern towns, Galena, in Illinois, and Du- 
buque, in Iowa. 

In August, U393, Jibout two hundred French- 
men from ilackinaw, with delegates from the 
tribes of the West, arrived at Montreal to at- 
tend a grand council called by Governor Fronte- 
nac, and among these was Perrot. 

On the first Sunday in September the governor 



gave the Indians a great feast, after which they 
and the traders began to return to the wilder- 
ness. Perrot was ordered by Frontenac to es- 
tablish a new post for the Miamis in Michigan, 
in the neighborhood of the Kalamazoo River. 

Two years later he is present again, in xlugust, 
at a council in Montreal, then returned to the 
West, and in 1609 is recalled from Green Bay. 
In 1701 he was at Montreal acting as interpreter, 
and appears to have died before 1718: his wife 
was Madeline Eaclos, and his residence was in 
the Seigneury of Becancourt, not far from Three 
Kivers, on the St. Lawrence. 



B.inU^ LA HO.XTAN'S FAIWLOVS VOYAdE. 



;!o 



CIIArTEK VI. 



HAUOX l.\ IIONTAN S FAliULOtS A'DVAfiH. 



Lt lioiitan, a Gascon by Birth. — Early Life. — Description of Kux and Wisconsin 
Rivers — IiH'.ian Kcast.— Alleged Ascent of Long River. — Bobc Kxposes tile 
Deception. — Route to the Pacific. 

The ■' Travels'" of Baron La Ildntuii appearetl 
in ^V. I). 1703, both at London and at Ila.ane. and 
were as saleable and readal lie as tliose of Hennepin, 
which were on the counters of booksellers at the 
same time. 

La Hontan, a Gascon liy birth, and in style of 
writing, when about seventeen years of age, ar- 
rived in Canada, in 1683, as a private soldier, and 
was with Gov. De la Barre in his expedition of 
1684, toward Niagara, and was also in the Viattle 
near Rochester, Xew York, in 1087, at which ])u 
Luth and Perrot, explorers of Minnesota, were 
present. 

In 1688 lie appears to have been sent to Fort 
St. Joseph, which was built by l)u Lutli, on the 
St. Clare Elver, near the site of Fort (iratiot, 
Michigan. It is possiljle that he may have accc mi- 
panied Perrot to Lake Pepin, who came aliout 
this time to reoccnpy his old post. 

From the following extracts it will be seen that 
his style is graphic, and that he probably had been 
in 1688 in the valley of the Wisconsin, ^Vt Mack- 
inaw, after his return from his pretended voyage 
of the Long River, he writes: 

" I left here on the 24th September, with my 
men and five Outaouas, good hunters, whom I 
have before mentioned to you as luuing been of 
good service to me. All my brave men being 
provided with good canoes, filled with provisions 
and ammunition, to.getber with goods for the In- 
dian trade, I took advantage of a north wind, and 
in three days entered the Bay of tlie Pouleouata- 
mis, distant from here about forty leagues. The 
entrance to the bay is full of islands. It is ten 
leagues wide and twenty-five in length. 

" On the 29th we entered a river, which is (juite 
deep, whose waters are so affected by the lake 
that they often rise and fall three feet in twelve 



Lours. Tills is an observation that I made dur- 
ing these three or four days that I passed here. 
The Sakis, the Poutonatamis, ami a few of the 
Malominis have their villages on the border of this 
river, and the Jesuits have a house there. In the 
place there is carried on fpiite a commerce in furs 
and Indian corn, which the Indians traflic with 
the ' coiu'eurs des bois" that go and come, for it is 
their nearest and most convenient passage to the 
Mississippi. 

'■ The lands here are very fertile, anil produce, 
almost without culture, the wheat of our Europe, 
peas, beans, and any (iiiaiitity of fruit imknown 
in France. 

" The moment I landed, the warriors of three 
nations came by turns to my cabin to entertaui 
me with the pipe and chief dance ; the first in 
proof of peace and friendship, the second to indi- 
cate their esteem and consideration for me. In 
return. I gave them several yards of tobacco, and 
beads, with which they trimmeil their capots. The 
next morning, I was asked as a guest, to one of 
the feasts of this nation, and after having sent my 
dishes, which is the custom, I went towards noon. 
They began to compliment me of my arrival, and 
after hearing them, they all, one after the other, 
i)egan to sing and dance, in a manner that I will 
detail to you when I have more leisure. These 
songs antl dances lasted two hours, and were sea- 
soned with whoops of joy, and iiuiblilcs that they 
have woven into their ridiculous niusiiiiie. Then 
the captives waited upon us. The whole troop 
were seated in the Oriental custom, Kach one 
had his portion before him, like our monks in 
their refectories. They commenced by placing 
four dishes before me. The first consisted of two 
white fish simply boiled in water. The second 
was chopped meats with tlie boiled tongue of a 
bear ; the third a beaver's tail, all roasted. They 
made me drink also of a synip, mixed with water, 
made out of the maple tree. The feast lasted two 



36 



EXPLOBERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



hours, after which, I requested a chief of the 
nation to sing for me ; for it is tlie custom, wlien 
we have business with them, to employ an uiferior 
for self in all the ceremonies they perform. I 
gave him several pieces of tobacco, to oblige liim 
to keep the party till dark. The next day and the 
day following, I attended the feasts of the other 
nations, where I observed the same formalities." 

He alleges that, on the 23d of October, he 
reached the Mississippi River, and, ascending, on 
tho 3d of November he entered into a river, a 
tributary from the west, that was almost without 
a current, and at its mouth filled with rushes. 
He then descrilies a journey of five hundred miles 
up this stream. He declares he fomid upon its 
banks three great nations, the Eokoros, Essa- 
napes, and Gnacsitares, and because he ascended 
it for sixty days, he named it Long River. 

For years his wondrous story was believed, and 
geographers hastened to trace it upon their maps. 
But in time the voyage up the Long River was 
discovered to be a fabrication. There is extant 
a letter of Bobe, a Priest of the Congregation of 
the Mission, dated Versailles, March 15, 1716, and 
addressed to De L'Isle, the geographer of the 
Academy of Sciences at Paris, which exposes the 
deception. 

He writes: " It seems to me that you might 
give the name of Bourbonia to these vast coun- 
tries wliich are between the Missouri, Mississippi, 
and the "Western Ocean. "Would it not be well to 
efface that great river which La Hontan says he 
discovered^ 

"All the Canadians, and even the Governor 
General, have told me that tliis river is unknown. 
If it existed, the French, wlio are on the Illinois, 
and at Ouabache, would luiow of it. The last 
volume of the ' Lettres Ediflantes' of the Jesuits, 
in which there is a very fine relation of the IJlinois 
Country, does not speak of it, any more than the 
letters which I received this year, which tell won- 
ders of the beauty and goodness of tlie country. 
They send me some quite pretty work, made by 
the wife of one of the principal chiefs. 

" They tell nie, that among the Scioux, of the 
Mlssissipi)i, there are always Frenchmen trading; 
that the course of the Mississippi is from nortli 
to west, and from west to south; that it is known 
that toward the source of the Mississippi there is 
a river ui the liighlands that leads to the western 



ocean; that the Indians say that they have seen 
bearded men with caps, who gatlier gold-dust on 
the seashore, but that it is very far from this 
coimtry, and that they pass through many nations 
unknown to the French. 

" I have a memoir of La ilotte Cadillac, form- 
erly Governor of Missiliniackinack, who says that 
if St. Peters [MiuuesotaJ Ri\'er is ascended to its 
source they will, according to all appearance, find 
in the highland another river leading to the "West- 
ern Ocean. 

"For the last two years I have tormented 
exceedingly the Governor-General, M. Raudot, 
and M. Duche, to move them to discover this 
ocean. If I succeed, as I hope, we shall hear 
tidings before three years, and I shall have the 
pleasure and the consolation of having rendered 
a good service to Geography, to Rehgion and to 
the State." 

Charlevoix, in Ms History of New France, al- 
luding to La Ilontan's V(jyage, writes: " The 
voyage up the Long River is as fabulous as the 
Island of Barrataria, of which Sancho Panza was 
governor. Nevertheless, in France and else- 
where, most people have received these memoirs 
as the fruits of the travels of a gentleman who 
wrote bacUy, although quite lightly, and who had 
no religion, but who described pretty sincerely 
what he had seen. The consequence is that the 
compilers of historical and geographical diction- 
aries have almost always followed and cited them 
in preference to more faithful records." 

Even in modern times, Nicollet, employed by 
the United States to explore the Upper Mississ- 
ippi, has the followng in his report: 

"Having procured a copy of La Ilontan's 
book, in which there is a roughly made map of 
his Long River, I was struck with the resem- 
blance of its coiu'se as laid dovni wth that of 
Cannon River, which I had previously sketched 
in my owai field-book. I soon convinced myself 
that the principal statements of the Baron m ref- 
erence to the coimtry and the few details he gives 
of the physical character of the the river, coin- 
cide remarkably with what I had laid down as 
belonging to Cannon River. Then the lakes and 
swamps corresponded; traces of Indian villages 
mentioned by him might be foimd by a growtli 
of wild grass that propagates itself around all old 
Indian settlernents." 



LE SVEVn, EXPLORER OF TUK .VJXXESijT.l UIVEH. 



37 



CHAPTER Vn. 



LE STJEtm, EXPLOKEli OF THE MINNESOTA KIVER. 



Le Sueur Visits Lafce Pepm. — Stationed at La Pomte. — Establishes a Post on an 
Island Al'ove Lake Pepin.— Island Described by Pcnicant.— Kirst S-oux Chief 
at Montreal.— Ojibw-ay Chiefs' Speeches, — Speech of Sioux Chief. — Teeoskah- 
tay's Death. — he Sueur Goes to France. — Posts Kest of Mackinaw Abandoned 
— Le Sueur's License Revoked.— Second Visit to France. — Arrives in Gulf of 
Mexico with D'Iberville. — Ascends the Mississippi. — Lead Mines. — Canadians 
Fleeing from the Sioux. — At the Mouth of the Wisconsin.— Sioux Robbers, — Elk 
Hunting. — Lake Pepin Described. — Rattlesnakes. — La Place Killad. — St. Croix 
Biver Named After a Frenchman. — Le Sueur Reaches St. Pierre, now Minne* 
sota River.— Enters Mankalito, or Blue Earth, River.- Sioux of the Plains.— 
Fort L'Huillier Completed. — Conferences with Sioux Bands — Assinaboincs a 
Separated Sioux Band. — An Indian Feast. — Names of the Sioux Bands. — Char- 
levoix's Account. — Le Sueur Goes with D'Iberville to France. — D'Iberville's 
Memorial.- Early Census of Indian Tribes.— Penic.aut's Account of Fort L'Huil 
lier. — Le Sueur's Departure fioiii the Fort. — D'Evaqe Left in Charge. — Return' 
to Mobile.— Juehereau at Mouth of Wisconsin.- Bondora Montreal Merchant. — 
Sioux Attack Miainis.— Boudor Robbed by the Sioux. 



Le Sueur was a native of Canada, and a rela- 
tive of D"lber\ille, the early Governor of Louis- 
iana. He came to Lake Pepin in 1683, -with 
Nicholas Perrot, and liis name also appears at- 
tached to the document prepared in !May, 16S9, 
after Perrot had re-occupied his post just above 
the entrance of the lake, on the east side. 

In 1692, he was sent by Governor Frontenac of 
Canada, to La Pouite, on Lake Superior, and m a 
dispatch of 1693, to the French Government, is 
the following : '• Le Sueur, another voyageiu-, is 
to remain at Chagmiamagon [La Poiiite] to en- 
deavor to maintain the peace lately concluded be- 
tvs'een tlie Saulteurs [Chippeways] and Sioux. 
This is of the greatest consequence, as it is now 
the sole pass by which access can be had to the 
latter nation, whose trade is very profitable ; the 
comitry to the south being occupied by the Foxes 
and ilaskoutens, who several times plundered the 
French, ou the ground they were carrying ammu- 
nition to the Sioux, their ancient enemies." 

Entering the Sioux country in 1694, he estab- 
lislied a post upon a prairie island in the Missis- 
sippi, about nine miles below the present towni of 
Hastings, according to Bellin and others. Peni- 
caut, who accompanied him hi the exploration of 
the Minnesota, writes, " At the extremity of the 
lake [PepinJ you come to the Isle Pelee, so called 
because there are no trees ou it. It is on this island 



that the French from Canada established their 
fort and storehouse, and they also winter here, 
because game is very .ibundant. In the month of 
September they bring their store of meat, obtained 
by hunting, and after having skinned and cleaned 
it, hang it upon a crib of raised scaffolding, in 
order that the extreme cold, which lasts from 
September to JIarcli, may preserve it from spoil- 
ing. During the whole winter they do not go out 
except ftu- water, when they have to break the ice 
every day, and the oabin is generally built upon 
the bank, so as not to have far to go. "When 
spring arrives, the savages come to the island, 
bringing their merchandize." 

On the fifteenth of July, 169.5, Le Sueur arrived 
at ilontreal with a party of Ojibways, and the 
first JJakotah brave that had ever visited Canada. 

The Indians were much impressed with the 
power of France by the marching of a detach- 
ment of seven hunilred picked men, under Chev- 
alier Cresali, who' were on their way to La Chine. 

On the eighteenth, Frontenac, in the presence 
of CalUeres and other persons of distinction, gave 
them an audience. 

The first speaker w^as the chief of the Ojibway 
band at La Pomte, Shmgowahbay, who said: 

" That he was come to pay his respects to Onon- 
tio [the title given the Ciovernor of Canada] in the 
name of the young warriors of Point Chagouami- 
gon, and to thank him for having given them 
some Frenchmen to dwell with them; to testify 
their sorrow for one Jobin, a Frenchman, who 
was killed at a feast, accidentally, and not ma- 
liciously. "We come to ask a favor of you, which 
is to let us act. "We are allies of the Scion. Some 
Out<agamies, or JMascouthis, have been killed. 
The Sciou came to mourn with us. Let us act, 
Father; let us take revenge. 

" Le Sueur alone, who is acquamted -with the 
language of the one and the other, can serve us. 
"We ask that he return with us." 



38 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



Another speaker of the Ojibways was Le Bro- 
chet. 

Teeoskahtay, the Dahkotah chief, before he 
spoke, spread out a beaver robe, and, laying an- 
otlier with a tobacco pouch and ytter sldn, began 
to weep bitterly. After dryiug his tears, he said: 

" All of the nations had a father, who afforded 
them protection; all of them have iron. B'lt he 
was a bastard m quest of a father; he was come 
to see him, and hopes that he will take pity on 
him." 

He then placed upon the beaver robe twenty- 
two arrows, at each arrow naming a Dahkotah 
village that desired Frontenac's protection. Re- 
suming his speech, lie remarked: 

" It is not on account of what I bring that I 
hope him who rules the earth will have pity on 
me. I learned from the Sauteurs that he wanted 
nothing; that he was the Master of the Iron; that 
he had a big heart, hito which he could receive 
all the nations. This has induced me to abandon 
my people and come to seek his protection, and 
to beseech bim to receive me among the number 
of his children. Take com'age, Great Captain, 
and reject me not; despise me not, though I ap- 
pear poor in yoiu' eyes. All the nations here 
present know that I am rich, and the Uttle they 
offer here is taken from my lands." 

Count Frontenac in reply told the chief that he 
would receive the Dahkotahs as his children, on 
condition that they woidd be obedient, and that 
he would send back Le Sueur with him. 

Teeoskahtay, taking hold of the governor's 
knees, wept, and said: " Take pity on us; we 
are well aware that we are not able to speak, be- 
ing children; but Le Sueur, who imderstands our 
language, and has seen all oiu- villages, will next 
year inform you what will have been achieved by 
the Sioux nations represented by those arrows be- 
fore you." 

Having finished, a Dahkotah woman, the wife 
of a great chief whom Le Sueur liad purchased 
from captivity at Mackinaw, approached those in 
authority, and, with downcast eyes, embraced 
their knees, weeping and saying: 

" I thank thee. Father; it is by thy means I 
have been liberated, and am no longer captive." 

Then Teeoskahtay resumed: 

" I sjieak like a man penetrated with joy. The 
Great Captain; he who is the Master of Iron, aif- 



sures me of his protection, and I promise him that 
if he condescends to restore my children, now 
prisoners iimong the Foxes, Ottawas and IIiu'ous, 
I will return hither, and bring with me the twen- 
ty-two villages whom he has just restored to life 
by promising to send them Iron." 

On the 14th of August, two weeks after the 
Ojibway chief left for his home on Lake Superior, 
Nicholas Perrot arrived with a deputation of 
Sauks, Foxes, Menomonees, Miamis of Maramek 
and Pottowatomies. 

Two days after, they had a councU wdth the 
governor, who tlms spoke to a Fox brave: 

" I see that you are a young man; your nation 
has quite tiu'ned away from my wishes; it has 
pillaged some of my yoiuig men, whom it has 
treated as slaves. I know that your father, who 
loved the French, had no hand in the indignity. 
You only imitate the example of your father 
who had sense, when you do not co-operate 
with those of your tribe who are wishing to go 
over to my enemies, after they grossly insulted 
me and defeated the Sioux, whom I now consider 
my son. I pity the Sioux; I pity the dead whose 
loss I deplore. Perrot goes up there, and he will 
speak to your nation from me for the release of 
their prisoners; let tliem attend to liim." 

Teeoshkahtay never returned to his native land. 
While in Monti-eal he was taken sick, and in 
thirty-three days he ceased to breathe; and, fol- 
lowed by white men, his body was interred in the 
white man's grave. 

Le Sueur instead of going back to Minnesota 
that year, as was expected, went to France and 
received a license, in 1697, to open certain mines 
supposed to exist in Minnesota. The ship in 
which he was returning was captured by the Eng- 
lish, and he was taken to England. After his 
release he went back to France, and, in 1698, ob- 
tained a new commission for mining. 

AVhile Le Sueur was in Europe, the Dahkotas 
waged war against the Foxes and Miamis. In 
retaliation, the latter raised a war party and en- 
tered the land of the Dahkotahs. Finding their 
foes intrenched, and assisted l)y " coureurs des 
bois," they were mdignant; and on their return 
they had a skirmish with some Ficnchmen, who 
were carrying goods to the Dahkotahs. 

Shortly after, they met Perrot, and were about 
to burn him to death, when prevented by some 



LE SUUUB ASCENDS THE MISSISIPPI lilVER. 



39 



friendly Foxes. Tlie Jliamis, after this, were 
disposed to be friendly to the InKjuois. In 169(>, 
the year ]irevious, the authorities at Quebec de- 
cided that it was expedient to abandon all the 
posts west of Mackinaw-, and withdraw the French 
from Wiseonsin and ]Miiniesota. 

Tlie voyageurs were not disjiosed to leave the 
country, and the governor wrote to Pontcbar- 
train for instructions, in October, 1608. In his 
dispatch be remarks: 

" III this conjunctiire, and nnder all these cir- 
cumstances, we consider it our duty to posti)one, 
imtil new instructions from the court, the execu- 
tion of Sieur Le Sueur"s enterprise for the mines, 
though the promise had already been given him 
to send two canoes in advance to ilissilimackinac, 
for the purpose of purchasing there some pro- 
visions and other necessaries for his voyage, and 
that he would be permitted to go and join them 
early in the spring with the rest of his bands. 
■\\niat led ns to adopt this resolution has been. 
that the French who remained to trade off with 
the Five Xations the remainder of their merch- 
andise, might, on seeing entirely new comers 
arriving there, consider themselves entitled to 
dispense with coming do'mi, and perhaps adopt 
the resolution to settle there; whilst, seeing no 
arrival there, with permission to do what is for- 
bidden, the rellection they will be able to make 
during the winter, and the apprehension of being 
guilty of crime, may oblige them to return in the 
spring. 

" This would be very desirable, in consequence 
of the great difficulty there will Ije in constraining 
them to it. should they be inclined to lift the mask 
altogether and become buccaneers; or should 
Sieur Le Sueur, as he easily could do, furnish 
them with goods for their beaver and smaller 
peltry, which he might send down by tlie return of 
other Frenchmen, whose sole desire is to obey, and 
who have remained only because of the impossi- 
bility of getting their effects down. This would 
rather induce those who would continue to lead a 
vagabond life to remain there, as tlie goods tliey 
would receive from Le Sueur's people would afford 
them the means of doing .so." 

In reply to tliis communication, Louis XI \'. 
answered that — 

" Ills majesty has approved that the late Sieur 
<ie Fronteuacand De Champigny suspended the 



execution of the license granted to the man named 
Le Sueur to proceed, with fifty men, to explore 
some mines on the banks of the Mississi]ipi. He 
has revoked said license, and desires that tlie said 
Le Sueur, or any other person, be prevented from 
leaving the colony on ]iretence of going in search 
of mines, without his majesty's express permis- 
sion." 

Le Suenr, undaunted by these drawbacks to the 
prosecution of a favorite project, again visited 
France. 

Fortimately for Le Suenr, D'Iberville, who was 
a friend, and closely connected by marriage, was 
appointed governor of the new territory of Louis- 
iana. In the month of December be arrived from 
France, v\dth thirty workmen, to proceed to the 
supposed mines in Jlinnesota. 

On the thirteenth of .July, 1700, with a felucca, 
two canoes, and nineteen men, having ascended 
the Mississippi, he had reached the mouth of the 
Missouri, and six leagues above this he passed the 
Illinois. He there met three Canadians, who 
came to join him, with a letter from Father Mar- 
est, who had once attempted a mission among the 
Dahkotabs, dated .July 1.3, Mission Immaculate 
(.'onception of the Holy Virgin, in Illinois. 

" I have the honor to write, in order to inform 
you that the Sangiestas have been defeated 1 ly the 
.Scioux and Ayavois [lowas]. The people have 
formed an alliance with the Qiiincapous [Kicka- 
poos], some of the Mecoutins, Renards [Foxes], 
and Iiletesigamias, and gone to revenge them- 
selves, not on the Scioux, for they are too much 
afraid of them, but perhaps on the Ayavois, or 
very likely upon the Paoutees, or more probably 
upon the Osages, for these suspect nothing, and 
the others are on their guard. 

"As you will probably meet these allied na- 
tions, you ought to take precaution against their 
plans, and not allow them to board yom- vessel, 
since tlicij arc tmilnrs, and utterly faithless. I pray 
(iod to accompany you in all your designs.'' 

Twenty-two leagues above the Illinois, he passed 
a small stream which he called the River of Oxen, 
and nine leagues beyond this he passed a small 
river on the west side, where he met four (,'ana- 
dians descending the Mississipi)i. on their way to 
the Illinois. On the 30th of -Inly, nine leagues 
above the last-named river, he met seventeen 
Scioux, in seven canoes, who were going to re- 



40 



EXPLOREBS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



venge the death of three Scioux, one of whom had 
been burned, and the others killed, at Tamarois, 
a few days before liis arrival in that village. As 
he had promised the chief of the IlUnois to ap- 
pease the Scioux who should go to war against 
his nation, he made a present to the chief of the 
party to engage him to turn back. He told them 
the King of France did not msh them to make 
this river more bloody, and that he was sent to tell 
them that, if they obeyed the king's word, they 
would receive in future all things necessary for 
them. The chief answered that he accepted the 
present, that is to say, that he would do as had 
been told him. 

From the 30th of July to the 25th of August, Le 
Sueur advanced fifty-ttoee and one-fourth leagues 
to a small river which he called the River of the 
Mine. At the mouth it runs from the north, but 
it turns to the northeast. On the right seven 
leagues, there is a lead mine iu a prairie, one and 
a half leagues. The river is only navigable in 
high water, tliat is to say, from early spring tUl 
the month of June. 

From the 2.5tli to the 27th he made ten leagues, 
passed two small rivers, and made himself ae- 
quauited with a mine of lead, from wliich lie took 
a supply. From the 27th to the 30th he made 
eleven and a half leagues, and met five Canadians, 
one of wliom had been dangerously wounded in 
the head. They were naked, and had no ammu- 
nition except a miserable gun, with five or six 
loads of powder and balls. They said they were 
descending from the Scioux to go to Tamarois, 
and, when seventy leagues above, tliey perceived 
nine canoes in the Mississippi, in which were 
ninety savages, wlio rol)bed and cruelly beat tliem. 
Tills party were going to war against the Scioux, 
and were composed of. four different nations, the 
Ontagamies [Foxes], Poutouwatamls [Pottowatta- 
mies], and Puans [Winnebagoes], who dwell in a 
connti'y eighty leagues east of the Mississippi 
from where Le Sueur then was. 

Tl le ( 'anadians determined to follow the detach- 
ment, which was composed of twenty-eight men. 
This (lay they made seven and a half leagues. 
On the 1st of September he passed the Wisconsm 
river. It runs into the Mississippi from the north- 
east. It is nearly one and a half miles wide. At 
about seventy-five leagues up this river, on the 
right, ascenduig, there is a portage of more than 



a league. The half of this portage is shaking 
ground, and at the end of it is a small river which 
descends into a bay called AVimiebago Bay. It is 
inhabited by a great nmuber of nations who carry 
their fiu-s to Canada. Monsieiu: Le Sueur came 
by the Wisconsin river to the ^Mississippi, for the 
first time, in 1683, on his \\ay to the Scioux coun- 
try, where he had already passed seven years at 
different periods. The Mississippi, opposite the 
month of the Wisconsm, is less than half a mile 
wide. From the 1st of September to the -ith, our 
voyageur advanced fourteen leagues. He passed 
the river " Aux Canots," which comes from the 
northeast, and then the Quincapous, named from 
a nation which once dwelt iipou its banks. 

From the 5th to the 9th he made ten and a half 
leagues, and passed the rivers Cachee and ^Vux 
Ailes. The same day he perceived canoes, filled 
with savages, descending the river, and the five 
Canadians recognized them as the party who had 
robbed them. They placed sentinels in the wood, 
for fear of being surprised by land, and when 
they had approached within hearing, they cried to 
them that if they approached farther they would 
fire. They then drew up by an island, at half the 
distance of a gun shot. Siion, four of the princi- 
pal men of the band approached in a canoe, and 
asked if it was forgotten that they were our 
brethren, and with what design we had taken 
arms when we perceived them. Le Sueur replied 
that he had cause to distrust them, since they had 
robbed five of his party. Jfevertheless, for the 
sm-ety of his trade, being forced to ))e at peace 
with all the tribes, he demanded no redi'ess for 
the robbery, but added merely that the king, their 
master and his, wished that his sulijects should 
na\'igate that river without insult, and that they 
had better beware how they acted. 

The Indian who had spoken was silent, but an- 
other said they had been attacked by the Scioux, 
and that if they did not have pity on them, and 
give them a little jjowder, they should not be able 
to reach their villages. The consideration of a 
missionary, who was to go up among the Scioux, 
and whom these savages might meet, mduced 
them to give two pounds of powder. 

M. Le Sueur made the same day three leagues; 
passed a stream on the west, and afterward an- 
other river on the east, which is navigable at aU 
times, and which the Indians call Ked River. 



BATTLESNAKES ON SHOBES OF LAKE I'El'IX. 



41 



On the 10th, at daybreak, they heard an elk 
whistle, on the other side of the river. A Cana- 
dian crossed in a small Scioux canoe, which they 
had found, and shortly retimied with the body of 
the animal, which w'as very easily killed, '■ (juand 
11 est en rut," that is, from the beginnhig of Sep- 
tember nntil the end of October. The hunters at 
this time made a whistle of a i)iece of wood, or 
reed, and when they hear an elk whistle they an- 
swer it. The animal, lielieviiiij; it to be another 
elk, ajiproaclies, and is killed with ease. 

From the 10th to the 14th, ]M. Le Sueur made 
seventeen and a half leagues, passing the rivers 
Eaisin and Paquilenettes (perhaps the Wazi O/.u 
and Buffalo.) The same day he left, on the east 
side of the ^lississippi, a beautiful and large river, 
which descends from the very far north, and 
called Bon Secours (Chippeway), on account of the 
great quantity of buffalo, elk, bears and deers 
which are found there. Three leagues up this 
river there is a mine of lead, and seven leagues 
above, on the same side, they found another long 
river, in the vicinity of which there is a copjjer 
mine, from A^hich he had taken a lump of sixty 
pounds in a former voyage. In order to make 
these mines of any account, peace must be ob- 
tained between the Scioux and Ouatagamis (Fox- 
es), because the latter, who dwell on the east side 
of the Mississippi, pass this road continually when 
going to war against the Sioux. 

Penicaut, in his journal, gives a brief descrip- 
tion of the ilississippi between the AMsconsin 
and Lake Pepin. He writes: "Above the Wis- 
consin, and ten leagues higher on the same side, 
begins a great prairie extending for sixty leagues 
along the bank; this prairie is called Aux Ailes. 
Opposite to Aux Ailes, on the left, there is 
another prairie facmg it called Paquilanet which 
is not so long by a great deal. Twenty leagues 
above these prairies is found Lake Bon Secours " 
[Cood Help, now Pepin.] 

In this region, at one and a half leagues on the 
northwest side, commenced a lake, which is six 
leagues long and more than one broad, called 
Lake Pepin. It is bounded on the west by a 
chain of mountains; on the east is seen a prame; 
and on the northwest of the lake there is another 
prairie two leagues long and one wide. In the 
neighborhood is a chain of mountains quite two 
hundred feet high, and more than one and a half 



miles long. In these are found several caves, to 
which the bears retire in winter. Most of the 
caverns are more than seventy feet in extent, and 
two hundred feet high. There are several of 
which the entrance is very narrow, and qinte 
closed up with saltpetre. It woidd be dangerous 
to enter them in summer, for they are filled with 
rattlesnakes, the liite of which is very dangerous. 
Le Sueur saw some of these snakes which were 
six feet in length, but generally they are about 
four feet. They have teeth resembling those of 
the pike, and their gums are full of small vessels, 
in which their poison is placed. The Scioux say 
they tqke it every mornin ;, and cast it away at 
night. They have at the tail a kind of scale which 
makes a noise, and this is called the rattle. 

Le Sueur made on this day seven and a half 
leagues, and passed another river, called Iliam- 
bouxeeate Ouataba, or the Elver of Flat Rock. 
[The Sioux call the ("aiuion river Inyanbosndata.] 

On the loth he crossed a small river, and saw 
in the neighborhood several canoes, fdled with 
Indians, descending the ^lississippi. lie sup- 
posed they were Scioux, because he could not dis- 
tinguish whether the canoes were large or small. 
The arms were placed in readiness, and soon they 
heard the cry of the savages, which they are ac- 
customed to raise when they rush upon their en- 
emies. He caused them to be answered in the 
same mamier; and after having placed all the 
men behind the trees, he ordered them not to fire 
until they were commanded. He remained on 
shore to see what movement the savages woidd 
make, and perceiving that they placed two on 
shore, on the other side, where from an eminence 
they could ascertain the strength of his forces, he 
caused the men to pass and rejiass from the shore 
to the wood, in order to make them believe that 
they were numerous. Tliis ruse succeeded, for 
as soon as the two descended from the eminence 
the chief of the party came, bearing the calumet, 
which is a signal of peace among the Indians. 
They said that having never seen the French navi- 
gate the river with boats like the felucca, they had 
supposed them to be English, and for that reason 
they had raised the war cry, and arranged them- 
selves on the other side of the Mississippi; but 
having recognized their flag, they had come with- 
out fear to inform them, that one of their num- 
ber, who was crazy, had accidentally killed a 



42 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



Frenchman, and that they would go and brhig his 
comrade, who would tell how the mischief had 
happened. 

The Frenclunan they brought was Denis, a Ca- 
nadian, and he reported tliat his companion was 
accidentally killed. His name was Laplace, a de- 
serthig soldier from Canada, ^\■ho liad tahen ref- 
uge in this country. 

Le Sueur replied, that Onontio (the name they 
give to all the governors of ('anada), being their 
father and his, they ought not tt) seek justification 
elsewhere than before him; and he advised them 
to go and see him as soon as possible, and beg 
him to wipe of£ the blood of tliis Frenchman from 
their faces. 

The party was composed of forty-seven men of 
different nations, who dwell far to the east, about 
the forty-fourth degree of latitude. Le Sueur, 
discovering who tlie chiefs were, said the king 
whom they had spoken of in Canada, had sent 
him to take possession of the north of the river; 
and that he wished the nations who dwell on it, 
as well as those under his protection, to live in 
peace. 

He made this day three and tin-ee-fourtlis 
leagues; and on the Kith of September, he left a 
large river on tlie east side, named St. Croix, he- 
cause n FnnrliDian (if tliat name icris nhipa-ricJced 
at its mouth. It comes from the north-northwest. 
Four leagues higher, in going up, is foinid a small 
lake, at the mouth of which is a very large mass 
of copper. It is on the edge of the water, in a 
small ridge of sandy earth, on the west of this 
lake. [One of La Salle's men was named St. 
Croi.\.] 

From the liitli to the 19th, he advanced thir- 
teen and tliree-fourths leagues. After liaving 
made from Taniarois two hundred and nine and a 
half leagues, he left the navigation of the Missis- 
sippi, to enter the river St. I'ierre, on the west 
side. By the 1st of October, he had made in this 
river forty-foui- and one-fourth leagues. After he 
entered I'jlue river, thus named on account of the 
mines of blue earth found at its mouth, he fomid- 
ed his post, situated in forty-four degrees, thir- 
teen minutes north latitude. He met at this 
place nine Scioux, wlio tol<l liim tliat the river 
belonged to the Seiotix of the west, the Ayavois 
(lowas) and Otoctatas (Ottoes). who lived a little 
farther off: that it was not their custom to hunt 



on ground belonging to others, unless invited to 
do so by the owners, and that when they would 
come to the fort to obtain provisions, they would 
be in danger of being killed in ascending or de- 
scending the rivers, v.'hich were narrow, and that 
if they woidd show their pity, he must establish 
iiimsclf on the llississippi, near the mouth of the St. 
Pierre, where the Ayavois, the Otoctatas, and the 
other Scioux could go as well as they. 

Having finished their speech, they leaned over 
the head of Le Sueur, according to their custom, 
crying out, "Onaechissou ouaepanimanabo," that 
is to say, " Have pity upon us." Le Suenr had 
foreseen that the establishment of Blue Earth 
river would not please the Scioux of the East, 
who were, so to speak, masters of the other Scioux 
and of the nations wliich will 1)6 hereafter men- 
tioned, hec(tuse they icere the first with whom trade 
leas commenced, and in consequence of which they 
had already quite a number of guns. 

As he had commenced his operations not only 
with a view to the trade of beaver but also to 
gain a knowledge of the mines which he had pre- 
viously discovered, he told them that he was sor- 
ry that he had not known their intentions sooner, 
and that it was .iust, since he came expressly for 
them, that he sh(udd establish himself on their 
land, liut tliat the season was too far advanced 
for him to return. He then made them a present 
of powder, balls and knives, and an armful of to- 
bacco, to entice them to assemble, as soon as pos- 
sible, near the fort he was about to construct, 
that when they should be all assembled he might 
tell them the intention of the king, their and his 
sovereign. 

The Scioux of the "West, according to the state- 
ment of the Eastern Scioux, have more than a 
thousanil lodges. They do not use canoes, nor 
cultivate the earth, nor gather wild rice. They 
remain generally on the prairies which are be- 
tween the Upper Mississippi and jNIissouri rivers, 
and live entirely by the chase. The Scioux gen- 
erally say they have three souls, and that after 
death, that which has done well goes to the warm 
country, that which has done evil to the cold 
regions, and the other guard.s the body. I'oly- 
gamy is common among them. They are very 
jealous, and sometimes fight in duel for their 
wives. Tliey manage the bow admirably, and 
have been seen several times to kill ducks on the 



BLrj!J EARTH ASSAYED BY VHVLLlEli IN I'AUIS. 



4a 



wmft. They make their lodges of a imnilier of 
bulTalo skins interlaced and sewed, ami cany 
them wlierever they go. They are all great smo- 
kers, but their manner of smoking differs from 
that of other Indians. There are some Sciou.x 
who swallow all the smoke of the tobacco, and 
others who, after having keiit it some time in 
their mouth, cause it to issue from the nose. In 
each lodge there are usually two or three men 
witli their families. 

On the third of October, they received at the 
fort several Scioux, among whom was AVahkan- 
lape, cliief of the village. Soon tu-o Canadians 
arrived wlio liad been hunting, and who had been 
robbed by the Scioux of the Kast. who had raised 
their guns against the establishment which M. 
Le Sueur had made on IJhie Karth river. 

On the fourteenth the fort was linished and 
named Fort L'lluillier. and on Die twenty-second 
two Canadians were sent out to invite the Aya- 
vois and Otoctatas to come and establish a vil- 
lage near the fort, because tliese Indians are m- 
dustrious and accustomed to cultivate the earth, 
and they hoped to get provisions from them, and 
to niake them work in the mines. 

On the twenty-fourth, six Scioux Oujalespoi- 
tons wished to go into tlie fort, but were told 
that they did not receive men who had killed 
Fi'enclmien. This is the term used when they 
have instdted tliem. The next day Ihey came to 
the lodge of Le Sueur to beg liim to have pity on 
them. They wished, according to custom, to 
weep over his head and make him a present of 
packs of beavers, which he refused. He told 
them he was surprised that people who had rol)- 
bed should come to him ; to which they replied 
that they liad heard it said that two Frenchmen 
had been robbed, but none from their village had 
l)eeu present at tliat wicked action. 

Le Sueur answered, that he knew it was tlie 
Mendeoncantons and not the Oujalespoitons : 
" but." continued he, "yon are Scioux; it is the 
Scioux who have robbed me. and if I were to fol- 
low your manner of acting I should break yom- 
heads; for is it not true, tiiat when a stranger 
(it is thus they call the Indians wlio are not 
Scioux) has insulted a Scioux, ilendeoucanton. 
( )ujale.spoitons. or others — all the villages revenge 
upon the lirst one they meetV" 
As they had nothing to answer to what he said 



to them, they wept and rejieated, ac('oi'ding to 
custom, " Ouaecliissou I ouaepanimaual)o !"' Le 
Sueur told them to cease crying, and added that 
the French had good liearts, and tliat they had 
come into tlie country to have pity on tliem. At 
the same time lie made them a present, saying to 
them. ■• Carry liack your beavers and say to all 
the Scioux. that tliey will have from me no more 
powder or lead, and they will no longer smoke 
any long pipe until they have made satisfaction 
for robbing the Frenchman. 

Tlie same day the Canadians, who had been 
sent off on the 22d. arrived without liaving found 
the road which led to the Ayavois and Otoctatas. 
On the 26tli, Le Sueur went to the river with 
three canoes, which he tilled with green and blue 
earth. It is taken from the hills near which are 
very abundant mhies of copper, some of which 
was worked at Paris in IH'.id. liy I/IIuillier. one 
of the chief collectors of the king. Stones were 
also found there wliicli would be curious, if 
worked. 

On the ninth of Novemlier, eight iSIautanton 
Scioux arrived, who had been sent li\- their chiefs 
to say that the Mcndcoucantona wci-e still at their 
hdr on tin east of tlie Mississiiqji- and they could 
not come for a long time ; and that for a single 
village wliich had no good sense, tlie otliers ought 
not to bear the punishment ; and that they were 
willing to make reparation if tliey knew how. 
Le Sueur replied that he was glad that they had 
a disposition to do so. 

On the loth the two Mantanton Scioux. wlio 
had been sent expiessly to say that all of the 
Scioux of the east, and part of those of the west, 
were joined together to come to the French, be- 
cause they had heard that the Christiaiiaux and 
the Assiniiioils were making war on them. 
These two nations dwell aliove llie fort on the 
east side, more than eiglity leagues on tlie Upper 
Mississippi. 

Tlie xVssinipoils speak Scioux, and are certainly 
of that nation. It is only a few years since that 
they became enemies. The enmity thus origi- 
nated: The Cliristianaiix, having the use of arms 
before the Scioux, through tlie English at Hud- 
son's Bay, they constantly warred upon the As- 
siuipoils, wlio were their nearest neighbors. 
The latter, being weak, sued for peace, and to 
render it more lasting, married the Christianaux 



44 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



women. The other Scioux, who had not made 
the compact, continued tliewar; and, seeing some 
Christianaux with the Assinipoils, broke tlieir 
heads. The Christianaux furnished the Assini- 
poils with arms and merchandise. 

On the l(5th the Scioux returned to their vil- 
lage, and it was reported that tlie Ayavois and 
Otoctatas were gone to establish themselves to- 
wards the jNIissouri River, near the Maha, who 
dwell in tliat region. On the 2{5th the Mantan- 
tons and Oujalesi)oitons arrived at the fort; and, 
after they had encamped in the woods, Wah 
kantape came to beg Le Sueur to go to his 
lodge. He there finuid sixteen men willi women 
and children, with their faces daubed with black. 
In the middle of the lodge were several buffalo 
skins wliicli were sewed for a carpet. After mo- 
tioning liim to sit down, they wept for the fourth 
of an liour, and the chief gave him some wild 
rice to eat (as was their custom), putting the 
first three spoonsful to his mouth. After which, 
he said all present were relatives of Tioscate, 
whom Le Sueur took to Canada in 1695, and who 
died there in 1696. 

At the mention of Tioscate they began to weep 
again, and wipe tlieir tears and heads upon the 
shoulders of Le Sueur. Tlien AVabkantape again 
spoke, and said tliat Tioscate liegged him to for- 
get the insult done to the Frenchmen by the 
Mendeoucantons, and take pity on his brethren 
by giving them powder and balls whereby they 
could defend tliemselves, and gain a living for 
their wives and clnldren,who languish in a coun- 
try fidl of game, because they had not the means 
of killing them. " Look," added the chief, " Be- 
hold tliy cliildreu, thy brethren, and thy sisters; 
it is to thee to see wlietlier tliou wisliest them to 
(lie. They will live if thou givest them powder 
and Ijall; they will die if thou refusest." 

Le Sueur granted them tlieir request, but as 
the Scioux never answer on the spot, especially 
in matters of importance, and as he had to speak 
to them aliout his establishment he went out of 
tlie lodge witliout saying a word. The chief and 
all tliose witliiu followed liim as far as tlie door. 
of the fort; and wlieu he had gone in. tliey went 
around it tlirce times, crying with all their 
strengtli, " Atlicouanaii! " that istosay, " Father, 
have pity on us."' [Ate unyanpi, means Our 
Father.] 



The next day, he assembled in the fort the 
principal men of both villages; and as it is not 
possible to subdue the Scioux or to hinder them 
from going to war, unless it be by inducing them 
to cultivate the earth, he said to them that if 
they wished to render themselves worthy of the 
protection of the king, tliey must abandon tlieir 
erring life, and form a village near his dwelling, 
where they would be shielded from the insults of 
of their enemies; and that they might be happy 
and not hungry, he would give them all the corn 
necessary to plant a large piece of ground; that 
the king, their and his chief, in sending liim, had 
forbidden bira to purchase beaver skins, knowing 
that tliis kind of liunting separates tliem and ex- 
poses tliem to their enemies; and that in conse- 
quence of tliis he had come to establish himself 
on Blue River and vicinity, where they had many 
times assured him were many kinds of beasts, 
for the skins of which he would give tlietn all 
tilings necessary; that they ought to reflect that 
they could not do without French goods, and that 
tlie only way not to want them was, not to go to 
war with our allied nations. 

As it is customary with the Indians to accom- 
pany their word with a present proportioned to 
the affair treated of, he gave them fifty pounds of 
jiowder, as many ball's, six guns, ten axes, twelve 
armsful of tobacco, and a hatchet pipe. 

On tlie first of December, the JIantantons in- 
vited Le Sueur to a great feast. Of four of their 
lodges they liad made one, in which were one 
hundred men seated around, and every one his 
dish before him. After the meal, Wahkantape, 
llie chief, made them all smoke, one after another, 
in the hatchet pipe which had been given them, 
lie then made a present to Le Sueur of a slave 
and a sack of wild rice, and said to him, showing 
him his men: " Behold the remains of this great 
village, which thou hast aforetimes seen so nu- 
merous! All the others have been killed in war; 
and the few men whom thou seest in this lodge, 
accept the present thou hast made them, and are 
resolved to oliey the great chief of all nations, of 
whom tliou hast spoken to us. Thou ouglitest 
not to regard us as Scioux, but as French, and in- 
stead of saying tlie Scioux are miserable, and liave 
no mind, and are fit for nothing but to rob and 
steal from the French, thou shalt say my breth- 
ren are miserable and have no mind, and we must 



D'IBEBVILLE'S MEMOITt ON THE MlSSISSIl'}' I 'I'IHHES. 



45 



try to procure some for tliem. They rob us, but 
I will take care that they do not lack iron, that is 
to say, all kinds of goods. If thou dost this, 1 as- 
sure thee that in a little time the Mantantons will 
become Frenchmen, and they will have none of 
those vices, with which thou reiiroachest us." 

Having finished his speech, he covered his lace 
with his garment, and the others imitated him. 
They wept over their companions who had died 
in war, and chanted an adieu to their country in 
a tone so gloomy, that one could not keep from 
partaking of their sorrow. 

Wahkantape then made them smoke again, and 
distributed the presents, and said that he was go- 
ing to the ^lendeoueantons, to inform them of the 
resolution, and invite them to do the same. 

On the twelfth, three Mendeoucauton chiefs, 
and a large number of Indians of the same vil- 
lage, arrived at the fort, and the next day gave 
satisfaction for robbing the Frenchmen. They 
brought four hundred pounds of beaver skins, and 
promised that the summer following, after their 
canoes were built and they had gathered their 
wild rice, that they would come and establish 
themselves near the French. The same day they 
returned to their village east of the Mississippi. 

NAMES OF TUE BANDS OF SCIOUX OF THE 
EAST, WITH THEIK SICiNIFICATION. 

Mantantons— That is to say, A'illage of the 
Great Lake which empties into a small one. 

Mendeouacantons— Village of Spirit Lake. 

QuioPETONS — Village of the Lake with one 
River. 

PsiouMANiTONS— Village of "Wild Rice Gath- 
erers. 

OuADEBATONs— The River Village. 

OuAETEMANETONS— Village of the Tribe who 
dwell on the Point of tlie Lake. 

SONUASQUITONS — The Brave Village, 

THE SCIOUX OF THE WEST. 

ToucHOUAESixTONs— The Village of the Pole. 

PsiNCHATOXs— Milage of the Red Wild Rice. 

OujALESPOiTOXS — Village divided into many 
small Bands. 

PsiNouTANHiNHixTONS — The Great AVild 
Rice Village. 

TiNTANGAOUGHiATONs — The Grand Lodge 
Village. 



OUAEPETONS — Village of the Leaf. 

OUGHETGEODATONS— Dung Village. 

OuAPEONTETONs — Village of those who shoot 
in the Large Pine. 

IIiNHANETONS — ^'illage of the Ri^d Stone 
(Juarry. 

The above catalogue of villages (^includes the 
extract that La Ilarpe has made from Le Sueur's 
journal. 

In the narrative of Major Long's second expe- 
dition, there are just as many villages of the Gens 
du Lac, or M'dewakantimwan ScioiLX mentioned, 
though the names are different. After leaving 
the iliUe Lac region, the divisions evidently were 
different, and the villages known by new names. 

Charlevoix, who visited the valley of the Lower 
Mississippi in 1722, says that Le Sueur spent a 
winter in his fort on the banks of the Blue Earth, 
and that in the following April he went up to the 
mine, about a mile above. In twenty-two days 
they obtained more than Uiirty thousand pounds 
of the substance, four thousand of which were se- 
lected and sent to France. 

On the tenth of February, 1702, Le Sueur came 
back to the post on the Gulf of Mexico, and fomid 
DTben-ille absent, who, however, arrived on the 
eighteenth of the next month, with a ship from 
France , loaded with supplies. After a few weeks, 
the Governor of Louisiana sailed again for the 
old coiintry, Le Sueur being a fellow passenger. 

On board of the ship, DTberville wrote a mem- 
orial upon the Mississippi valley, with sugges- 
tions for carrying on commerce therein, which 
contains many facts furnished liy Le Sueur. A 
copy of the manuscript A\ns in jiossession of the 
Historical Society of Minnesota, from which are 
the followmg extracts: 

"If the Sioux remain in their own countiy, 
they are useless to us, being too distant. We 
could have no commerce with them except that 
of the beaver. M. Le Sueur, tcho goes to France 
to give an account of this country, is the proper per- 
son to make these movements. He estimates the 
Sioux at four thousand famiUes, who could settle 
upon the ^Missouri. 

"He has spoken to me of another which he 
calls the Mahas, composed of more than twelve 
hundred famiUes. The Ayoones (loways) and the 
Octoctatas, their neighbors, are about three 
hundred families. They occupy the lands be- 



46 



EXPLOBEJRS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



tween the Mississippi and the Missouri, about 
one hundred leagues from the lOinois. Tiiese 
savages do not Isuow the use of arms, and a de- 
scent might be made upon them in a river, Mhicli 
is beyond ttie AVabash on the west. * * * 

" The Assmibouel, Quenistinos, and people of 
the north, who are upon the rivers which fall into 
the Mississippi, and trade at Fort Kelson (Hud- 
son Bay), are about four hundred. We could 
prevent them from going there if we wish." 

" In four or five years we can establish a com- 
merce with these savages of sixty or eighty thou- 
sand buffalo skins; more than one hundred deer 
skins, AAliidi 'will produce, delivered in France, 
more than two million four hundred thousand 
livres yearly. One might obtain for a Iniffalo 
skin four or five pounds of wool, which sells for 
twenty sous, two potinds of coarse hair at ten 
sous. 

"Besides, from smaller peltries, two hundred 
thousand livres can be made yearly.'' 

In the third \-olume of the " History and Sta- 
tistics of the Indian Tribes," prepared under the 
direction of the Commissioner of Indian affairs, 
by Mr. Schoolcraft, a manuscript, a copy of which 
was in possession of General Cass, is referred to as 
containing tlie first enumeration of the Indians of 
the Mississippi A'alley. The following was made 
thirty-fo>ir years earlier by DTberville: 

"The Sioux, Families, 4,000 

Mahas, 12,000 

Octata and Ayoues, 300 

Causes [Kansas], I,o00 

Missouri, 1,500 

Akansas, &c., 200 

:Mant()n piandanj 100 

Panis [Pawnee], 2.000 

Illinois, of the great village and Cama- 

roua [Tamaroa], soo 

!Meosigamea [^Nletchigamias], .... 200 
Kikapous and jNlascouteus, .... 4o0 

Miamis, . , 500 

Chaclas, 4,000 

Chicaclias, 2,000 

Mobiliens and Chohomes, 350 

Concaques [Conchas], 2,000 

Ouma [Iloumas], 150 

Colapissa, 2-50 

Bayogoula, 100 

People of the Fork, 200 



Counica, &c. [Tonicas], . . 

Xadeclies, 

Belochy, [Biloxi] Pascoboula, 



300 

1,500 

100 



Total, 23,850 

" The savage tribes located in the places I have . 
marked out, make it necessary to establish three 
posts on the Mississippi, one at the Arkansas, 
another at the AVabash (Ohio), and the third at 
the ilissouri. At each post it would be proiJer 
to have an officer with a detachment of ten sol- 
diers with a sergeant and corporal. All French- 
men should be allowed to settle there with their 
families, and trade with the Indians, and they 
might establish tanneries for properly dressmg 
the buffalo and deer skins for transportation. 

" Xo Frenclunan Khali be allnwcd to folloic the 
Indians on their hunts, as it tends to keep tlumi 
hunters, as is seen in Canada, and when they are 
in the woods, they do not desire to become tilters 
of the soil. ******* 

" I have said nothing in this memoir of which 
I have not personal knowledge or the most relia- 
ble sources. The most of what I propose is 
founded upon personal reflection in relation to 
what might be done for the defence and advance- 
ment of the colony. ***** 
* * * It will be absolutely necessary 
that the long should define the limits of this 
country in relation to the government of Canada. 
It is important that the commandant of the 
Mississippi should have a report of those who 
inhabit the rivers that fall into the Mississippi, 
and principally those of the river Illinois. 

" The Canadians intimate to the savages that 
they ought not to listen to us but to the governor 
of Canada, who always speaks to them with large 
presents, that the governor of JSIississippi is mean 
and never sends them any thing. This is true, 
and what I cannot do. It is iinjirudent to accus- 
tom the savages to be spoken to by presents, for, 
with so many, it would cost the king more than 
the revenue derived from the trade. AVhen they 
come to us, it will be necessary to bring them in 
subjection, make them no presents, and compel 
them to do wliat we wish, ((.s if they were French- 
men. 

" The Spaniards have divided thb Indians into 
parties on this point, and we can do tlie same. 
AVlien one nation does wrong, we can cease to 



PENICAUT DEtiClUBES LIFE AT FORT L'lIUILLlER. 



trade ■with them, and threaten to draw down tlic 
hostility of otlier Indians. AVe rectify the diffi- 
culty by h<iviiig missionaries, who will bring 
them into obedience secretly. 

" Tlie Illinois and JSIascoutens luivc detained 
the French canoes they find iipouthe Mississippi, 
saying that the governors of Canada have given 
them permission. I do not know whether this is 
so, but if true, it follows tliat we liave not the 
liberty to send any one on the Mississijipi. 

'■ M. Le Sueur would have been taken if he 
had not been the strongest. Only one of the 
canoes he sent to the Sioux wasphmdered." * * * 

Penicaut'S account varies in some particulars 
from that of La Ilarpe's. lie calls the JMahkalito 
Green River instead of Blue and -writes: '■ ^\'e 
took our route by its mouth and ascended it forty 
leagues, when we found another river falling in- 
to the Saint Pierre, which we entered. "We 
Jailed this the Green Piver because it is of that 
color by reason of a green earth which loosening 
itself from from the copper mines, becomes dis- 
solved and makes it green. 

" A league up this river, we found a pomt 
of land a quarter of a league distant from the 
woods, and it was upon this point that M. Le 
Sueur resolved to build his fort, because we coidd 
not go any higher on account of the ice, it being 
the last day of Septemlier. Half of our people 
\vent hunting whilst the others worked on the 
fort, "\^'e killed four himdred buffaloes, which 
were our provisions for the winter, and which we 
placed upon scaffolds in om- fort, after having 
skinned and cleaned and quartered them. "We 
also made cabins in the fort, and a magazine to 
keep our goods. After having drawn up our 
shallop within the inclosm-eof the fort, we spent 
the winter m our cabins. 

" When we were working in our fort in the 
begimiing seven French traders from Canada 
took refuge there. They had been pillaged and 
•stripped naked by the Sioux, a wandering nation 
living only Ity hunthig and plundering. Among 
these seven persons there was a Canadian gen- 
tleman of Le Sueur's acquamtance, whom he rec- 
ognized at once, and gave him some clothes, as 
he did also to all the rest, and whatever else was 
necessary for them. They remained with us 
during the entire winter at our fort, where we 
had not food enough for all, except buffalo meat 



which we had not even salt to eat with. AVe had 
a good deal of trouble the fii'st two weeks in ac- 
customing ourselves to it, having fever and di- 
arrluea and becoming so tired of it as to hate the 
smell. Put by degrees our bodies became adapt- 
ed to it so well that at the end of six weeks tliere 
was not one of us who could not eat six pounds 
of meat a day, and drink four bowls of broth. 
As soon as we were accustomeil to this kind of 
living it made us very fat, and then there was no 
more sickness. 

" AMien spring arrived we went to work in the 
copper mine. Tins was the beginning of Ajiril of 
this year [1701.] "We took with us tweh-e labor- 
ers and four hunters. This mine was situated 
aljout three-quarters of a league from our post. 
"We took from the mine in twenty days more than 
twenty thousand pounds weight of ore, of which 
we only selected four thousand pounds of the 
ilnest, wliicli M. Le Sueur, who \\as a very good 
judgaof it, had carried to the fort, and whicli has 
since been sent to France, though I have not 
learned the result. 

'• This mine is situated at the beginning of a 
very long mountain, which is uijon the bank of 
the river, so that Itoats can go right to the mouth 
of the mine itself. At this place is the green 
earth, which is a foot and a half ui thickness, 
and above it is a layer of earth as Arm and 
hard as stone, and black and burnt like coal by 
tlie exhalation from the mine. Tlie copjjcr is 
scratched out with a knife. There are no trees 
upon this moinitain. * * * ^Vf ter twenty-two 
days' work, we returned to our fort. When the 
Sioux, who belong to tlie nation of savages who 
pillaged the Canadians, came they brought us 
merchandize of furs. 

" They had more than four hundred beaver 
robes, each robe made of nine skins sewed to- 
gether. M. Le Sueur purchased tliese and many 
other skins which he bargained for, in the week 
he traded with the savages. * * * * 
We sell in return wares wliich come very dear to 
tlie buyers, especially tobacco from Brazil, in the 
jiropeniion of a hundred crowns tlie pound; two 
little horn-handled knives, and four leaden liul- 
lets are equal to ten crowns in exchange for 
skins ; and so with the rest. 

" In tlie beginning of May, we launched our 
shallop ui the water, and loaded it with green 



48 



EXPLOREBS AND nONEEBS OF MIXNESOTA. 



earth that had been taken ont of the river, and 
with tlie furs we luid traded for, of wliicli we liad 
three canoes full. M. Le Sueur before gomg 
held council with M. D'Eva(iue [or Eraque] the 
Canadian gentleman, and the three great chiefs 
of the Sioux, three brothers, and told them that 
as he had to return to the sea, he desired them 
to live in peace with M. D'Evaque, whom he left 
in command at Fort L'lIuilUer, with twelve 
Frenchmen. M. Le Sueur made a considerable 
present to the three brothers, chiefs of the sava- 
ges, desiring them to never abandon the Frencli. 
Afterward we the twelve men whom he had chosen 
to go down to the sea with him embarked. In set- 
ting out, M. Le Sueur promised to M. D'Evaque 
and tlie twelve Frenclimen who remained with 
him fo guard the fort, to send up munitions of 
war from the Illinois country as soon as he sliould 
arrive there ; which he did, for on getting there 
he sent off to him a canoe loaded with two thou- 
sand pomids of lead and powder, \\itli three of 
our pe()i)Ie in charge." 

Le Sueur arrived at the French fort on the 
Gulf of Mexico in safety, and in a few weeks, in 
the spring of 1701, sailed for France, with his 
kinsman, D'lberville, the tirst govei'uor of Lou- 
isiana. 

In the spring of the next year (1702) D'Evaque 
came to Mobile and reported to D'Iberville, who 
had come back from France, that lie had Ijeen 
attacked by the Foxes and ^Nlaskoiitens, who killed 
three Frenchmen who were workhig near Fort 
L'lluillier, and that, being out of jiowder and 
lead, he had been oV)liged to conceal the goods 
wliicli were left and abandon tlie post. At the 
Wisconsin Kiver he had met .Juchereau, formerly 
criminal judge in Montreal, with thirty-flvo 
men, on Ids way to establish a tannery for bulfalo 
skins at the Wabash, and that at the Illinois he 
met the canoe of supplies sent by Bienville, 
DT)erville"s lirother. 

La JNIotte Cadillac, in command at Detroit, in 
a letter w^ritten on August 31st, 17o;i, alludes to 
Le Sueur's expedition in these words: '■ Last 
year they sent Mr. IJoudor, a Montreal merchant, 
into till- country of the Sioux to join Le Su- 
eur. He succeeded so well in that journey he 
trans]iorted thither twenty-five or thirty thous- 
and pounds of merchandize with which to trade 
in all the country of the Outawas. This proved 



to liim an imfortunate investment, as he has 
been robbed of a part of the goods by the Outa- 
gamies. The occasion of the robbery by one of 
our own allies was as follows. I speak with a 
full linowledgo of the facts as they occurred while 
I was at Michillimackianc. From time immemo- 
rial our allies have been at war with the Sioux, 
and on my arrival there in conformity to the or- 
der of ^1. Frontenac, the most able man who has 
ever come into Canada, I attempted to negotiate 
a truce between the Sioux and all our allies. 
Succeeding in this negotiatiou I took the occa- 
.sion to turn their arms against the Iroquois with 
whom we were then at war, and soon after I ef- 
fected a treaty of peace between the Sioux and 
the French and theirallies which lasted two years. 

"At the end of tha time the Sioux came, in 
great numbers, to the villages of the Miamis, un- 
der pretense of ratifying the treaty. They were 
well re(;eived by tlie Miamis, and, after spending 
several days in tlieir villages, departed, apparent- 
ly perfectly satistied with their good reception, as 
they certainly had every reason to be. 

" The Miamis, believing them already far dis- 
tant, slept quietly; but the Sioux, who had pre- 
meditated the attack, returned the same night to 
the i)riiicipal village of the Miamis, where most 
of the tribe were congregated, and, taldng them 
by surprise, slaughtered nearly three tliousaud('r') 
and put the rest to (light.. 

"This perfectly infuriated all tne nations. 
They came with their complauits, begging me to 
join with them and exterminate the Sioux. But 
the war we then had on our hands did not permit 
it, so it became necessary to play the orator in a 
long harangue. In conclusion I advised them to 
' weep their dead, and wrap them up, and leave 
them to sleep coldly till the day of vengeance 
should come;' telling them we must sweep the 
land on this side of the InKjuois, as it was neces- 
sary to exlingiush even their memory, after which 
the allied tribes could more easily avenge the 
atrocious deed that the Sioux had just committed 
upon them. In short, I managed them so well 
that the aflfah' was settled in the manner that I 
proposed. 

•• But the twenty-live permits still existed, and 
the cupidity of the French induced them to go 
among the Sioux to trade for beaver. Our allies 
cumplained bitterly of this, saying it was injust- 



TRADE FORBIDDEN WITH THE SIOUX. 



49 



ice to them, as they had taken up arms in our' 
quarrel against the Iroquois, wliile tlu! French 
traders were carrying munitions of war to tlie 
Sioux to enahle them to kill the rest of our allies 
as they had the Miamis. 

'■ I immediately informed M. Frontenac, and M. 
Champigny having read the communication, and 
commanded that an ordinance be pnblished at iMon- 
treal forl)id(ling the traders to go into the (.'ountry 
of tlie Sionx for the purpose of trallic under penalty 
of a thousand francs fine, the confiscation of the 
goods, and other arbitrary penalties. The ordi- 
nance was sent to me and faithfully executed. 
The same year [1699] I descended to (Quebec, 
having asked to be reUeved. Since that time, in 
spite of tins prohibition, the French have con- 
tmued to trade with the Sioux, but not without 
being subject to affronts and indignities from our 
allies themselves which bring dishonor on the 
French name. * * * I do not consider it best 
any longer to allow the traders to carry on com- 
merce with the Sioux, mider any pretext what- 



ever, especially as M. Boudor has just been 
robbed by the Fox nation, and M. Jncheraux has 
given a thou.sand crowns, in goods, for tlu^ right 
of passage through the country of tlie allies Id 
his habitation. 

'• Tlie allies say that Le Sueur has gone to tlie 
Sioux on the Mississippi; that they are resolved 
to oppose him, and if he offers any resistance they 
will not be answerable for the consequences. 
It would be well, therefore, to give Le Sueur 
warning by the Governor of Mississippi. 

"The Sauteurs [(!hippeways] being friendly 
with the Sioux wished to give passage through 
their country to M. Boudor and others, permit- 
ting tlieni to carry arras and other munitions of 
war to this nation; but the other nations liemg 
opposed to it, differences have arisen between 
them which have resulted in the robbery of M. 
Boudor. This has given occasion to the Sau- 
teurs to make an outbreak upon the Sacs and 
Foxes, killing thirty or forty of them. So thero 
is war among the people." 



50 



EXPLOBEBS AXD I'lOKEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



EVENTS WHICU LED TO BUILDING FORT BEAtTHARNOIS ON LAKE PEPIN. 



Be-EsUblishment of Mackinaw.— Sieur de Louvigny at Mackinaw.— De Lignerj- 
at Mackinaw.^-Louvigny Attacks the Foxes.— Du Luth's Post Reoccupicd. — 
Saint Pierre at La Pointe on Lake Superior,— Preparations for a Jesuit Mission 
among the Sioux. — La Perriere Boucher's Expedition to Lake Pepin. — De 
Conor and Guiguas, Jesuit Missionaries.— Visit to Foxes and Winnebagoes.— 
Wisconsin River Described.— Fort Beauharnois Built.— Fireworks Displayed.— 
High Water at Lake Pepin.— De Conor Visits Mackinaw.— Boucherville, Mont- 
brun and Guiguas Captured by Indians.— Montbrun's Escape.— Boucher%-ilIe's 
Presents to Indians. — Exaggerated Account of Father Cuignas' Capture. — Ijis- 
patches Concerning Fort Beauharnois.— Sieur de la Jenieraye. — Saint Pierre at 
Fort Beauharnois. — Trouble between Sioux and Foxes — Sioux Visit Quebec. — 
De Lusignan Visits the Sioux Country.— Saint Pierre Noticed in the Travels 
of Jonathan Carver and Lieutenant Pike. 



After the Fox Imliaus drove away Le Sueur's 
men, in 1702, from the ISIakahto, or Bhie Earth 
river, the merchants of :SIoiitreal ;hrI Quebec did 
not encourage trade with tlie tribes beyond JSIaek- 
inaw. 

D'Aigreult, a French oflicer, sent to inspect 
that post, in tlie summer of 170S, reported that 
he arrived there, on the 19th of August, and 
found there but fourteen or fifteen Frenchmen. 
He also wrote: " Since there are now only a few 
wanderers at ]\Iichilimackinack, the greater part 
of the furs of the savages of the north goes to the 
English trading posts on Hudson's Bay. The 
Outawas are unable to make this trade by them- 
selves, because the northern savages are timid, 
and will not come near them, as they have often 
been plundered. It is, therefore, necessary that 
the French Vie allowed to seek these northern 
tribes at the mouth of their own river, which 
empties into Lake Superior." 

Louis de la Porte, the Sieur De Louvigny, in 
1690, accompanied by Nicholas Perrot, with a de- 
tachment of one hundred and seventy Canadians 
and Indians, came to Mackinaw, and imtil 1(J9I 
was in command, when he was recalled. 

In 1712, Father Joseph J. Marest the Jesuit 
missionary wrote, " If this country ever needs 
M. Louvigny it is now ; the savages say it is ab- 
solutely necessary that he should come for the 
safety of the country, to unite the tribes and to 
defend those whom tlie war has caused to return 
to Michilinuiciiiac. ****** 



I do not know what course the Pottawatomies 
will take, nor even what course they will pursue 
who are here, if M. Louvigny does not come, es- 
pecially if the Foxes were to attiick them or us." 

The next July, M. Lignery urged upon the au- 
thorities the establishment of a garrison of trained 
soldiers at Mackinaw, and the Intendant of Can- 
ada wrote to the King of France : 

" Michilimackinac might be re-established, 
without expense to his Majestj', either by sur- 
rendering the trade of the post to such individu- 
als as will obligate themselves to pay all the ex- 
penses of twenty-two soldiers and two officers; to 
furnish munitions of war for the defense of the 
fort, and to make presents to the savages. 

" Or the expenses of the post might be paid by 
the sale of permits, if the King should not think 
proper to grant an exclusive commerce. It is ab- 
solutely necessary to know the wishes of tlie Kmg 
concerning these two propositions ; and as M. 
Lignery is at Michilimackinac, it will not be any 
greater injury to the colony to defer the re-estab- 
ment of this post, than it has been for eight or 
ten years past." 

The war with England ensued, and In April, 
1713, the treaty of Utrecht was ratified. France 
had now more leisure to attend to the Indian 
tribes of the AVest. 

Early in 1714, ^Mackinaw was re-occupied, and 
on the fourteenth of March, 1716, an expedition 
under Lieuteuiint Louvigny, left Quebec. His 
arrival at Mackinaw, where he had been long ex- 
pected, gave confidence to the voyageurs, and 
friendly Indians, and with a force of eight hun- 
dred men, he proceeded agamst the Foxes in 
AVisconsin. He brought with htm two pieces of 
cannon and a grenade mortar, and besieged the 
fort of the Foxes, which he stated contained five 
hundred warriors, and three thousand men, a 
declaration which can scarcely be credited. After 



BESIBE FOB A NOBIHERN ROUTE 10 THE FACIFIC. 



01 



three days of skirmishing, he prepared to mine 
the fort, when the Foxes capitulated. 

The paddles of the birch bark canoes and the 
gay songs of the voyagenrs now began to bo heard 
once more on the waters of Lake Superior and its 
tributaries. In 1717, the post erected by Du 
i.ulli. on I,al<t' Sujierior near the northern boun- 
dary of ^Minnesota, was re-occupied by Lt. Ko- 
bertcl de la Xone. 

In view of tlic troubles among the tribes of the 
nortliwest, in the month of September, 171S, Cap- 
tain St. Pierre, who had great influence with the 
Indians of Wisconsin and iSIinnesota, was sent 
with Ensign Linctot and some soldiers to re-oc- 
cupy La Pointe on Lake Superior, now Haylield, 
in the northwestern part of Wisconsin. The 
chiefs of the baud there, and at Keweenaw, 
had threatened war against the Foxes, who had 
killed some of their number. 

Wlien the .Jesuit Charlevoix returned to France 
after an examination of the resources of Canada 
and Louisiana, he urged that an attempt should 
be made to reach the Pacilio Ocean by an inland 
route, and suggested that an expedition should 
proceed from the mouth of the ilissouri and fol- 
low that stream, or that a post should be estab- 
lished among the Sioux which shoidd be the point 
of departure. The latter was accepted, and in 
1722 an allowance w^as made by the French Gov- 
ernment, of twelve hundred livres, for two .Jes- 
uit missionaries to accompany those who should 
establish the new post. D'Avagour, Superin- 
tendent of ilissions, in May, 1723, requested the 
authorities to grant a separate canoe for the con- 
veyance of the goods of the proposed mission, 
and as it was necessary to send a commandant 
to persuade the Indians to receive the mission- 
aries, he recommended Sieur Pachot, an officer of 
experience. 

A dispatch from Canada to the French govern- 
ment, dated October 14, 1723, announced that 
Father de la Chasse, Superior of the Jesiuts, ex- 
pected that, the next spring. Father Guymoneau, 
and another missionary from Paris, woidd go to 
tlie Sioux, l)ut that they had Ijeen hindered by the 
Sioux a few months before killing seven French- 
men, on their way to Louisiana. The aged 
Jesuit, Joseph J. Marest, who had been on Lake 
Pepin in 1689 with Perrot, and was now m ilon- 
treal, said that it was the wandering Sioux who 



had killed the French, but he thought the sta- 
tionary Sioux would receive Christian instruction. 

The hostility of the Foxes had also jircvcidcd 
the establishment of a fort and mission among the 
Sioux. 

On the seventh of June. 172(;, peace was con- 
cluded l)y De Ligncry w itli the Sauks, Foxes, and 
Winnebagoes at Green Bay; and Linctot, who 
liad succeeded Saint Pierre in coiuniaiid at La 
Pointe. was ordered, by ])reseuts and the promise 
of a missionary, to endeavor to detach the Dah- 
kotahs from their alliance with the Foxes. At 
this time Linctot made arrangements for peace 
between the Ojibways and Dahkotas, and sent 
two Frenchmen to dwell in the villages of the 
latter, with a promise tliat. if they ceased to fight 
the Ojibways, they should have regular trade, 
and a "black robe" reside in their country. 

Traders and missionaries now began to prepare 
for visiting the Sioux, and in the sjiring of 1727 
the (iovernor of Cana<la wrote that the fathers, 
appointed forthe Sioux mission, desired a case of 
mathematical instruments, a universal astro- 
nomic dial, a spirit level, chain and stakes, and a 
telescope of .six or seven feet tube. 

On the sixteenth of June, 1727, the expedition 
for the Sioux country left jMontreal in charge of 
the Sieur de la Perriere who \\'as son of the dis- 
tinguished and respected Canadian, Pierre Bou- 
cher, the Governor of Three Rivers. 

La I'erriere had served in Xe\\-fomKlland and 
been associated \\ith Ilertel de Kouville in raids 
into Xew England, and gained an unenviable no- 
toriety as the leader of the savages, while Kou- 
ville led the French in attacks upon towns like 
Haverhill. Massachusetts, where the Indians ex- 
ultingly killed the Puritan pastor, scalped liis 
loving wife, and dashed out his infant's brains 
against a rock. He was accompanied by his 
brother and other relatives. Two Jesuit fathers, 
De (ionor and Pierre Michel Guignas, were also 
of the party. 

In Shea's " Early French Voyages" there was 
printed, for the first time, a letter from Father 
Guignas, from the Brevoort manuscripts, written 
on May 29, 1728, at Fort Beauharnois, on Lake 
Pepin, which contains facts of much interest. 

He writes: " The Scioux convoy left the end 
of :Montreal' Island on the 16th of the month of 
June last year, at 11 a. ii., and reached Michili- 



52 



EXPLOREBS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



mackinac the 22d of the month of July. This 
post is two luuulred and fifty-one leagues from 
Montreal, almost due west, at 45 degrees 46 min- 
utes north latitude. 

" ^Ye spent the rest of the mouth at this post, 
in the hope of receiving from day to day some 
new.s from Montreal, and in the design of 
strengthening ourselves against the alleged ex- 
treme difficulties of getting a free passage through 
the Foxes. . At last, seeing nothing, we set out 
on our march, the first of the month of August, 
and. after seventy-three leagues quite pleasant 
sail along the northerly side of Lake Michigan, 
running to the sotitheast, we reached the Bay 
[Green] on the Sth of the same month, at 5:30 r. 
M. This post is at 44 degrees 43 minutes north 
latitude. 

" We stopped there two days, and on the llth 
in the morning, we embarked, in a very great 
impatience to reach the Foxes. On the third day 
after our departure from the bay, quite late in 
the afternoon, in fact somewhat in the night, the 
chiefs of the Puans [AVinuebagoes] came out tln'ee 
leagues from their village to meet the French, 
with their peace calumets and some bear meat as 
a refreshment, and the next day we were received 
by that small nation, amid several discharges of 
a few guns, and with great demonstrations. 

" They asked us with so good a grace to do 
them the honor to stay some time with them that 
we granted them the rest of the day from noon, 
and the following day. There may be in all the 
village, sixty to eighty men, l)ut all the men and 
women of very tall stature, and well made. They 
are on the bank of a very pretty little lake, in a 
most agreeable spot for its situation and the 
goodness of the soil, nineteen leagues from the 
bay and eight leagues from the Foxes. 

" Early the next morning, the 15th of the month 
of August, the convoy preferred to continue its 
route, with quite pleasant weather, but a storm 
coming on in the afternoon, we arrived quite wet. 
still in the rain,atthecabinsof the Foxes, a nation 
so much dreaded, and really so little to be dreaded. 
From all that we could see, it is composed of 
two hundred men at most, but there is a perfect 
hive of children, especially boys from ten to 
fourteen years old, well formed. 

'• They are cabined on a little eminence on the 
bank of a small river that bears their name, ex- 



tremely tortuous or winding, so that you are con- 
stantly boxuig the compass. Yet it is apparently 
quite wide, with a chain of hills on both sides, 
but there is only one miserable little channel 
amid this extent of apparent bed, which is a kind 
of marsh full of rushes arid wild rice of almost 
impenetrable thicluiess. They have nothing but 
mere bark cabins, without any kind of palisade or 
other fortification. As soon as the French ca- 
noes touched their shore they ran doftii with- 
their peace calumets, lighted in spite of the rain, 
and all smoked. 

"We stayed among them the rest of this day, 
and all the next, to know what were their designs 
and ideas as to the French post among the Sioux. 
The Sieur Keaume, interpreter of Indian lan- 
guages at the Bay, acted efficiently there, and 
with devotion to the King's service. Even if my 
testimony. Sir, should be deemed not impartial, I 
must have the honor to tell you that Rev. Father 
Cliardon, an old missionary, was of very great as- 
sistance there, and the presence of three mission- 
aries reassured these cut-throats and assassins of 
the French more than all the speeches of the best 
orators could have done. 

" A general council was convened in one of the 
cabins, they were addressed in decided friendly 
terms, and they replied in the same way. A 
small present was made to them. On their side 
they gave some quite handsome dishes, lined with 
dry meat. 

On the followmg Smiday, 17th of the month 
of August, very early in the morning. Father 
Cliardon set out, with Sieur Reaume, to return 
to the Bay, and the Sioux expedition, greatly re- 
joiced to have so easily got over this difficulty, 
which had everywhere been represented as so in- 
surmountable, got under way to endeavor to 
reach its journey's end. 

" ^"ever was navigation more tedious than 
what we subsequently made from uncertainty as 
to our course. No one knew it, and we got 
astray every moment on water and on land for 
want of a guide and pilots. AV^e kept on, as it 
were feeling our way for eight days, for it was 
only on the ninth, abcnit three o'clock p. m., that 
we arrived, by accident, believing ourselves still 
far off, at the portage of the Ouisconsm, which is 
forty-five leagues from the Foxes, counting all 
the twists and turns of this abominable river. 



SITUATIOX AXn DESCEIPTIOX OF FOUT BEAVnARXOm. 



53 



This portage is lialf a league in leiigtli, and lialf 
of tliat is a kind of marsli full of mud, 

'• The Ouisconsin is quite a liandsome river, 
but far below what we liad been told. aii|)arently, 
as those who gave the description of it in Canada 
saw it only in the high waters of spring. It is a 
shallow river on a bed of iiuieksand, which forms 
bars almost everywhere, and these often ehange 
place. Its shores are either steep, bare mountains 
or low points with sandy base. Its course is from 
northeast to southwest. From the portage to its 
mouth in the Jlississijipi, I estimated thirty-eight 
leagues. The portage is at 43 deg. -\ min. north 
latitude. 

" The Mississippi from the mouth of tlie Ouis- 
consin ascending, goes northwest. Tliis beauti- 
fvd river extends between two chains of high, 
bare and vei'y sterile mountains, constantly a 
league, three-quarters of a league, or where it is 
narrowest, half a league i.part. Its centre is oc- 
cupied by a chain of well wooded islands, so that 
regarding fi-om the lieights above, you would 
think you saw an endless valley watered on the 
right and left by two large rivers ; sometimes, too, 
you could discern no river. These islands are 
overflowed every year, and would be adapted to 
raising rice. Fifty-eight leagues from the mouth 
of the Ouisconsin, according to my calculation, 
ascending the Mississippi, is Lake Pei>in. which 
is nothing else but the river itself, destitute of 
islands at that point, where it may be half a 
league wide. This river, in what I traversed of 
it, is shallow, and has shoals in several places, be- 
cause its bed is moving sands, like that of the 
Ouisconsui. 

"On the 17tli of September, 1727, at noon, we 
reached this lake, which had been chosen as the 
bourne of our voyage. We planted ourselves on 
the shore about the middle of the north side, on 
a low point, where tlie soil is excellent. The 
wood is very dense there, but is already thinned 
in consequence of the rigor and length of the 
whiter, which has been severe for the climate, 
for we are here on the parallel of 43 deg. 41 min. 
It is true that the difference of the winter is 
great compared to that of Quebec and Montreal, 
for all that some poor judges say. 

" From the day after oui- lauding we put .our 
axes to the wood: on the fourth day folli3wing 
the fort v,i3 entirely linished. It is a square plat 



of one hundred feet, surrounded by pickets twelve 
feet long, with two good bastions. For so small 
a space there are large buildings quite distinct and 
not huddled together, each thirty, thirty-eight 
and twenty-live feet long by sixteen feet wide. 

" All would go well there if the spot were not 
inundated, but this year [1728], on the loth of 
the month of April, we \vere obliged to camp out^ 
and the water ascended to the height of two feet 
and eight indies in the houses, and it is idle to 
say that it was the quantity of snow that fell 
this year. Tlie snow in the vicinity had melted 
long before, ami there was only a foot and a half 
from the Sth of February to the loth of JSIarch; 
you could not use snow-shoes. 

" I have great reason to think tliat this spot is 
inundated more or less every year; I have always 
thought so. but they were not obliged to believe 
me, as old people who said that they had lived iu 
this region fifteen or twenty years declared that 
it was never overflowed. "We could not enter 
our much-devastated houses until the 30th of 
April, and the disorder is even now scarcely re- 
paired. 

" Before the end of October [1 727] all the houses 
were finished and furnished, and each one found 
himself traiKpiilly lodged at home. They then 
thought only of gohig out to explore the hills and 
rivers and to see tliose herds of all kinds of deer 
of which they tell such stories in Canada. They 
must have retired, or diminished greatly, since 
the time the old voyiiyeura left the comitry; they 
are no longer in such great numbers, and are 
killed with dilUculty. 

"After beating the field, for some time, all re- 
assembled at the fort, and thought of enjoybig a 
little the fruit of their labors. ( )n the 4th of No- 
vember we did not forget it was the General's 
birthday. Mass was said for him [Beauharnois, 
Governor-General of Canada] iu the morning, 
and tliey were well disposed to celebrate the day 
in the evening, but the tardiness of tlie pyro- 
technists and the inconstancy of the weather 
caused them to postpone the celebration to the 
14th of the same month, when they set otf some 
very flue rockets and made the air ring with an 
hundred shouts of Vive le Boy! and Vive Charles 
de Beauharnois! It was on this occasion that the 
wine of the Sioux was broached; it was par ex- 



54 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



cellevce, although there are no miies here finer 
than in Canada. 

•' What contributed much to the amusement, 
was the terror of some cabins of Indians, wlio 
were at the time around the fort. When tliese 
poor people saw the fireworks in the air, and the 
stars fall from heaven, the women and children 
began to take flight, and the most courageous of 
the men to cry mercy, and implore us very earn- 
estly to stop the surprising play of that wonder- 
ful medicine. 

" As soon as we arrived among them, they as- 
sembled, in a few dayL<, around the French fort to 
the number of ninety-flve cabins, which might 
make in all one hundred and fifty men; for there 
are at most two men in their portable cabins of 
dressed skins, and in many there is only one. 
This is all we have seen except a band of about 
sixty men, who came on tlie 26th of the month of 
Feliruary. who were of those nations called Sioux 
of the Prairies. 

" At the end of November, the Indians set out 
for their winter q\iarters. They do not, indeed, 
go far, and we saw some of them all through the 
winter; but from the second of the month of 
April last, when some cabins repassed here to go 
in search of them, [he] sought them in vain, du- 
ring a week, for more than sixty leagues of the 
Mississippi. He [La Perriere V] arrived yesterday 
without any tidings of them. 

" Although I said above, that the Sioux were 
alarmed at the rockets, which they took for new 
phenomena, it must not be supposed from that 
they were less intelligent than other Indians we 
know. They seem to me more so ; at least they 
are much gayer and open, apparently, and far 
more dextrous thieves, great dancers, and great 
medicine men. The men are almost all large and 
well made, but the women are very ugly and dis- 
gustuig, whicli does not, however, check debauch- 
ery among them, and is perhaps an eifect of it." 

In the summer of 1728 the Jesuit I)e Gonor 
left the fort on Lake Pepin, and, by way of Mack- 
inaw, returned to Canada. The Foxes had now 
become very troublesome, and l)e Lignery and 
Beaujeu marched against their stronghold, to find 
they had retreated to the Mississippi Kiver. 

On the 12tli of October i^niclierville. his bro- 
ther ;Montbrun, a younj^ jadet of enterprising 
spirit, the Jesuit Guiguas, and other Frenchmen, 



eleven in all, left Fort Pepin to go to Canada, by 
way of the Illinois River. They were captured 
by the Mascoutens and Kickapoos, and detained 
at the river " Au Boeuf ,'" which stream was prob- 
ably the one mentioned by Le Sueur as twenty- 
two leagues above the Illinois River, althougli the 
same name was given liy Hennepin to the Chip- 
pewa River, just below Lake Pepin. They were 
held as prisoners, with the view of delivering 
them to the Foxes. The night before the deliv- 
ery tlie Sieur Montbrun and his brother and an- 
other Frenchman escaped. ^lontbnm, leaving 
his sick brother in tlie Illinois country, journeyed 
to Canada and informed the authorities. 

Boucherville and Guignas remained prisoners 
for several months, and the former did not reach 
Detroit until .Tune, 1729, The account of expen- 
ditures made during his captivity is interesting as 
showing the value of merchandize at that time. 
It reads as follows: 

" Memorandum of the goods that Monsieur de 
Boucherville was obliged to furnisli in the ser- 
vice of the King, from the time of his detention 
among the Kickapoos, on the 12th of October, 
1728. until his return to Detroit, in the year 1729, 
in the month of June. On arriving at the Kick- 
apoo village, he made a present to the young men 
to secure their opposition to some evil minded 
old warriors — 
Two barrels of powder, each fifty pounds 

at Montreal price, valued at the sum of l.jO liv. 
One hundred pounds of lead and Ijalls 

making the sum of 50 liv. 

Four pounds of vennillion. at 12 francs 

the pound -IS fr. 

Four coats, braided, at twenty francs... 80 fr. 
Six dozen knives at four francs the dozen 21 fr. 
Four hundred flints, one hundred gun- 
worms, two hundred rann-nds and one 
hundred and fifty files, the total iit the 

maker's prices 90 liv. 

After the Kickapoos refused to deliver them to 
the Renards [Foxes] they wished some favors, and 
I was obliged to give them the following which 
would allow them to weep over and cover their 
dead: 
i Two braided coats ((ji 20 fr. each... >. . 40fr. 

Two woolen blankets @ 15 fr 30 

One hundred pounds of powder @ 30 sons 75 
One hundred pounds of lead @ 10 sous. . 25 



hOUVHERVILL£rS PBEtiENTS WHILE IN CAI'TIVITY. 



65 



Two pounds of Vermillion @ 12 fr 24fr. 

Moreover, jjiven to the Keimrds to cover 
their dead and i)reiiare them for peace, 

fifty pounds of powder, making 7o 

One hundred pounds of lead (A 10 sous. 50 

Two pounds of Vermillion (a) 12 fr 24 

During the winter a considerable party was 
sent to strike hands with the Illinois. (Jiven at 
that time : 

Two blue blankets @ 15 fr .SO 

Four men's shirts @ 6 f r 24 

Four pairs of long-necked bottles @ 6 f r 24 

Four dozen of knives (« 4 f r 16 

Gun-worms, files, ramrods, and Hints, es- 
timated 40 

Given to engage the Kickapoos to establish 
themselves upon a neighboring isle, to protect 
from the treachery of the Eenards — 

Fonr blankets, @ lof fiOf 

Two pairs of bottles, 6f 24 

Two poTuids of Vermillion, 12f 24 

Four dozen butcher knives, Of 24 

Two woolen blankets, @ 15f 30 

Four pairs of bottles, @ 6f 24 

Four shirts, @ 6f 24 

Four dozen of knives, (o 4f 16 

The Eenards having betrayed and killed their 
brothers, the Kickapoos, I seized the favorable 
opportimity, and to encourage the latter to avenge 
themselves, I gave — 
Twenty-five poundsof powder, («: 80sous oTf.lOs. 

Twenty-five pounds of lead, (aj 10s I2f.lOs. 

Two guns at 30 livres each 60f 

One half poiuid of vermillion 6f 

Flints, guns, worms and knives 20f 

The Illinois coming to the Kikapoos vil- 
lage. I supported them at my ex])ense, 
and gave them jiowder. bails and shirts 

valued at oOf 

In departing from the Kikapoos village. I 
gave them the rest of the goods for 
their good treatment, estimated at ... . SOf 
In a letter, written by a priest, at Xew Orleans, 
on July 12. 1730. is tlie following exaggerated ac- 
count of the capture of Father Guignas: " We 
always felt a distrust of the Fox Indians, although 
they did not longer dare to midertake anything, 
since Father Guignas has detached from their al- 
liance the tribes of the Kika|>ous and IMaskoutins. 
You know, my Reverend Father, that, being in 



Canada, he had the courage to penetrate even to 
the Sioux near the sources of the IMississippi, at 
the distance of eight hundred leagues from Xew 
t)rleans and livi^ hundred from Quebec. Obliged 
to abandon this important mission by the unfor- 
tunate result of the enterprise against the Foxes, 
he descended the river to repair to the Illiiuiis. 
On the loth of October in the year 172.S he was 
arrested when half way by the Kickapous and 
.Maskoutins. For four months he was a captive 
among the Indians, where he had much to suffer 
and everything to fear. The time at last came 
when he was to be burned alive, when he was 
adopted Ijy an old man whose family saved his 
life and procured his liljerty. 

" Our missionaries who are among the Illinois 
were no sooner acquainted with the situation 
than tliey procured him all the alleviation they 
were able. Everything which he received he em- 
ployed to conciliate the Indians, and succeeded 
to the extent of engaging them to conduct him to 
the Illinois to make peace with the French and 
Indians of this region. Seven or eight months 
after this peace was concluded, the Maskoutins 
and Kikapous returned again to the Illinois coun- 
try, and took back Father Guignas to spend the 
winter, from wlience, in all probability, he will 
return to Canada." 

In dispatches sent to France, in October, 1729, 
by the Canadian government, the following refer- 
ence is made to Fort Beauharnois : " They agree 
that the fort built among the Scioux, on the bor- 
der of Lake Pepin, appears to be badly situated 
on account of the freshets, but the Indians assure 
that the waters rose higher in 1728 than it ever 
(lid before. When Sieur de Laperriere located it 
at that place it was on the assurance of the In- 
dians that the waters did not rise so high." In 
reference to the absence of Indians, is the fol- 
lowing : 

'■ It is very true that these Indians did leave 
shortly after on a hunting excursion, as they are 
in the habit of doing, for their own support and 
that of their families, who have only that means 
of liveUhood, as they do not cultivate the soil at 
all. M. de iieaidiarnois has just lieen informed 
that their al)sence was occasioned only by having 
fallen in wliile hunting with a number of prairie 
Si-ioux, by whom they were invited to occompany 
them on a war expedition against the ^Iahas> 



66 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



whicli invitation they accepted, and returned 
only in the month of July following. 

" The interests of religion, of the service, and 
of the colony, are involved in the maintenance of 
this establishment, whicli has been the more nec- 
essary as there is no doubt but the Foxes, when 
routed, would have found an asylum among the 
Scioux had not the French been settled there, 
and the docility and submission manifested by 
the Foxes can not be attributed to any cause ex- 
cept the attention entertained by the Scioux for 
the French, and the offers which the former 
made the latter, of which the Foxes were fully 
cognisant. 

" It is necessary to retain the Scioux in these 
favorable dispositions, in order to keep the Foxes 
in check and coxmteract the measures they might 
adopt to gain over the Scioux, who will invaria- 
bly reject their propositions so long as the French 
remain in the coimtry, and their trading post 
shall continue there. But, despite all these ad- 
vantages and the importance of preserving that 
establishment, M. de Beanharnois cannot take 
any steps until he has news of the French who 
asked his permission this summer to go up there 
with a canoe load of goods, and until assured that 
those who wintered there have not dismantled 
the fort, and that the Scioux continue in the same 
sentiments. Besides, it does not seem very easy, 
in the present conjuncture, to maintain that post 
unless there is a solid peace with the Foxes; on 
the other hand, tlie greatest portion of the tra- 
ders, who applied in 1727 for the establishment 
of that post, have withdrawn, and will not send 
thither any more, as the rupture with the Foxes, 
through whose country it is necessary to pass in 
order to reach the Scioux in canoe, has led them 
to abandon the idea. But the one and the oilier 
case might be remedied. The Foxes will, in all 
probabiUty, come or send next year to sue for 
peace; therefore, if it be granted to them on ad- 
vantageous conditions, tliere need be no aiii>re- 
hension when going to the Sioux, and another 
company could be formed, less numerous than 
the first, through whom, or some responsible mer- 
chants able to afford the outfit, a new treaty 
could be made, whereby these difBculties would 
be soon obviated. One only trouble remains, and 
that is, to send a commanding and sub-officer, 
and some soldiers, up there, whicli are absolutely 



necessary for the maintenance of good order at 
that post; the missionaries would not go there 
without a commandant. This article, which re- 
gards the service, and the expense of which must 
be on his majesty's account, obliges them to ap- 
ply for orders. They will, as far as lies in their 
power, induce the traders to meet that expense, 
which will possibly amount to 1000 livres or 
1500 livres a year for the commandant, and in 
proportion for the officer under him; but, as in 
the begimdng of an establishment the expenses 
exceed the profits, it is improbable tliat any com- 
pany of merchants will assume the outlay, and 
in this case they demand orders on this point, as 
well as his majesty's opinion as to the necessity 
of preserving so useful a post, and a nation which 
has already afforded proofs of its fidelity and at- 
tachment. 

" These orders could be sent them by the way 
of He Royale, or by the first merchantmen that 
will sail for Quebec. The time required to re- 
ceive intelligence of the occurrences in the Scioux 
country, will admit of their waiting for these 
oi'ders before doing anything." 

Sieur ds la Jemeraye, a relative of Sieur de la 
Perriere Boucher, with a few French, during the 
troubles remained in the Sioux country. After 
peace was estalilished vrtth the Foxes, Legardeur 
Saint Pierre was in command at Fort Beanhar- 
nois, and Father Guignas again attempted to es- 
tablish a Sioux mission. In a communication 
dated 12th of October, 1736, by the Canadian au- 
thorities is the following : "In regard to the 
Scioux, Saint Pierre, who commanded at that 
post, and Father Guignas, the missionary, have 
written to Sieur de Beanharnois on the tenth and 
eleventh of last April, that these Indians ap- 
peared well intentioned toward the French, and 
had no other fear than that of being abandoned 
by them. Sieur de Beanharnois annexes an ex- 
tract of these letters, and although the Scioux 
seemveryfriendly, the result only can tell whether 
this fidelity is to be absolutely depended upon, 
for the imrestrained andinconsistent spirit which 
composes the Indian character may easily change 
it. They have not come over this summer as yet, 
but M. de la St. Pierre is to get them to do so 
next year, and to have an eye on their proceed- 
ings." 

Tlic reply to this commiuiication from Louis 



BE LUSIGNAN VISITS THE SIOUX COVNTKY. 



X^'. dated ^'ersailles, Alay 10th, 1737, was in 
these words : ■' As respects the Scioiix. accordiiiii' 
to what the commandant and missicinary at that 
post have written to Sienr (U' lieaiiliarnois rela- 
tive to tlie disposition of tliese Indians, nothin,;;' 
appears to be wanting on that iioint. 

'• But their delay in coming down to Montreal 
since tlie time they have promised to do so. must 
render their sentiments somewhat suspected, and 
nothing but facts can determine whetlK-r their 
fidelity can be absolutely relied on. iiut what 
must still further increase the imeasiness to he 
entertained in tlieir regard is the attack on the 
convoy of M. de Yerandrie. espei-ially if this ofllccr 
has adopted the course he had informed the 
Marquis de Beauharnois he should take to have 
revenge therefor." 

The particulars of the attack alluded to will lie 
found in the next chapter. Soon after this the 
Foxes again became troublesome, and the post on 
Lake Pepin was for a time abandoned by the 
French. A dispatch in 1741 uses this language : 
" The Marquis de Beauharnois' opinion respect- 
ing the war against the Foxes, has been the more 
readily approved by the Baron de Longeuil, 
Messieurs De la Chassaigne, La Corne, de Lig- 
nery, LaXoue. and l)uplessis-Fabert. whom he 
had assembled at his house, as it apjiears from 
all the lettersthat the Count has writ n for sev- 
eral years, that he has nothing so much at heart as 
the destruction of that Indian nation, which ca]i 
not be prevailed on by the presents and the good 
treatment of the French, to live in peace, not- 
withstanding all its promises. 

" Besides, it is notorious that the Foxes have a 
secret understanding with the Iroquois, to secure 
a retreat among the latter, in case they be obliged 
to abandon their villages. Tliey have one already 
seciu'ed among the Sioux of the prairies, with 
Vv-hom they are allied ; so that, should they be 



advised beforehand of the design of the French 
to wage war against tliem, it would be easy for 
thcin to rclii.' to the one or the other before their 
passage could l)e intersected or themselves at- 
tacked in their villages." 

In the summer of 17tH, a deputation of the 
Sioux came down to tiuebec. to ask that trade 
might be resumed. Three years after this, four 
Sioux chiefs came to Quebec, and asked that a 
commandant might be sent to Fort Beauharnois ; 
which was not granted. 

During the winter of 1745-6, De Lusignan vis- 
ited the Sioux country, ordered l)y the govern- 
ment to hunt up the ••(•oiueurs des bois,"" and 
withdraw them from the country. They started 
to return with him, but learning that they would 
be arrested at JMackinaw, for violation of law, 
they ran aw'ay. While at the villages of the Sioux 
of the lakes and plains, the chiefs brought to 
this officer nineteen of their young men, bound 
with cords, who had killed three Frenchmen, at 
the Illinois. Wlxile he remained with them, they 
made peace with the Ojibways of La Pointe, 
with whom they had been at war for some time. 
On his return, foiu- chiefs accompanied him to 
Montreal, to solicit pardon for their >oung Ijraves. 

Tlie lessees of the trading-post lost many of 
their peltries that vsinter in consequence of a tire. 

Keminiscences of St. Pierre's residence at Lake 
Pepin were long preserved. Carver, in 1766, "ob- 
served the ruins of a French factory, where, it 
is said. Captain St. Pierre resided, and carried on 
a great trade with the Nadouessies before the re- 
duction of Canada." 

Pike, in iso.j, wrote in his joui-nal: '■ Just be- 
low Pt. Le Sable, the French, who had driven the 
Penards [Foxes] from Wisconsin, and chased 
them up the Mississippi, built a stockade on this 
lake, as a barrier against the savages. It became 
a ntited factory for the Sioux." 



58 



EXPLOBEIiS Ay I) PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTEK IX. 

VEllENDKYE, THE EXPLORER OE NORTHERN 5IIXNESOTA, AND DISCOVERER OF THE ROCKY 

3IOUNTAINS. 



Conversation of Verendrye with Father De Conor.— Parentage and Early Life — 
Old Indian Map Preserved. — Vtrendrye's Son and Nephew Explore Pigeon 
River and Reach Rainy I.ake. — Father Messayer a Companion. — Fort St. Pierre 
Established.— Lake of the Woods Reached and Fort St. Charles Built.— De la 
Jeiueraye's Map. — Fort on the Assinaboine River.— Verendrye's Son, Fntlier 
Oiineau and .Associates Killed hy Sioux, on Massacre Isle, in Liike of the Woods 
—Fort La Reine.— Verendrye's Eldest Son, with Others, Reaches tile Missouri 
River. — Discovers the Rocky Mountains. — Returns to Lake of the Woods. — 
Exploration of Saskatchewan River.— Sieur de la Verendrye Jr. — Verendrye 
the Father, made CapUin of the Order of St. Louis.— His Death.- The Swedish 
Traveler, Kalin, Notices Verendrye.— Bougainville Descrilies Verendrye's Ex- 
plorations. — Legardeur de St. Pierre at Fort La Reine. — Fort .lonquiere Est.'ih- 
lished. — De la Corne Succeeds St, Pierre. — St. Pii^re Meets Washington at 
French Creek, in Pennsylvania.— Killed in Battle, near Lake George. 



Early in the year 1728, t'wo travelers met at 
the secluded post of Mackinaw, one was named 
De Gonor, a Jesuit Father, who with Guignas, 
had gone vith the expedition, that the September 
before had built Fort Beauharnois on the shores 
of Lake Pepin, the other was Pierre Gualtier Va- 
rennes, the Sieur de la Yerendrj'e the commander 
of the post on Lake Nepigoii of the north shore 
of Lake Superior, and a relative of the Sieur de 
la Perriere, the commander at Lake Pepin. 

Verendrye was the son of Rene Gualtier Va- 
rennes who for tAventy-two years was the chief 
magistrate at Three Piivers, whose wife was Ma- 
rie Boucher, the daughter of his predecessor 
whom he had married when she was twelve years 
of age. lie became a cadet in H)l)7, and in 1704 
accompanied an expedition to New England. 
The next year he was in Newfoundland and the 
year follo'v\dng he went to France, joined a regi- 
ment of Brittany and was in the conflict at ilal- 
plaquet when the French troops were defeated 
by the Duke of Marlborough. Waen he returned 
to Canada he was obU.ged to accept the position 
of ensign notwithstanding the gallant manner in 
which he had behaved. In time he became iden- 
tified with the Lake Superior region. Wliile at 
Lake Nepigouthe Indians assured him that there 
was a communication largely by water to the 
Pacific Ocean. One, named Ocliagachs, drew a 
rude map of the country, which is still preserved 
among the French archives. Pigeon lliver is 



marked thereon Mantohavagane, and the River 
St. Louis is marked R. fond du L. Superior, and 
the Indians appear to have passed from its head- 
waters to Rainy Lake. Upon the western ex-« 
tremity is marked the River of the West. 

De Gonor conversed much upon the route to 
the Pacific with Verendrye, and promised to use 
his influence with the Canadian authorities to 
advance the project of exploriitiou. 

Charles De Beauhfirnois, the Governor of Can- 
ada, gave Verendrye a respectful hearing, and 
carefully examined the map of the region west of 
the great lakes, which had been drawn by Ocha- 
gachs (Otchaga), the IniUan guide. Orders were 
soon given to tit out an expedition of fifty men. 
It left Montreal in 1731, under the conduct of his 
sons and nephew De la Jemeraye, he not joining 
the party till 1733, La conseq-uence of the deten- 
tions of business. 

In the autumn of 1731, the party reached Rainy 
Lake, by the Nantouagan, or Groselliers river, 
now called Pigeon. Father Messayer, who had 
been stationed on Lake Superior, at the Grosel- 
liers river, was taken as a spiritual guide. At 
the foot of Rainy Lake a post was erected and 
called Fort St. Pierre, and the next year, having 
crossed Minittie, or Lake of the Woods, they es- 
tablished Fort St. Charles on its southwestern 
l)ank. Five leagues from Lake Winnipeg they 
established a post on the Assinaboine. An un- 
published miip of these discoveries by De la Jem- 
eraye still exists at Paris. The river Winnipeg, 
called by them Maiirepas, in honor of the minis- 
ter of France in 1734, was protected by a fort of 
the same name. 

About this time their advance was stopped by 
the exhaustion of supplies, but on the 12th of 
April, 1735, an arrangement was made for a sec- 
ond equipment, and a fourth son jomed the expe- 
dition. 

In June. 173G, while twenty-one of the expedi- 



mscovEur of nib; uocky Mjlwtaia.s. 



59 



tiou were camped upon an isle in the Lake of the 
NVooils, they were siniirised hy a hand of Sioux 
hostile 1(1 the French allies, the Cristinaux. ami 
all killed. The island, upon tliis account, is 
called Massacre Island. A few da.\s after, a 
jiarty of Ave Canadian voyageurs discovered their 
ilcad bodies and scalped heads. Father Ouncau, 
tlie missionary, was found upon one knee, an ar- 
row in his head, his breast bare, his left hand 
louchmg the ground, and the right hand raised. 

Among the slaughtered was also a son of A'cr- 
endrye, wlio had a tomahawk in his back, and his 
body adorned with garters and In-acelets of porcu- 
pine. The father was at tlie foot of the Lake of 
the Woods when he received the news of his son's 
murder, and about the same time heard of the 
death of his enterprising nephew, Dufrost de la 
Jemeraye, the son of his sister ilarie Keine de 
Varennes, and brother of Madame Youville, the 
foundress of the Hospitallers at jNIontreal. 

It was under the guidance of the latter that 
the party had, in 1731, mastered the ditlicullies 
of the Xantaouagon, or Groselliers river. 

On the 3d of October, 1738, they built an ad- 
vanced post. Fort La Reine, on the river Assini- 
boels, now Assiual)oine, which tliey called 81 
Charles, and beyond was a branch called 8t. 
Pierre. These two rivers received the baptismal 
name of A'erendrye. which was Pierre, and gov- 
ernor neauharuois. which was Charles. The post 
became the centre of trade and point of departure 
for explorations, either ncn'tli or south. 

It was by ascending the Assinaboine, and by 
tbe present trail from its tributary. Mouse river, 
they reached tlie country of the Mantanes, and in 
1741, came to the upper Missouri, jiassed the Yel- 
low Stone, and at length arrived at the llocky 
Mountains. The party was led by the eldest son 
and his lirother, the chevalier. They left the 
Lake of the "Woods on the 29th of April, 1742, 
came in sight of the Kocky Mountains on the 1st 
of January, 1743, and on the 12th ascended them. 
On the route they fell in witli the beaux Iloni- 
mes, Pioya, T'etits Renards. and ^Vrc tribes, and 
stopped among the Snake tribe, but covdd go no 
farther in a southerly direction, owing to a war 
between the Arcs and Snakes. 

On the 19th of May, 1744, tliey had relumed to 
the upper Missouri, and. in the country of the 
Petite Cerise tribe, they planted on an enunence 



a leaden plate of the arms of France, and raised 
a monument of stones, which they called ]5eau- 
harnois. They retui-ned to the Lake of the Woods 
on the 2d of .July. 

Xoilh of the Assiniboine they ])rocceded to 
Lake Dauphin, Swan's Lak<', explored the riv- 
er "Des Biches," and ascended even to the 
fork of the Saskatchewan, which Ihey called Pos- 
koiac. Two forts were subsei|uenlly established, 
one near Lake Danplnn and the other on the 
liver " des Biches," called F(}rt Bourbon. The 
northern route, by the Saskatchewan, was thought 
to have some advantage over the ]\Iissouri, be- 
cause there was no danger of meeting with the 
Spaniards. 

Governor Beauharnois having been prejudiced 
against Verendrye by envioiis persons, De Noy- 
elles was appointed to take command of the 
posts. During these difflculties, we find Sieur de 
la Verendrye, Jr., engaged in other duties. In 
August, 1747, he arrives from Mackinaw at Mon- 
treal, and in the autumn of that year he accom- 
panies St. Pierre to Mackhiaw, and brings back 
the convoy to ilontreal. In February, 1748, with 
live Canadians, five Cristenaux, two Ottawas, and 
one Sauteur, he attacked the Mohawks near 
Sclienectady. and returned to Montreal with two 
scalps, one that of a chief. On June 20tli. 1748, 
it is recorded that Chev;ilier de la A'erendrye de- 
parted from Montreal for tlie head of Lake Supe- 
rior. iSIargry states that he perislied at sea in 
Xovember, 1764, by the wrec'k of the " Auguste." 

Fortunately, Galissioniere the successor of 
Beiluharnois, although deformed and insignifl- 
cant in appearance, was fair minded, a lover of 
science, especially liotany, and anxious to push 
discoveries toward the I'acific. Verendrye the 
father was restored to fa^'(lr, and made Captain 
of the Order of St. Louis, and ordered to resume 
explorations, but he died on Decemlier (ith, 1749, 
while planning a tour up the Saskatchewan. 

The Swedish Professor, Kalni. met him in Can- 
ada, not long before his decease, anil had inter- 
esting conversations with him about tlie furrows 
on the plains of the Missouri, which he errone- 
ously conjectured indicated tlie former abode of 
an agricultural peo]ile. These ruts are familiar 
to moih'rn travelers, and may be only buffalo 
trails. 

I'atlicr ('(xpiard, wno had been associated with 



60 



EXPLOBERS AXD PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



Veremlrye. says that they first met the ilantanes, 
and next the Brochets. After these -were the 
Gros Ventres, the Crows, the Flat Heads, the 
Black Feet, and Dog Feet, who were established 
on the Missouri, even np to the falls, and that 
about thirty leagues beyond they found a narrow 
pass in the mountains. 

Bougainville gives a more full account: he says; 
'He who most advanced this discovery was 
the Sieiu- de la Veranderie. He went from Fort 
la Reine to the JVlissouri. He met on the banks 
of this river the JNlandans, or "White Beards, who 
had seven villages with pine stockades, strength- 
ened by a ditch. Next to these were the Kinon- 
gewiniris. or the Brochets, in three villages, and 
toward the upper part of the river were three 
villages of the Mahantas. All along the mouth 
of the Wabeik, or Shell River, were situated 
twenty-three villages of the Panis. To the south- 
west of this river, on the banks of the Ouanarade- 
ba, or La Graisse, are the Hectanes or Snake 
tribe. They extend to the base of 'a chain of 
mountains which runs north northeast. South 
of tills is the river Karoskiou, or Cerise Pelee. 
which is supposed to flow to California. 

" He found in the immense region watered by 
the jNIissouri, and in tlie vicinity of forty leagues, 
the Mahantas, the Owiliniock, or Beaux Hom- 
mes, four villages; opposite the Brochets the P^lack 
Feet, three villages of a hundred lodges each; op_ 
posite the Mandansare the Ospekakaerenousques. 
or Hat Heals, foui- villages: opposite the Panis 
are the Arcs of Cristinaux, and Utasibaontchatas 
of Assiniboel, three villages; following these the 
Makesch, or Little Foxes, two villages; the Pi- 
wassa, or great talkers, three villages; the Ka- 
kokoschena, or (iens de la Pie, five villages: the 
Kiskipisounoium,, or the Garter tiibe, seven vil- 
lages." 

Galassoiiiere was succeeded l)y Jonquiere in 
the governorshii> of Canada, who proved to lie a 
grasjiing, peevish, and very miserly person. For 
the sons of Verendrye he had no sympathy, and 
forming a clique to prolit by their father's toils, 



he determined to send two expeditions to'vard 
the Pacific Ocean, one by the Missouri and the 
other by the Saskatchewan. 

Father Coquard, one of the companions of Ve- 
rendrye, was consulted as to the probability of 
finding a pass in the Rocky Mountains, through 
i,\hich they might, in canoes, reach the great 
lake of salt water, perhaps Puget's Somid. 

The enterprise was at length confided to two 
experienced oflicers, Laraarque de JSIarin and 
Jacques Legardeur de Saint Pierre. The former 
was assigned the way, by the Missouri, and to 
the latter was given the more northern route; 
but Saint Pierre in some way excited the hostil- 
ity of the Cristinaux, who attempted to kill him, 
and burned Fort la Reine. His lieutenant, Bou- 
cher de Niverville, who had been sent to establish 
a post toward the source of the Saskatchewan, 
failed on account of sickness. Some of his men, 
however, pushed on to the Rocky Mountains, 
and in 1753 established Fort Jonquiere. Henry 
says St. Pierre established Fort Bourbon. 

In 17-53, Saint Pierre was succeeded in the 
command of the posts of the "West, by de la 
Corne, and sent to French Creek, in Pennsylva- 
nia. He had been but a few days there when he 
received a visit from "Washington, just entering 
upon manhood, bearing a letter from Governor 
Dinwiddle of Virginia, complaining of the en 
croachments of the French. 

Soon the clash of arms between France and 
England began, and Saint Pierre, at the head of 
the Indian allies, fell near Lake George, in Sep- 
tember, 1755, in a battle with the English. After 
the seven years' war was concluded, by the treaty 
of Paris, the French relinquished all their posts 
in the Northwest, and the work begun by Veren- 
drye, was, in 1805, completed by Lewis and 
Clarke ; and the Northern Pacific Railway is fast 
approaching the passes of the Rocky Mountains, 
through the valley of the Yellow Stone, and from 
thence to the great land-locked bay of the ocean, 
Puget's Sound. 



EFFECT OF THE EX(ILI,S1I AM) Fh'EXCIl WAU. 



61 



CTTATTri; X. 



EFFECT OF TIIK ENGLISU AND FUENCn WAR. 



English Influence Increasinfr.— Lp Due Robbed at Uko Superior.— St. Pierre ;il 
Mackaiaw.— Kscape of Indian Prisoners.— U Ronde and Verendrye.— Influenee 
of Sieur Marin.— St. Pierre Recalled from Winnipeg Region.— Interview witli 
Washington.— Langlade Urges Attack Upon Troops of Braddock.— Saint Pierre 
Killed in Battle.— Marin's Boldne.-^s.- Rogers, a Partis.an Ranger. Commands at 
Mackinaw.— At Ticonderoga,— French Deliver up the Posts in Canada. -('apt. 
Balfour Takes Possession of Mackinaw and Green Bay.— Lieut. Gorrcll in.Coin, 
raand at Green Biiy.- Sionx Visit Green Bay.— Penncnsha a French Trader 
Among the Sious. — Treaty of Paris. 



Euglish mfluence produced increasing dissatis- 
faction among tlie Indians that were beyond 
]Mackina\v. Not only were tlie viiyageurs rolilied 
and maltreated at Sault St. Marie and other points 
on Lake .Superior, but even the commandant at 
Mackiuciw was exposed to insolence, and there 
was no security anywhere. 

On the twenty-third of August. 1747, Philip Le 
Due arrived at Mackinaw from Lake Superior, 
stating that he bad been robbed of his goods at 
Kamanistigoya, and that the Ojibways of the 
lake were favorably disposed toward the English. 
The Dahkotahs were also becoming unruly in the 
absence of French officers. 

In a few weeks after Le Due's robbery, St. 
Pierre left Montreal to become commandant at 
Mackinaw, and Vercheres was appointed for the 
post at Green Bay. In the language of a docu- 
ment of the day, St. Pierre was " a very good 
officer, much esteemed among all the nations of 
those parts ; none more loved and feared." On 
his arrival, the savages were so cross, that he ad- 
vised that no Frenchman should come to trade. 

By promptness and boldness, he secured the 
Indians who had murdered some Frenchmen, 
and obtained the respect of the tribes. "While 
the three murderers were being conveyed in a 
canoe down the St. Lawrence to Quebec, in charge 
of a sergeant and seven soldiers, the savages, with 
characteristic cunning, thou.gh manacled, suc- 
ceeded in killing or dro\\niing the guard. Cutting 
their irons with an axe, they sought the woods, 
and escaped to their own country. "Thus," 
vTites Galassoniere, in 1748, to Count Maurepas, 



was lost in a great measure the fruit of Sieur St. 
Pierre's good management, and of all tlii' fatigue 
I endured to get the nations who surrendered 
these rascals to listen to reason." 

.On the twenty-first of June of the next year, 
La Konde started to La Poinle, and A'erendrye 
for West Sea, or Fon du Lac, Minnesota. 

Under the influence of Sieur Marin, who was 
in command at Green Bay in 1753, peaceful re- 
lations were in a measure restored between the 
French and Indians. 

As the war between England and France deep- 
ened, the officers of tiie distant French posts 
were called in and stationed nearer tlie enemy. 
Legardeur St. Pierre, was brought from the Lake 
"Winnipeg region, and, in December, 17o3, was in 
command of a rude post near lOric. I'enusylvania. 
Langlade, of Green Bay, ^^'is(•(lllsin. arrived early 
in July, 17o5, at Fort Duquesne. With Beauyeu 
and De Lignery. who had been engaged in light- 
ing the Fox Indians, he left that fort, at nine 
o'clock of the morinng of the 9th of July, and, a 
little after noon, came near the English, who had 
halted on the south shore of the Monougahela, 
and were at dinner, with their arms stacked. By 
the rn-gent entreaty of Langlade, the western 
half-breed, Beauyeu. the oflii-er in command or- 
dered an attack, and Braddock was overwhelmed, 
and Washington was obliged to say, " We have 
lieen beaten, shamefully beaten, by a handful of 
Frenchmen." 

Under Baron Dieskau, St. Pierre commanded 
the Indians, in September. 17.55. during the cam- 
paign near Lake George, where he fell gallantly 
fighting the English, as did his commander. 
The Rev. Claude Coquard, alluding to the French 
defeat, in a letter to his brother, remarks: 

" We lost, on that occasion, a brave officer. M. 
de St. Pierre, and had his advice, as well as that 
of several other Canadian officers, been followed, 
Jonckson [Johnson] was irretrievably destroyed. 



Gli 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA: 



and we should have been spared the trouble we 

have had this year." 

Other officers who had been stationed on the 
borders of Minnesota .also distmguished them- 
selves during the French war. The ilarquis 
Montcalm, in camp at Ticonderoga, on the twen- 
ty-seventh of .July, 1757, writes to Vaudreuil, 
Governor of Canada: 

" Lieutenant Marin, of the Colonial troops, who 
has exliiliited a rare audacity, did not consider 
iiimself bound to lialt, although his detachment 
of about four hundred men was reduced to about 
two hundred, the balance having been sent back 
on account of inability to follow. He carried off 
a patrol of ten men, and swept away an ordinary 
guard of fifty lilie a wafer; went up to the en- 
emy's camp, under Fort Lydias (Edward), where 
he was exposed to a severe fire, and retreated like 
a warrior. He \Aas luiwilllng to amuse Iiimself 
maliing prisoners; he brought in only one, and 
thirty-two scalps, and must have killed many men 
of the enemy, in the midst of whose ranks it was 
neither wise nor prudent to go in search of scalps. 
Tlie Indians generally all behaved well. * * * 
The Outaouais, wlio arrived with me, anil -wlioni 
I designed to go on a scouting party towards tlie 
lake, liad conceived a project of administering a 
corrective to the English barges. * * * On 
tlie day before yesterday, your brother formed a 
detacliment to accompany tliem. I arrived at Iris 
camp on the evening of the same day. Lieuten- 
ant de Corbiere, of the Colonial troops, was re- 
turning, in consequence of a misunderstanding, 
and as I knew the zeal and intelligence of that 
ofticer, I made him set out with a new instruc- 
tion to join Messrs de Langlade and Hertel de 
Cliantly. They remained in ambush all day and 
night yestei'day; at break of day the English ap- 
peared on Lake St. Sacrament, to the number of 
twenty-two barges, under the commanl of Sieur 
Parker. The whoops of our Indians impressed 
them with such terror that they made but feeble 
resistance, and only two barges escaped." 

After De Corbiere's victory on Lake Cham- 
jilain, a large French army was collected at. Ti- 
conderoga, with which there were many Indians 
from the tribes of the Northwest, and the loways 
ajipeared for the first tiiiK^ in the e;ist. 

It is an interesting fact that the English offi- 
cers who were iii frequent engagements -with St. 



Pierre, Lusignan, Marin, Langlade, and others, 
became the pioneers of the British, a few years 
afterwards, in the occupation of the outposts of 
the lakes, and in the exploration of Alinnesota. 

Kogers, the celebrated captain of rangers, sub- 
sequently commander of Mackinaw, and Jona- 
than Carver, the first British explorer of Minne- 
sota, were both on duty near Lake Champlain, the 
latter narrowly escaping at the battle of Fort 
Gieorge. 

On Christmas eve, 1757, Rogers approached 
Fort Ticonderoga, to fire the outhouses, but was 
prevented by discharge of the cannons of the 
Fren h. 

He contented himself with killing fifteen beeves, 
on the horns of one of which he left this laconic 
and amusing note, addressed to the commander 
of the post: 

'• I am obliged to you. Sir, for the repose you 
have allowed me to take; I thank you for the fresh 
meat you have sent me, I i-fequest you to present 
my compliments to the Marquis du Montcalm." 

On the thirteenth of March, 1758, Durantaye, 
formerly at Mackinaw, had a skirmish with Rog- 
ers. Both had been trained on the frontier, and 
they met '' as Greek met Greek." The coiifiict 
was fierce, and the French victorious. The In- 
dian allies, finding a scalp of a chief underneath 
an officer's jacket, we'-e furious, and took one 
hundred and fourteen scalps in return. "Wlien 
the French retiu-ned, they supposed that Captain 
Kogers was among the killed. 

At Quebec, when Montcalm and A\^olfe feU, 
there were Ojibways present assisting the French 

The Inilians, returning from the expeditions 
against the English, were attacked with small- 
pox, and many died at Mackinaw. 

On the eighth of September, 1700, the French 
delivered up all their posts in Canada. A few 
days after the capitulation at jSIontreal, Major 
Rogers was sent with I^nglish troops, to garrison 
the posts of the distant Northwest. 

On the eighth of September, 1761, a year after 
the surrender. Captain Balfour, of the eightieth 
regiment of the British army, left Detroit, with 
a detachment to lake possession of the French 
forts at Mackinaw and Green Bay. Twenty-five 
soldiers were left at ^lackinaw, in command of 
Lieutenant Leslie, and the rest sailed to Grc-en 
Bay, under Lieutenant Gorrell of the Royal 



PENNENSHA WUITES A LETrER FOR THE SIOUX. 



R3 



Americans, where tlie>' arrived on the twelfth of 
October. Tlie fort liad been abaiuhmed for sev- 
eral years, and was in a dilapidated condition. 
In charge of it there was left a lieutenant, a cor- 
poral, and fifteen soldiers. Two English traders 
arrived at the same time, McKay from Albany, 
and Goddard from ^lontreal. 

(lorrell in his journal alludes to the Mimiesota 
Sioux. He writes— 

" On Itlarch 1, 1703, twelve warriors of the Sous 
came here. It is certainly the greatest nation of 
Indians ever yet found. IN'ot above two thousand 
of them were ever armed witli tirearms ; the rest 
depending entirely on bows and arrows, which 
they use with more skill than any other Indian 
nation in America. They can shoot the wildest 
and largest beasts in the woods at seventy or one 
hundred yards distant. They are remarkable for 
their dancing, and the other nations take the 
faslnons from them. ***** This nation 
is always at war with the Chippewas, those who 
destroyed Mishamakinak. They told me with 
warmth that if ever the Chippewas or any other 
Indians wished to obstruct the passage of the 
traders coming up. to send them word, and they 
would come and cut them olf from the face of 
the earth ; as all Indians were their slaves or dogs. 
I told them I was glad to see them, and hoped to 
have a lasting peace with them. They then gave 
me a letter wrote in French, and two belts of 
wampmn from their king, in wiiich he expressed 
great joy on hearing of there being English at 
his post. The letter was written by a French 
trader whom I had allowed to go among them 
last fall, with a promise of his behaving well ; 
which he did, better than any Canadian I ever 
knew. ***** With regard to traders, I 
would not allow M\y to go amongst them, as I 



then understood they lay out of the govcrnmenL 
of Canada. ))ut made no tloubt they would liave 
Iradi'i's fioin llic Mississippi in the spring. They 
went away extremely well pleased. June Mlh, 
17()3, the traders came down from the Sack coun- 
try, and conlirmed the news of Laudsiiig and his 
son being killed by the French. There came with 
the ti'aders some Puans, and four young men w itji 
one chief of the Avoy [loway] nation, to demand 
traders. ***** 

" On the nineteenth, a deputation of Winneba- 
goes. Sacs, Foxes and Meuomiuees ai'rived with 
a Frenchman named Pemiensha. This rennen- 
slia is the same man who wrote the letter the 
Sous brought with them in French, and at the 
same time held council with that great nation in 
favour of the English, by which he much promo- 
ted the interest of the latter, as appeared liy the 
behaviour of the Sous. He brouglit with him a 
jiipe from the Sous, desiring that as the road is 
now clear, they would by no means allow the 
Chippewas to obstruct it. or give the English any 
disturbance, or pi'event the traders from coming 
up to them. If they did so they woiUd send all 
their warriors and cut them off." 

In July, 1763, there arrived at Green Bay. 
Bruce, Fisher; and Roseboom of Albany, to en- 
gage in the Indian trade. 

By the treaty of Paris of 1703, France ceded to 
(;reat Britain all of the country east of the Mis- 
sissippi, and to Spain the whole of Louisiana, so 
that the latter power for a time held the whole 
region between the Mississippi River and the Pa- 
cilic Ocean, and that portion of the city of JSIin- 
neapolis known as the East Division was then 
governed by the British, while the West Division 
was subject to the Spanish code. 



64 



EXPLORERS AKD PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER XI. 

JONATHAN CAKVEK, TILE FIRST BKITISH TRAVELER AT FALLS OF SAINT ANTHONY. 



Carver's Etu-ly Life.— In the Battle near Lake Geovge.— Arrives at Mackinaw.— 
010 Fort at Green Bay.— Winnebago Village.— Description of Prairie du Chien. 
Earthworks on Banks of Lake Pepin.— Sioux Bands Described.— Cave and 
Burial Place ui Suburbs of St. Paul.— The Palls of Saint Anthony.— Burial 
Rites of tLe Sioux.— Speech of a Sioux Chief.— Schiller's Poem of fhe Death 
Song.— Sir John Herschel's Translation. --.Sir E. Balwer Lytton's Version.-.. 
Correspondence of Sir William Johnson.— Carver's Pr«yect for Opening a Route 
to the Pacific— Supposed Origin of the Sioux.— Carver's Claim to Lands Ex- 
amined. .-..\lleged Deed.— Testimony of Rev. Samuel Peters. ---Communication 
from Gen. Leavenworth. .--Report of U. S- Senate Committee. 

Jonathan Carver was a native of Connecticut 
His grantlfatlier, AVilliam Carver, was a native of 
"VVigan, Lancasliire, England, and a captain in 
Kin.? William's army during the campaign in 
Ireland, and for meritorious services received an 
appointment as au officer of the colony of Con- 
necticut. 

His father was a justice of the peace in the 
new world, and in 1732, the subject of this sketch 
was born. At the early age of fifteen he was 
called to mourn the death of his father. He then 
commenced the'study of medicine, but his roving 
disposition could not bear the confines of a doc- 
tor's office, and feeling, perhaps, that his genius 
would be cramped by pestle and mortar, at the 
age of eighteen he purchased an ensign's commis- 
sion in one of the regiments raised during the 
French war. He was of medium stature, and of 
strong mind and quick perceptions. 

Jn the year 1757, he was captain luider Colonel 
Williams in the battle near Lake (ieorge, where 
Saint Pierre was killed, and narrowly escaped 
with his life. 

After the peace of 1763, between France and 
P^ngland was declared. Carver conceived the pro- 
ject of exploring the Northwest. Leaving Boston 
in the month of June, 1766, he arrived at Macki- 
naw, then the most distant Urilish jiost, in the 
mouth of August. Having obtained a credit on 
some French and English traders from Major 
Rogers, tlie officer in command, he started with 
them on the third day of September. Pursuing 
the usual route to tireen Bay, they arrived there 
on the eighteenth. 



The French fort at that time was standing, 
though much decayed. It was, some years pre- 
vious to his arrival, garrisoned for a short time 
by an officer and thirty English soldiers, but they 
having lieen captured by the Menominees, it was 
abandoned. 

In company with the traders, he left Green 
Bay on the twentieth, and ascending Fox river, 
arrived on the twenty-fifth at an island at the 
east end of Lake Winnebago, containing about 
fifty acres. 

Here he foimd a Winnebago village of fifty 
houses. He asserts that a woman was in author- 
ity. In the month of October tlie party was at 
tlie portage of the Wisconsin, and descending 
that stream, they arrived, on the ninth at a town 
of the Sauks. While here he visited some lead 
mines about fifteen miles distant. An abundance 
of lead was also seen in the village, that had been 
brought from the mines. 

On the tenth they arrived at the first village of 
the " Ottigaumies" [Foxes] about five miles be- 
fore the Wisconsin joins the Mississippi, he per- 
ceived the remnants of another village, and 
learned that it had been deserted about thirty 
years before, and that the inhabitants soon after 
their removal, built a town on the Mississippi, 
near the mouth of the " Ouisconsin," at a jilace 
called by the French La Prairie les Chiens, which 
signified the Dog Plains. It was a large town, 
and contained about three hundred families. 
The houses were built after the Indian manner, 
and pleasantly situated on a dry rich soil. 

He saw here many houses of a good size and 
shape. Tl'is town was the great mart ^^■here all 
the adjacent tribes, and where those who inhabit 
the most remote Inanches of the Mississippi, an- 
nually assemble al)out the latter end of May, 
bringing with them their furs to dispose of to the 
traders. But it is not always that they conclude 
Iheir sale here. Tliis was determined by a gen 



SUPPOSED FORTIFICATIONS XEAIi LAKE I'KI'IS. 



65 



era! council of the chiefs, who consulted whether 
it would be more conducive to their interest to 
sell their goods at this place, or to carry them 
on to Louisiana or ^lackinaw. 

At a small stream called Yellow River, oppo- 
site Prairie du Chieu, the traders who had tlnis 
far accompanied Carver tooli up tlieir residence 
for the winter. 

From this point he pn)ceeded in a canoe, willi 
a Canadian voyageur and a Mohawk Indian as 
companions. Just before reaching Lake Pepin, 
vvliile his attendants were one day preparing din- 
ner, he walked out and was struck with the pecu- 
liar appearance of the surface of the country, and 
thought it was the site of some vast artilieial 
earth-work. It is a fact worthy of remembrance, 
that he was the first to call the attention of the 
civilized world to the existence of ancient monu- 
ments in the Mississippi valley. We give his own 
description : 

" On the first of Ifovemlier I reached Lake 
Pepin, a few' miles below which I landed, and, 
whilst the servants were preparing my dinner, I 
ascended the bank to view the country. I liad 
not proceeded far before I came to a fine, level, 
open plain, on wlncli I perceived, at a little dis- 
tance, a partial elevation that had the appearance 
of entrenchment. On a nearer inspection I had 
greater reason to suppose tliat it had really been 
intended for this many centuries ago. Notwith- 
standing it was now covered with grass, I could 
plainly see that it had once been a breastwork of 
about four feet in height, extending the best part 
of a mile, and sufliciently capacious to cover five 
thousand men. Its form was somewhat circular 
and its flaidis reached to the river. 

" Tliough much defaced by time, every angle 
was distinguishable, and appeared as regular and 
fashioned with as mucli military skill as if planned 
by Vauban himself. The ditch was not visible, 
but I thought, on examining more curiously, that 
I coidd perceive there certainly had been one. 
From its situation, also, t am convinced that it 
must have been designed for that purpose. It 
fronted the country, and the rear was covered by 
the river, nor was there any rising ground for a 
considerable way that commanded it; a few 
straggling lakes were alone to be seen near it. 
In many places small ti-acks were worn across it 
by the feet of the elks or deer, and from the depth 



of the bed of earth by which it was covered, I was 
able to draw certain conclusions of its great anti- 
(piity. I examined all the angU's, and every paxt 
with great attention, and have often blamed my- 
self since, for not encamping on the spot, and 
drawing an exact plan of it. To show that this 
description is not the offsin-ing of a lieated imag- 
ination, or the chimeri('al tale of a mistaken trav- 
eler, I find, on inquiry since my return, that 
Mons. St. Pierre, and several traders have at dif- 
ferent times, taken notice of similar appearances, 
upon which tliey have formed tlie same conjec- 
tures, but without examining them so minutely 
as I did. How a work of this kind could exist in 
a country that has liitherto (according to the gen- 
erally received opinion) been the seat of war to 
untutored Indians alone, whose whole stock of 
military knowledge has only, till within two cen- 
turies, amounted to drawing the bow, and whose 
only breastwork even at present is the thicket, I 
know not. I liave given as exact an account as 
possible of this singular appearance, and leave to 
future explorers (jf tliose distant regions, to dis- 
cover whether it is a production of nature or art. 
Perhaps the hints I have here given might lead 
to a more perfect investigation of it, and give us 
very different ideas of the ancient state of realms 
that we at present believe to have been, from the 
earliest period, only the habitations of savages." 

Lake Pepin excited his admiration, as it has 
that of every traveler since his day, and here he 
remarks: " I observed the ruins of a French fac- 
tory, where it is said Captain St. Pierre resided, 
and carried on a very great trade with tlie Xau- 
dowessies, before the reduction of Canada." 

Carver's first acquaintance with the Dahkotahs 
commenced near the river St. Croix. It would 
seem that the erection of trading posts on Lake 
Pepin had enticed them from their old residence 
on Rum river and Mille Lacs. 

He says: "Near the river St. Croix reside 
bands of the Naudovvessie Indians, called the 
River Bands. Tliis nation is composed at pres- 
ent of' eleven bands. They were origmally 
twelve, but tlie Assinipods, some years ago, re- 
volting and separating themselves from the oth- 
ers, there remain at this time eleven. Those I 
met here are termed the River Bands, because 
they chiefly dwell near the banks of tins river, 
the other eight are generally distinguislied by the 



66 



EXPLORHES AND PIONEERS OF M1NNE801A. 



title of Nadowessies of the Plains, and inhabit a 
country more to the westward. The names of 
the former are Nehogatawonahs, the Mawtaw- 
bauntowahs, and Shashweentowahs. 

Arriving at what is now a suburb of the cap- 
ital of Miimesota, he continues: "AV)out thir- 
teen miles below the Falls of St. Anthony, at 
which I arrived the tenth day after I left Lake 
Pepin, is a remarkable cave, of an amazing deptli. 
The Indians term it Wakon-teebe [Wakan-tipi]. 
The entrance into it is about ten feet wide, the 
height of it live feet. The arch within is fifteen 
feet high and about thirty feet broad; the bottom 
consists of fine, clear sand. About thirty feet 
from the entrance begins a lake, the water of 
which is transparent, and extends to an unsearch- 
able distance, for the darkness of the cave pre- 
ents all attempts to acquire a knowledge of it.] 
I threw a small pebble towards the nterior part 
of it witli my utmost strength. I could hear that 
it fell mto the water, and, notwithstanding it was 
of a small size, it caused an astonishing and ter- 
rible noise, that reverlierated througli all those 
gloomy regions. I found in this cave many In- 
dian hieroglyphics, which appeared very ancient, 
for time had nearly covered them witli moss, so 
that it was with difficulty I could trace them. 
They were cut ui a rude mamier upon the inside 
of the wall, which was composed of a stone so ex- 
tremely soft that it might be easily penetrated 
with a luufe; a stone everywhere to be foimd 
near the Mississippi. 

" At a little distance from this dreary cavern, 
is the burying-place of several bands of tlie Nau- 
dowessie Indians. Though these people have no 
fixed residence, being in tents, and seldom but a 
few months in one spot, yet they always bring 
the bones of the dead to this place. 

"Ten miles below the Falls of St. Anthony, 
the river St. Pierre, called by the natives Wada 
paw Menesotor, falls into the Mississippi f roni the 
west. It is not mentioned by Father Hennepin, 
though a large, fair river. This omission, I con- 
sider, must have proceeded from a small island 
[Pike's] that is situated exactly in its enti"ance." 

AVlien he reached the Minnesota river, the ice 
became so troublesome that he left his canoe in 
the neighborhood of what is now St. Anthony, 
and walked to St. Anthony, in company with a 
yomig Winnebago chief, who had never seen the 



curling waters. The chief, on reaching the emi- 
nence some distance below Cheever"s, began to 
invoke his gods, and offer oblations to the spirit 
in the waters. 

" In the middle of the Falls stands a small 
island, about forty feet broad and somewhat lon- 
ger, on which grow a few cragged hemlock and 
spruce trees, and about half way between this 
island and the eastern shore is a rock, lying al 
the very edge of the Falls, in an oblique position 
that appeared to be about five or six feet broad, 
and thirty or forty long. At a little distance be- 
low the Falls stands a small island of about an 
acre and a half, on which grow a great number of 
oak trees." 

From this description, it would appear that the 
little island, now some distance below the Falls, 
was once in the very midst, and shows that a con- 
stant recession lias been going on, and that in 
ages long past they were not far from the Minne- 
sota river. 

No description is more glowing than Carver's 
of the country adjacent: 

" The country around them is extremely beau- 
tiful. It is not an uninterrupted plam, where the 
eye finds no relief, but composed of many gentle 
ascents, wliicli in tlie summer are covered with 
tlie finest verdure, and interspersed with Uttle 
groves that give a pleasing variety to the pros- 
pect. On the whole, when the Falls are inclu- 
ded, which may be seen at a distance of four 
miles, a more pleasing and pictiu'esque view, I 
believe, cannot be formd throughout the uni- 
verse." 

" He arrived at the Falls on the seventeenth of 
jSTovember, 1766, and appears to have ascended as 
far as Elk river. 

On the twenty-fifth of November, he had re- 
turned to the place opposite the Minnesota, where 
he had left his canoe, and this stream as yet not 
being obstructed with ice, he commenced its as- 
cent, with the colors of Great Britain flying at 
the stem of his canoe. There is no doubt that 
he entered this river, but how far he explored it 
cannot be ascertained. He speaks of the Rapids 
near Shakopay, and asserts that he went as far as 
two himdred miles beyond Mendota. He re- 
marks: 

" On the seventh of December, I arrived at the 
utmost of my travels towards the West, where I 



SIOUX BVIUAL ORATION VERSIFIED BY SCHILLER. 



(SI 



met a large party of the ^s'audowessie Indians, 
among wiiom I resided some indnllis." 

After speaking of the upper liamls of the I)ah- 
kotalis and tlieir allies, lie adds tliat he, " left the 
habitations of the hospitable Indians the latter 
end of April, lT(i7,bntdid ncl jiart, from them 
for several days, as I was acconii>anied on my 
jonruey by near three hmidred of them to the 
mouth of the river St. Pierre. At this season 
these bands aimually go to the great cave (Day- 
ton's Blnff ) before mentioned. 

AVlien he arrived at the great cave, and the In- 
dians had deposited the remains of their deceased 
friends in the burial-place that stands adjacent 
to it, they held their great council to which he 
was admitted. 

'When the Xaudowessies brought their dead for 
interment to the great cave (St. Paul), I attempted 
to get an insight into the remaining burial rites, 
but whether it was on account of the stench 
which arose from so many dead bodies, or ■\\'hether 
they chose to keep this part of their custom secret 
from me, I could not discover. I found, however, 
that they considered my curiosity as ill-timed, 
and therefore I withdrew. * * 

One formality among the Xaudowessies in 
mourning for the dead is veiy different from any 
mode I observed in the other nations tlirough 
which I passed. The men, to show how great 
their sorrow is, pierce the flesh of their arms 
above the elbows with arrows, and the womt n 
cut and gash their legs with broken flints till the 
blood flows very plentifully. * * 

After the breath is departed, the body is 
dressed in the same attire it usually wore, his 
face is pamted, and he is seated in an erect pos- 
ture on a mat or skin, placed in the middle of the 
hut, with his weapons by his side. Ills relati^•es 
seated aromid, each in turn harangues the de- 
ceased; and if lie has been a great warrior, re- 
counts his heroic actions, nearly to the following 
jiurport, which in the Indian language is extreme- 
ly poetical and pleasing 

•• You still sit among us, brother, yonr person 
retains its usual resemlilance, and continues sim- 
ilar to ours, without any visible deljciency, ex- 
cept it has lost the power of action! But whither 
is that In-eath flown, which a few hours ago sent 
up smoke to the Great Spirit'? Whj- are those 
lips silent, that lately delivered to us expressions 



and pleasing language'i' Why are those feet mo- 
tiiinless, that a few hours ago were fleeter than 
the deer on yonder mountainsV "Why useless 
liang tliose arms, that could climb the tallest tree 
(ir draw tlie toughest bow'? Alas, every jiart of 
that frame which A\e lately beheld willi admira- 
tion and wonder has now become as inanimate as 
it was three hundred years ago! We will not, 
h(3wever, bemoan thee as if thou wast forever 
lost to us, or that thy name would he buried in 
oblivion; thy soul yet lives in the great country 
of spirits, with those of thy nation that have gone 
before thee; and though we are left behind to 
peiTJetuate thy fame, we will one day join thee. 

" Actuated by the respect we bore thee whilst 
livhig, we now come to tender thee the last act of 
kindness in our power; that thy body might not 
lie neglected on the plain, and liecome a prey to 
the beasts of the field or fowls of the air, and we 
will take care to lay it with those of thy predeces- 
sors that have gone before thee; hoping at the 
same time that thy spirit will feed with their 
spirits, and be ready to receive ours when we 
shall also arrive at the great country of souls." 

For this speech Carver is principally indebted 
to his imagination, but it is well conceived, and 
suggested one of Schiller's poems, which fJivthe 
considered one of his best, and wished ■■ lie had 
made a dozen such." 

Sir E. Lytton Bulwerthe distinguished novelist, 
and Sir John Ilerschel the eminent astronomer, 
have each given a translation of Scliiller's •• Song 
of the Nadowessee Chief." 

sii: E. L. bulwek's translation. 

See on his mat — as if of yore. 

All life-like sits he here I 
With that same aspect which he wore 

When light to him was dear 

But where the right hand's strength '? and where 

The breath that loved to breathe 
To the Great Spirit, aloft in air. 

The peace pipe's lusty wreath ? 

And where the hawk-like eye, alas ! 

That wont the deer pursue. 
Along the waves of rippling grass, 

Or fields that shone with dew 'i* 



68 



HXPLORERS AND nOWEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



Are these the limber, bounding feet 
Tliat swept the ■winter's suows ? 

What stateliest stag so fast and fleet ? 
Their speed outstripped the roe's ! 

These arms, that then the steady bow 

Could supple from it's pride, 
How stark and helpless hang they now 

Adown the stiffened side ! 

Yet weal to liini — at peace he stays 

Wherever fall the snows ; 
AVliere o'er the meadows springs the maize 

That mortal never sows. 

AVLere birds are blithe on every brake — 
Where orests teem with deer— 

Where glide the fish through every lake — 
One chase from year to year ! 

With spirits now lie feasts above ; 

All left us to revere 
The deeds we honor witli our lo^e, 

The dust we biuy here. 

Here bring the last gift ; loud and shrill 
Wail death dirge for tlie brave ; 

What pleased him most in life, may still 
Grive pleasure in the grave. 

We 1 ly the axe beneath his head 

He swnilig when strength was strong — 

The bear on wliich his banquets fed. 
The way from earth is long. 

And here, new sharpened, place the knife 

Tliat severed from the clay. 
From which the axe had spoiled tlie life. 

The conquered scalp away. 

The paints that deck the dead, bestow ; 

Yes, place them in his hand, 
That red the kingly shade may glow 

Amid the spirit laud. 

SIK JOHN HEKSCnEL'S TUAXSLATION. 

See, where upon the mat he sits 

Erect, before Ids door, 
With just the same majestic air 

That ouce in life he wore. 



But where is lied his strength of limb. 

The whirlwind of his breath, 
To the Great Spirit, when he sent 

The peace pipe's mounting wreatli? 

"Where are those falcon eyes, which late 

Along the plain could trace. 
Along the grass's dewy waves 

The reindeer's printed pace? 

Those legs, which once with matchless speed, 

Flew through the drifted snow. 
Surpassed the stag's unwearied course, 

Outran the mountain roeV 

Those arms, once used with might and main. 

The stubborn bow to twang? 
See, see, their nerves are slack at last. 

All motionless they hang. 

'Tis well with him, for he is gone 

Where snow no more is found, 
"Wliere the gay thorn's perpetual bloom 

Decks all the field around. 

Where wild birds sing from every spray. 

Where deer come sweeping by. 
Where fish from every lake afford 

A jilentiful supply. 

With spirits now he feasts above, 

And leaves us here alone. 
To celebrate his valiant deeds. 

And round his grave to moan. 

Sound the death song, bring forth the gifts, 

The last gifts of the dead,— 
Let all which yet may yield him joy 

Within his grave be laid. 

The hatchet place beneath his brad 

Still red with hostile blood; 
And add, because the way is long. 

The bear's fat limbs for food. 

Tlie scalping-knife beside him lay, 

A\nth paints of gorgeous dye. 
That in the land of souls his form 

May shine triumphantly. 

It appears from other sources that Carver's 
visit to the Dahkotahs was of some effect in bring- 
ing about friendly intercourse between them and 
the commander of the English force at Mackinaw. 



CARVER'S PROJECT FOR A ROUTE TO THE PACIFIC. 



69 



The earliest mention of the Dahkotahs, in any 
public British documents that we know of, is in 
the correspondence between Sir William Johnson, 
Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Colony 
of New York, and General Gage, in command of 
tilt' forces. 

On the eleventh of September, less than sis 
months after Carver's speech at Dayton's Bluff, 
and the departure of a number of chiefs to the 
English fort at Mackinaw, Johnson writes to 
General Gage: "Though I wrote to you some 
days ago, yet I would not mind saying something 
again on the score of the vast expenses incurred, 
and, as I imderstand, still incurring at Michili- 
mackinac, chiefly on pretense of making a peace 
between the Sioux and Chippeweighs, with which 
I think we have very little to do, in good policy 
or otherwise." 

Sir WilUam Johnson, in a letter to Lord Hills- 
borough, one of his Majesty's ministers, dated 
August seventeenth, 1768, again refers to the 
subject : 

"Much greater part of those who go a trading 
are men of such circumstances and disposition as 
to venture their persons everywhere for extrava- 
gant gains, yet the consequences to the public 
are not to be shghted, as we may be led into a 
general quarrel through their means. The In- 
dians in the part adjacent to MichiUmackinac 
have been treated with at a very great expense 
for some time previous. 

"Major Rodgers brings a considerable charge 
against the former for mediating a peace between 
some tribes of the Sioux and some of the Chippe- 
weighs, which, had it been attended with success, 
would only have been interesting to a very few 
French, and others that had goods in that part 
of the Indian country, but the contrary has hap- 
pened, and they are now more violent, and war 
against one another." 

Though a wilderness of over one thousand 
miles intervened between the Falls of St. An- 
thony and the white settlements of the English, 
Carver was fully impressed with the idea that the 
State now organized under the name of Minne- 
sota, on account of its beauty and fertility, would 
attract settlers. 

Speaking of the advantages of the country, he 
says that the future population vriU be "able to 
convey their produce to the seaports with great 



facility, the current of the river from its source 
to its entrance into the Gulf of Mexico beuig ex- 
tremely favorable for doing this in small craft. 
'Ihis might also in time he facilitated by canal- (rr 
shorter cuts, and a communication opened by water 
with New York by way of the Lakes." 

The subject of this sketch was also confident 
that a route would be discovered by way of the 
Minnesota river, which would open a passage 
to China and the English settlements in the East 
Indies." 

Carver having returned to England, interested 
Whitworth, a member of parliament, in the 
northern route. Had not the American Revolu- 
tion commenced, they proposed to have built a 
fort at Lake Pepin, to have proceeded up the 
Minnesota until they found, as they supposed 
they could, a branch of the Missouri, and from 
thence, journeying over the summit of lands un- 
til they came to a river which they called Ore- 
gon, they expected to descend to the Pacific. 

Carver, in common with other travelers, had 
his theory in relation to the origin of the Dahko- 
tahs. He supposed that they came from Asia. 
He remarks: "But this might have been at dif- 
ferent times and from various parts— from Tar- 
tary, China, Japan, for the inhabitajits of these 
places resemble each other. * * * 

"It is very evident that some of the names and 
customs of the American Indians resemble those 
of the Tartars, and I make no doubt but that in 
some futiu-e era, and this not far distant, it vrill 
be reduced to certainty that during some of the 
wars between the Tartars and Chinese a part of 
the inhabitants of the northern provinces were 
driven from their native countiy, and took refuge 
in some of the isles before mentioned, and from 
thence found their way into America. » • * 

"Many words are used both by the Chinese and 
the Indians which have a resemblance to each 
other, not only in their sound, but in their signi- 
fication. The Chinese call a slave Shungo; and 
the Noudowessie Indians, whose language, from 
their little Intercourse with the Europeans, is 
least corrupted, term a dog Shungush [Shoan- 
kah.J The former denominate one species of their 
tea Shoushong; the latter call their tobacco Shou- 
sas-sau [Chanshasha.] Many other of the words 
used by the Indians contain the syllables che, 
chaw, and chu, after the dialect of the Chinese." 



70 



explobi:rs and pioneers of Minnesota. 



The comparison of languages lias become a rich 
som'ce of historical knowledge, yet many of the 
analogies traced are fanciful. The remark of 
Hiimbolt in " C osmos" is worthy of remembrance. 
"As the structure of American idioms appears 
remarkably strange to nations speaking the mod- 
ern languages of Western Europe, and who readily 
suffer themselves to be led away by some acci- 
dental analogies of sound, theologians have gen- 
erally believed that they could trace an affinity 
with the Hebrew, Spanish colonists with the 
Basque and the English, or French settlers with 
Gaelic, Erse, or the Bas Breton. I one day met 
on the coast of Peru, a Spanish naval officer and 
an Englisli whaling captain, the foritier of whom 
declared tliathe had heard Basque spoken at Ta- 
hiti; the other, Gaelic or Erse at the Saudwich 
Islands." 

Carver became very poor wliile in England, 
and was a clerk in a lottery-office. He died in 
1780, and left a widow, two sons, and five daught- 
ers, in New England, and also a cliild by another 
wife tliat he had married in (ireat Britain 

After liis death a claim was urged for the land 
upon which the capital of Minnesota now stands' 
and for many miles adjacent. As there are still 
many i)ersons who believe that they have some 
right through certain deeds purporting to be from 
the heirs of Carver, it is a matter worthy of an 
investigation. 

Carver says nothing in his Ijook of travels in re- 
lation to a grant from the Dahkotahs, but after 
he w-as buried, it was asserted that there was a 
deed belonging to him in existence, conveying 
valuable lands, and that said deed was executed 
at the cave now in the eastern suburbs of Saint 
Paul. 

DEED PURPORTINt^ TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT 
THE CAVE IN THE BLUFF BELOW' ST. PaUL. 

" To Jonathan Carver, c chief under the most 
mighty and potent George the Third, King of the 
English and other nr,tions, the fame of wiiose 
warriors has reached our ears, and has now been 
fully told us by our good brother Jonatliun. afore- 
said, whom we rejoice to have come among us, 
and bring us good news from his country. 

"We, chiefs of the Naudowessies, wiio have 
hereunto set our seals, do by these presents, for 
ourselves and heirs forever, in return for tlie aid 
and oilier good services done by the said Jona- 



than to ourselves and allies, give grant and con- 
vey to him, the said Jonathan, and to his heirs 
and assigns forever, the wiiole of a certain tract 
or territory of land, bounded as follows, ^iz: from 
the Falls of St. Anthony, running on the east 
bank of the Mississippi, nearly southeast, as far 
as Lake Pepin, where the Chippewa joins the 
^Mississippi, and from thence eastward five days 
travel, accoimting twenty English miles per day; 
and from thence again to the Falls of St. Anthony, 
on a direct straight line. We do for ourselves, 
heirs, and assigns, forever give unto the said Jo- 
nathan, his heirs and assigns, with all the trees, 
rocks, and rivers therein, reserving the sole lib- 
erty of hunting and fisliing on land not planted 
or improved by the said Jonathan, his heirs and 
assigns, to wiiich we have affixed our respective 
seals. 

" At the Great Cave, May 1st. 1767, 

"Signed, HAWXOPAWJATm. 

OTOHTGXGOOMLISHEAW. " 

The original deed was never exhibited by the 
assignees of the heirs. By his English wife Car- 
ver had one child, a daughter Jilartha, who was 
cared for by Sir Richard and Lady Pearson, In 
time she eloped and married a sailor, A mercan- 
tile firm in London, thinking that money could 
be made, induced the new ly married couple, the 
day after the wedding, to convey the grant to 
them, with the understanding that they were to 
have a tenth of the profits. 

The merchants despatched an agent by the 
name of Clarke to go to the Dahkotahs, and ob- 
tain a new deed; but on his way he was murdered 
in the state of New York, 

In the year 1794, the liehs of Carver's Ameri- 
"can wife, in consideration of fifty thousand pounds 
sterling, conveyed their interest in the Carver 
grant to Edward Houghton of Vermont. In the 
year 180(5, Sanmel Peters, who had been a tory 
and an Episcopal minister during the Revolu- 
tionary Avar, alleges, in a petition to Congress, 
tliat he had also piurchased of the heii's of Carver 
their rights to the grant. 

Before the Senate committee, tlie same year, 
he testified as follows: 

"In the year ]774,Iamved theio (London), 
and met Captain Carver. In 177"), Carver had a 
hearing before the king, praying his majesty's 
approval of a deed of laud dated ^lay first, 17(J7, 



VyiTKl) bTATEti B EJECT CAHVEirS i'l.AIM. 



71 



and sold and jjianted to liini by the Naudowissies. 
The lesulL was his majesty approved of the exer- 
tions and bravery of Captain ("arver among the 
Indian nations, near the Falls of St. Anthony, in 
the Mississippi, gave to said Carver 1371?. 13«. Sd. 
sterling, and ordered a frigate to be prepared, 
and a transport ship to carry one hundred and 
fifty men, nnder command of Captain Carver, \\'M\ 
four others as a committee, to sail the next June 
to New Orleans, and then to ascend the ilissis- 
sippi. to takepossessionof said territory conveyed 
to Captain Carver ; but the battle of Bunker Hill 
prevented." 

In 1S21, General Leavenworth, having made 
intjuiries of the Dahkotahs, in relation to the 
alleged claim, addressed the following to the 
commissioner of the land office : 

" Sir: — Agreeably to your request, I have the 
honour to inform you wliat I have understood 
from the Indians of the Sioux Nation, as well as 
some facts within my own knowledge, as to what 
is commonly termed Carver's Grant. The grant 
purports til be made by the chiefs of the Sioux 
of the Plains, and one of the chiefs uses the sign 
of a serpent, and the other of a turtle, purport- 
ing that their names are derived from those ani- 
mals. 

''The land lies on the east side of the Mississ- 
ippi. The Indians do not recognize or acknowl 
edge the grant to be valid, and they among others 
assign the following reasons: 

"1. The Sioux of the Plains never owned a 
foot of land on the east side of the Mississippi. 
The Sioux Nation is divided into two grand di- 
visions, \iz: The Sioux of the Lake; or perhaps 
more literally Sioux of the River, and Sioux of 
the Plain. The former subsists by hunting and 
fishing, and usually move from place to place by 
water, in canoes, during the summer season, and 
travel on the ice in the winter, when not on 
their hunting excursions. The latter subsist en- 
tirely by hunting, and have no canoes, nor do 
they know but little about the use of them. They 
reside in the large prairies west of theMississipiii, 
and follow the buffalo, iiiion which they entirely 
subsist; these are called Sioux of tlie Plain, and 
never owned land east of the Mississippi. 

"2. The Indians say they have no knowledge 
of any such chiefs as those who have signed the 
grant to Carver, eitlier amongst the Sioux of tlie 



River or the Sioux of the Plain. They say that 
if Captain (!arver did ever obtain a deed or 
grant, it was signed by some foolish young men 
who were not cliiefs and who were not author- 
ized to make a grant. Among the Sioux of the 
Hiver there are no such names. 

"3. They say the Indians never received any- 
lliing for the land, and they have no intention to 
part with it without a consideration. From my 
knowledge of tlie Indians. I am induced to tliink 
tliey would not make so considerable a grant, and 
liave it to go into full effect without receiving a 
substantial consi<leration. 

'• 4. They have, and ever have had, the pos- 
session of the land, and intend to keep it. I 
know that they are very particular in making 
every person who wislies to cut timber on that 
tract obtain their iiermission to do so, and to ob- 
tain payment for it. In the month of May last, 
some Frenchmen brouglitalarge raft of red cedar 
timber out of the Chippewa River, which timber 
was cut on the tract before mentioned. The In- 
dians at one of the villages on the Mississippi, 
where the principal chief resided, compelled the 
Frenchmen to land the raft, and would not per- 
mit them to pass until they had received pay for 
the timber, and the Frenchmen were compelled 
to leave their raft with the Indians imtil they 
went to Prairie du Cliien, and obtained the nec- 
essary articles, and made the payment required." 

On the twenty-third of January, 1823, the Com- 
mittee of Public Lands made a report on the 
claim to the Senate, wliich, to every disinterested 
person, is enth'ely satisfactory. After stating 
the facts of tlie petition, the report continues: 

" The Rev. Samuel Peters, in his petition, fur- 
ther states that Lefei, the present Emperor of 
the Sioux and Naudowessies, and Red AVing, a 
sachem, the heirs and successors of the two grand 
chiefs who signed the said deed to Captain Car- 
ver, have given satisfactory and positive proof 
that they allowed tlieir ancestors" deed to bo gen- 
uine, good, and valid, and that Captain Carver's 
heirs and assigns are the owners of said territory, 
and may occupy it free of all molestation. 

The committee have examined and considered 
the claims thus exhiliited by the petitioners, and 
remark that the original deed is not produced, nor 
any competent legal evidence offered of its execu- 
tion : nor is there any proof that the persons, who 



72 



EXPLOBEBS AND PI0NEEB8 OF MINNESOTA. 



it is alleged made the deed, were the chiefs of 
said tribe, nor that {if chiefs) they had authority 
to grant and give away the land belonging to their 
tribe. The paper annexed to the petition, as a 
copy of said deed, has no subscribing witnesses ; 
and it would seem impossible, at this remote pe- 
riod, to ascertain the important fact, that the per- 
sons who signed the deed comprehended and 
understood the meaning and effect of their act. 

"The want of proof as to these facts, would 
interpose in the way of the claimants insuperable 
difficulties. But, in the opinion of the committee, 
the claim is not such as the United States are 
mider any obligation to allow, even if the deed 
were proved in legal form. 

" The British govenmient, before the time when 
the alleged deed bears date, had deemed it pru- 
dent and necessary for the preservation of peace 
with the Indian tribes under their sovereignty, 
protection and dominion, to prevent British sub- 
jects from purchasing lands from the Indians, 
and this rule of policy was made known and en- 
forced by the proclamation of the kmg of Great 
Britain, of seventh October, 1763, which contains 
an express prohibition. 

" Captain Carver, aware of the law, and know- 
ing that such a contract could not vest the legal 
title in him, applied to the British government to 
ratify and conlirm the Indian grant, and, though 
it was competent for that government then to 
confirm the grant, and vest the title of said land 



in him, yet. from some cause, that government 
did not think proper to do it. 

" The territory has since become the property 
of the United States, and an Indian grant not 
good against the British government, would ap- 
pear to be not binding unon the United States 
government. 

" What benefit the British government derived 
from the services of Captain Carver, by his trav- 
els and residence among the Indians, that gov- 
ernment alone could determine, and alone could 
judge what remuneration those services deserved. 

" One fact appears from the declaration of Mr. 
Peters, in liis statement in writing, among the 
papers exhibited, namely, that the British gov- 
ernment did give Captain Carver the sum of one 
thousand three hundred and seventy-five pomids 
six shillings and eight pence sterling. To the 
United States, however. Captain Carver rendered 
no services which could be assumed as any equit- 
able ground for the support of the petitioners' 
claim. 

" The committee being of opinion that the 
United States are not bound in law and equity to 
confirm the said alleged Indian grant, recom- 
mend tlie adoption of tlie resolution: 

"' Besolved, That the prayer of the petitioners 
ought not to be granted."" ' 

Lord Palmerston stated in 1839, that no trace 
could be foinid in the records of the British 
office of state papers, showing any ratification of 
the Carver grant. 



EXl'LORATloys JlV LIEUTEyAX r z. u. rii<h\ 



73 



CIIAI'TKK XTI. 

EXPLORATION I5Y THE FIRST UNITIID STATES AKJIY OFFICKU, LrETTTENANT 7.. 31. I'lK'K. 



"TiatCB Posts at the hc^inning of Nineteenth Century.— Sandy Lake Fort.— 
I.ceot. Lake Furt, — Willinm Morrison, before Schoolcraft at Itasca Lake.— Divi- 
sion or Northwest Territory.- Organization of Indiiina, Michigan and Upper 
Louisiana.— Notices of Wo-'d, Frazer, Fisher, Cameron, Faribault.— Early 
Tradem.— Pike's Council at Mouth of Minnesota River.— Grant for Militarj- 
Posts. — tMcauipment at Falls of St. Anthony.— Block House near Sw.an River. 
—Visit to Sandy and Leech Lakes.— British Flag Shot at and Lowered.— 
Thonip»on, Topographer ol Northwest Company, — Pike at Dickson's Trading 
Post —Returns to Mendota. — Fails to find Carver's Cave.— Conference with 
Little Crow. —Cameron sells Liijuor to Indians. 

At the beginning of tlie present centnry, the 
region now luiown as iliimesota, contiuiit'tl no 
wiiite men, except a few engaged in the fur trade. 
In the treaty effected by Hon. Jolm Jay, Great 
Britain agreed to withdraw her troops from all 
posts and places witliLu certain boundary lines, 
on or before the first of June, 1796. liut all Brit- 
ish settlers and traders might remain for one 
year, and enjoy all their former privileges, with- 
out being obliged to be citizens of the United 
States of America. 

In the year 1800, the trading posts of Minnesota 
were chiefly held by the Xorthwest Company, 
and their chief traders resided at Sandy Lake, 
Leech Lake, and Fon du Lac, on St. Louis Kiver. 
In the year 1794, this company binlt a stockade 
one hundred feet square, on the southeast end of 
Sandy Lake. Tlitn'e were bastions pierced for 
small arms, in the southeast and in the northwest 
comer. The pickets which surrounded the post 
were thirteen feet high. On the north side there 
was a gate ten by nine feet ; on the west side, one 
six by five feet, and ou the east side a third gate 
six by five feet. Travelers entering the main 
gate, saw on the left a one story Imilding twenty 
feet square, the residence of the supeiintendent, 
and on the left of the east gate, a building twenty- 
live by fifteen, the quarters of tlie voyagetiis. 
Entering tlie western gate, on the left was a stone 
liouse, twenty by tliirty feet, and a house twenty 
by forty feet, used as a store, and a workshop, 
and a residence for clerks. On the soutl;^ sliore 
of Leech Lake there was another establishment, 
i little larger. The stocksule was one liundred 



and fifty feet square. The main building was 
sixty by twenty-five feet, and one and a half stcuy 
In height, where resided the Director of the fur 
trade of tlie Fond du Lac department of the ^S^ortli- 
west Company. In the centre was a small store, 
twelve and a half feet si]uaie, and near the main 
gate was flagstaff fifty feet in height, from 
which used to float the flag of Great Britain. 

William Morrison was, in 1S02, the trader at 
Leech Lake, and in 1804 he was at Elk Lake, the 
source of the Mississippi, thirty-two years after- 
wards named by Schoolcraft, Lake Itasca. 

The entire force of the Northwest Company, 
west of Lake Superior, in 180-5, consisted of three 
accountants, nineteen clerks, t^vo interpreters, 
eighty-five canoe men, and with them were 
twenty-nine Indian or half-breed women, and 
about fifty children. 

On the seventh of May, 1800, the Northwest 
Territory, which included all of the western 
country east of the Mississippi, was divided. 
The portion not designated as Ohio, was organ- 
ized as the TeiTitory of Indiana. 

On the twentieth of December, 1803, tlie 
province of Louisiana, of which that portion of 
Minnesota west of the ilississippi was a part, 
was officially delivered up by the French, wlio 
liad just obtained it from the Spaniards, accord- 
ing to treaty stipulations. 

To the transfer of Louisiana by France, after 
twenty days' possession. Spain at first objected; 
but in 1.S04 withdrew all opposition. 

President Jefferson now deemed it an object 
of paramount importance for the United States 
to explore the country so recently acquired, and 
make the acquaintance of the tribes residing 
therein; and steps were taken for an expedition 
to the upper Mississippi. 

Early in :March, 1804. Captain Stoddard, of the 
L'nited States army, arrived at St. Louis, the 
agent of the J'^rench Republic, to receive fnim 



74 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIONEmiS OF MIJ^JSlJ<]iiOTA. 



the Spanish authorities tlie possession of the 
country, which he immediately transfen'ed to tlie 
United States. 

As tlie old settlers, on the tenth of March, saw 
the ancient flag of Spain displaced by that of the 
United States, the tears coursed down their 
cheeks. 

On the twentieth of the same month, the terri- 
tory of Upper Louisiana was constituted, com- 
prising tlie present states of Arkansas, Missouri, 
Iowa, and a large portion of Minnesota. 

On the eleventh of January. 1805, the terri- 
tory of Michigan was organized. 

The first American officer who visited Minne- 
sota, on business of a public nature, was one who 
was an ornament to his profession, and in energy 
and endurance a true representative of the citi- 
zens of the United States. We refer to the 
gallant Zebulon Montgomery Pike, a native of 
New Jersey, who afterwards fell in battle at 
York, Upper Canada, and whose loss was justly 
mourned by the whole nation. 

When a young lieutenant, he was ordered by 
General Wilkinsjpn to visit the region now known 
as Minnesota, and expel the British traders who 
were found violating the laws of the United 
States, and form alliances with the Indians. 
With only a few common soldiers, he was obliged 
to do the work of several men. At times ho 
would precede his party for miles to reconnoitre, 
and then he would do the duty of hunter. 

During the day he would perform the part of 
surveyor, geologist, and astronomer, and at night, 
though hungry and fatigued, his lofty enthu- 
siasm kept him awake until he copied the notes, 
and plotted the courses of the day. 

On the 4th day of September, 1805, Pike ar- 
rived at Prairie du Chien, from. St. Louis, and 
was jiolitely treated by three traders, all born un- 
der the flag of the United Stales. One was named 
Wood, anotlier Fiazer, a nati\e of Vermont, 
wlio, when a young man became a clerk of one 
r.lakely, of ^Montreal, and thus became a fur 
trader. The third was Henry Fisher, a captain 
of tlie Militia, and Justice of the Peace, whose 
wife was a daughter of Goutier de Verville. 
Fisher was said to have been a nephew of Pres- 
(lent Momoe, and later in life traded at the 
sources of the Minnesota. One of his daughters 
was the mother of Joseph Rolette, Jr., a mem- 



ber of the early Minnesota Legislative assem- 
blies. Ou the eighth of the month Lieutenant 
Pike left Prairie du Chien, in two batteaux, with 
Sergeant Henry Kennerman, Corporals William 
E. Mack and Samuel Bradley, and ten privates. 

At La Crosse, Frazer, of Prairie du Chien, 
overtook him, and at Sandy point of Lake Pepin 
he found a trader, a Scotchman by the name of 
Murdoch Cameron, with his son, and a young 
man named John Rudsdell. On the twonty- 
first he breakfasted with the Kaposia band of 
Sioux, who then dwelt at the marsh below Day- 
ton's Bluff, a few miles below St. Paul. The 
same day he passed three miles from Mendota 
the encampment of J. B. Faribault, a trader and 
native of Lower Canada, then about thirty years 
of age, in which vicinity he continued for more 
than fifty years. He married Pelagie the daugh- 
ter of Francis Kinnie by an Indian woman, 
and his eldest son. Alexander, bom soon after 
Pike's visit, was the foimder of the town of 
Faribault. 

Arriving at the confluence of the Minnesota 
and the Mississippi Rivers, Pike and his soldiers 
encamped on the Kortheast point of the island 
which still bears his name. The next day was 
Sunday, and he visited Cameron, at his trading 
post on the Minnesota River, a short distance 
above Mendota. 

On Monday, the 23d of September, at noon, 
he held a Council with the Sioux, under a cover- 
ing made by suspending sails, and gave an ad- 
mirable talk, a portion of wMch was as follows : 

" Brothers, I am happy to meet you here, at 
this council fire which your fatlier has sent me to 
kindle, and to take you by the hands, as our chil- 
dren. We having but lately acquired from the 
Spanish, the extensive territory of Louisiana, our 
general has thought proper to send out a number 
of his warriors to visitall his red children ; to tell 
them his will, and to hear what request they may 
have to make of their father. I am happy the 
choice fell on me to come this road, as I find 
my brothers, the Sioux, ready to listen to my 
words. 

" Brothers, it is the wish of our government to 
establish military jto.sts on the Upper Mississippi, 
at such places as might be thought expedient. I 
have, therefore, examined the country, and have 
liilched on the mouth of the river St. Croix, this 



Clh'AyT OF LAMJ FROM THE HJOIX. 



place, <aiul the tails of St. Anthony ; I therefore 
wish jou to grant to the United States, nine 
miles square, at St. Croix, and at this place, from 
a league below the conlluence of the St. Peter's 
anil Mississippi, to a league above St. Anthony, 
extending three leagues on each side of the river ; 
and as we are a people who are accnstouied to 
have all our acts written down, hi order to have 
them handed to our cliildren, I have drawn up a 
form of an agreement, winch we will both sign, 
in the presence of tlie traders now present. After 
we know the terms, we will till it up, and have it 
read and interpreted to you. 

'■ Brothers, those posts are intended as a bene- 
fit to you. The old chiefs now jtrcsent must see 
that their situation improves by a coninuinieation 
with the whites. It is the intention of the United 
States to establish at those posts factories, in 
which the Indians may procure all their things 
at a cheaper and better rate than tliey do now, or 
than your traders can affoi'd to sell them to you, 
as they are single men, who come from far in 
small boats; but your fathers are many and 
strong, and will come with a strong arm, in large 
boats. There will also be chiefs here, -who can 
attend to the wants of their brothei's, without 
their sending or goLiig all the way to St. Loins, 
and will see the traders that go up j'our rivers, 
and know that they are good men. * * * * 

" Brothers, I now present you with some of 
your father's tobacco, and some other trifling 
thhigs, as a memorandum of my good will, and 
before my departure I will give yo>i some liipior 
to clear your throats." 

The traders, Cameron and Frazer, sat witli 
Pike. His interpr«ter was I'ierre Rosseau. 
jlmong the Chiefs present were Le Petit Cor- 
beau (Little Crow), and Way-ago Enagee, and 
L'Orignal Leve or Eising Moose. It was with 
difficidty that the chiefs signe<l the following 
agreement ; not that they objected to the lan- 
guage, but because they thought tlieir word 
should be taken, witliout any mark ; but Pike 
overcame their objection, liy saying that he wished 
them to sign it on his account. 

" Wliereas, at a conference held between the 
United States of America and the Sioux na- 
tion of Indians, Lieutenant Z. M. Pike, of the 
army of the United States, and the chiefs and 
warriors of said tribe, have ao'reed to the follow- 



ing articles, which, when ratilitd and approved of 
by the proper authority, shall be binding on both 
part ies : 

Art. 1. That the Sioux nation grant unto the 
United States, for the purpose of estabUshment 
of military posts, nine miles square, at the mouth 
of tlieSt. Croix, also from below the continence 
of the ^Mississippi and St. Peter's, up tlie Missis- 
sijipi to include the Falls of St. Anthony, extend- 
ing nine miles on each side of the river ; that tlie 
Sioux Nation grants to the United States the full 
sovereignty and power over said district forever. 
Art. 2. That in consideration of the above 
grants, the United States shall pay [niled ii]i by 
the Senate with 2,000 dollarsj. 

Art. 3. The United States promise, on their 
part, to permit the Sioux to pass and repass, hunt, 
or make other use of the said districts, as they 
have formerly done, without any other exception 
than those specified in ai'ticle first. 

In testimony whereof, we, the undersigned, 
have hereunto set our hands and seals, at the 
month of the river St. Peter's, on the 2od day of 
September, 1805. 

Z. M. PIKE, [L. S.] 
1st Lieutenant and agent at tlie aliove conference. 

his 

LE PETIT COKBEAU. y, [L. S.J 

mark 

his 

WAY-AGO ENAGEE. X [L. S.] 

mark " 

The following entries from Pike's .biurnal, des- 
criptive of the region around the city of Minne- 
apolis, seventy-five years ago, are wortliy of jires- 
ervation: 

'•Sept. 26th. 77/ Kcsdw/.— Embarked at the usual 
hour, and after much labor in passing through 
the rapids, arrived at the foot of the Falls about 
three or four o'clock; unloaded my boat, and had 
the principal part of her cargo carried over the 
portage. With the other boat, however, full 
loaded, they were not able to get over the last 
shoot, and encamped about six yards below. I 
pitched my tent and encamped above the shoot. 
Tlie rapids mentioned in this day's march, might 
properly be called a continuation of the Falls of 
St. Anthony, for they are eipially entitled to this 
awiellation. with the Falls of the Delawwe and 



76 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



Susquehanna. Killed one deer. Distance nine 
miles, 

Sept. 27th, Friday. Brought over the residue 
of my loading this morning. Two men arrived 
from Mr. Frazer, on St. Peters, for my dispatches. 
This business, closing and sealing, appeared like 
a last adieu to the civilized world. Sent a large 
packet to the General, and a letter to Mrs. Pike, 
with a short note to Mr. Frazer. Two young 
Indians brought my flag across by land, who ar- 
rived yesterday, just as we came in sight of the 
Fall. I made them a present for their punctual- 
ity and expedition, and the danger they were ex- 
posed to from the journey. Carried our boats out 
of the river, as far as the bottom of the hill. 

Ski't. 28th, Saturday. — Brought my barge over, 
and put her in the river above the Falls. While 
we were engaged with her three-fourths miles 
from camp, seven Indians painted black, appeared 
on the lieights. We had left our guns at the 
camp and were entirely defenceless. It occurred 
to me that they were the small party of Sioux who 
were obstinate, and would go to war, when the 
other part of the bands came in ; these they 
proved to be ; they were better armed than any I 
had ever seen ; having guns, bows, arrows, clubs, 
spears, and some of them even a case of pistols. 
I was at that. time giving my men a dram; and 
giving the cup of liquor to the first, he di-ank it 
off ; but I was more cautious with the remainder. 
I sent my interpreter to camp with them, to wait 
my coming ; wisliing to purchase one oi their war 
clubs, it being made of elk horn, and decorated 
with inlaid work. This and a set of bows and 
arrows I wished to get as a curiosity. But the 
liquor I had given him began to operate, he came 
back for me, but refusing to go till I brought my 
boat, he retiu-ned, and (I suppose being offended) 
borrowed a canoe and crossed the river. In the 
afternoon got the other boat near the top of the 
hill, when the props gave way, and she slid all the 
way dovn\ to the bottom, but fortiuiately without 
injuring any person. It raining very hard, W'e 
left her. Killed one goose and a racoon. 

SiSPT. 29th, Si(nday.—l killed a remarka'-ily 
large racoon. Got our large boat over the port- 
age, and put her in the river, at the upper land- 
ing; this night the men gave sufficient proof of 
their fatigue, by all throwing thenisclvcs down to 
sleep, preferring rest to supper. This day I had 



but fifteen men out of twenty-two ; the others 
were sick. This voyage could have been per- 
formed with great convenience, if we had taken 
our departure in June. But the proper time 
would be to leave the lUinois as soon as the ice 
would permit, when the river would be of a good 
height. 

Sept. 30th, Monday. — Loaded my boat, moved 
over and encamped on the Island. The large boats 
loading likewise, we went over and put on board. 
In the mean time, I took a survey of the Falls, 
Portage, etc. If it be possible to pass the Falls 
in high water, of which I am doubtful, it must 
be on the East side, about thirty yards from 
shore ; as there are three layers of rocks, one be- 
low the other. The pitch off of either, is not 
more than five feet ; but of this I can say more 
on my return. 

On the tenth of October, the expedition 
reached some large island below Sauk Rapids, 
where in 1797, Porlier and Joseph Renville had 
wmtered. Six days after this, he reached the 
Rapids in Morrison coimty, which stiU bears his 
name, and he writes: "When we arose in the 
morning, foimd that snow had fallen during the 
night, the ground was covered and it continued 
to snow. This, indeed, was but poor encourage- 
ment for attacking the Rapids, in which we were 
certain to wade to our necks. I was determined, 
however, if possible to make la riviere de Cor- 
bean, [Crow Wing River], the highest point was 
made by traders in their bark canoes. We em- 
barked, and after four hours work, became so 
benumbed with cold that our limbs were perfectly 
useless. We put to shore on the opposite side of 
the river, about two-thirds of the way up the 
rapids. Built a large fire ; and then discovered 
that our boats were nearly half full of water; 
both having sprung large leaks so as to oblige me 
to keep three hands bailing. My sergeant (Ken- 
nerman) one of the stoutest men I ever knew, 
broke a blood-vessel and vomited nearly two 
quarts of blood. One of my corporals (Bradley) 
also evacuated nearly a pint of blood, when he 
attempted to void his urine. These unhappy 
circumstances, in addition to the inability of 
four other men wliom we were obliged to leave 
on shore, convinced me, that if I had no regard 
for my own health and constitution, I should 
ha\e some for those poor fellows, who were kiU- 



PIKES BLOCK HOUSE NEAR SWA\ UnKli. 



injr themselves to obey my orders. ^Vfter we had 
breakfast and refreshed ourselves, we w^eiit down 
to our boats on the rocks, where I was obliged to 
leave them. I then informed my men that we 
would retimi to the camp and there leave some 
of the party and our large boats. This informa- 
tion was pleasing, and the attempt to reach the 
camp soon accomplished. Jly reasons for this 
step have partly been already stated. The nec- 
essity of imloading and refitting my buats, tlie 
beauty and convenience of the spot for building 
huts, the fine pine trees for peroques, and the 
quantity of game, were additional inducements. 
Vi'e immediately miloaded our boats and secured 
their cargoes. In the evening I went out upon a 
small, but beautiful creek, which emptied into 
the Falls, for the piu-pose of selecting pine trees 
to make canoes. Saw five deer, and killed one 
buck weighing one hundred and thirty-seven 
pounds. By my leaving men at tliis place, and 
from the great quantities of game in its vicinity, 
I was ensured plenty of provision for my return 
voyage. In the party left behuid was one hunter, 
to be contmually employed, who woidd keep o>ir 
stock of salt provisions good. Distance two 
hundred and thirty-three and a half miles above 
the FaUs of St. Anthony. 

Having left his large boats and some soldiers 
at this point, he proceeded to the vicinity of 
Swan iliver where he erected a block house, and 
on the thirty-first of October he writes: '-En- 
closed my little work completely with pickets. 
Hauled up my two boats and turned them over 
on each side of the gateways ; by which means 
a defence was made to the river, and had it not 
been for various political reasons, I W'ould have 
laughed at the attack of eight hundred or a 
thousand savages, if all my party were within. 
For. excejit accidents, it would only have afford- 
ed amusement, the Indians having no idea of 
taking a place by storm. Found myself power- 
fully attacked with the fantastics of the brain, 
called ennui, at the mention of which I had 
hitherto scoffed ; but my books being packed up, 
I was like a person entranced, and could easily 
conceive why so many persons who have been 
confined to remote places, acquire the habit of 
drinking to excess, and many other vicious prac- 
tices, which have been adopted merely to j^ass 
time. 



During the next month he himted the buffalo 
which were then in that vicinity. On the third 
of December he received a visit from Kobert 
Dickson, afterwards noted in the history of the 
country, who was then trading about sixty miles- 
below, on the Mississipiii. 

On the tenth of December with some sleds he 
continued his journey northward, and on the last 
day of the year passed I'uie Kiver. On tlie third 
of January, 1806, he reached the trading jjost at 
Red Cedar, now Cass Lake, and was quite indig- 
nant at finding tlie British fiag fioating from the 
staff. The niglit after this his tent caught on 
fire, and he lost some valuable and necessary 
cl( thing. On the evening of the eighth he reach- 
ed .Sandy Lake and was hospitably received by 
(irant, the trader in cliarge. He writes . 

" Jan. 9th, Thurttday. — Marched the corjioral 
early, in order that our men should receive 
assurance of our safety and success. He carried 
with him a small keg of spirits, a present from 
JSIr. Grant. The establishment of this place was 
formed twelve years since, by the North-west 
Company, and was formerly under the charge of 
a Mr. Charles Brusky. It has attained at present 
such regularity, as to permit the superintendent 
to live tolerably comfortable. They liave horses 
they procured from Red Kiver, of t!ie Indians; 
raise plenty of Irish potatoes, catch pike, suckers, 
pickerel, and white fish in abundance. Tliey 
have also beaver, deer, and moose ; but the pro- 
vision they chiefly depend upon is wild oats, of 
which they purchase great quantities from tlie 
savages, giving at the rate of about one dollar 
and a half per bushel. But flour, pork, and salt, 
are almost interdicted to persons not principals 
in the trade. Flour sells at half a dollar; salt a 
dollar; pork eigiity cents; sugar half a dollar; 
antl tea four dollars and fifty cents per pound. 
The sugar is obtained from the Indians, and is 
made from the maple tree." 

He remained at Sandy Lake ten days, and on 
the last day two men of the Northwest Company 
arrived with letters from Fon du Lac Suiierior, 
one of which was from .Vtliapuscow, and had 
been since May on the route. 

On the twentieth of January began his journey 
to Leech Lake, which he reached on the first of 
February, and was hospitably received by Hugh 



78 



EXPLOBEBS AND PIO^'EEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



JilcGillis, the head of the Korthwest Company at 
this post. 

A Mr. ^Viiilerson, in the employ of Kobert 
Dickson, was residing at the west end of thelalve. 
"While here he hoisted the American flag in the 
fort. The English yacht still flying at the top of 
the flagstaff, he directed the Indians and his sol- 
diers to shoot at it. They soon broke the iron 
pin to which it was fastened, and it fell to the 
ground. He was informed by a venerable old 
Ojibway chief, called Sweet, that the Sioux dwelt 
there when he was a youth. On the tenth of 
February, at ten o'clock, he left Leech Lake with 
Corporal Bradley, the trader !McGillis and two of 
his men. and at sunset arrived at Ked Cedar, now 
Cass Lake. At this i)Iace, in 1798, Thompson, 
employed by the Northwest Company for three 
years, in topographical surveys, made some ob- 
servations. He believed that a line from the 
Lake of the Woods would touch the sources of 
the Mississippi. Pike, at this point, was very 
kindly treated by a Canadian named Roy, and his 
Ojibway squaw. On his retiu'ii home, he reached 
Clear Kiver on the seventh of April, where he 
found his canoe and men. and at night was at 
Grand Rapids, Dickson's trading post. He talked 
until foiu- o'clock the next morning with this 
person and another trader named PorUer. He 
forbade while there, the traders Greignor [Grig- 
non] and La Jennesse, to sell any more liquor to 
Indians, who had become very drunken and un- 
ruly. On the tenth he again reached the Falls 
of Saint Anthony. He writes in his journal as 
follows : 

April 11th, Fridny. — Although it snowed very 
hard we brought over both boats, and descended 
the river to the island at the entrance of the St. 
Peter's. I sent to the chiefs and informed them 
I had something to communicate to them. The 
Fils de Piucho immediately waited on me, and 
informed me that he would provide a place for 
tlie purpose. Aliout sundown I was sent for and 
introduced into the council-house, where I fomid 
a great many chiefs of the Sussitongs, Gens de 
Feuilles, and the (Jens du Lac. The Yanctongs 
had not yet come down. They were all awaiting 
for my arrival. There were about one hundred 
lodges, or six hundred people; we were saluted 
on our crossing tlie river with ball as usual. The 
council-house was two large lodges, capable of 



containing three hundred men. In the upper 
were forty chiefs, and as many pipes set against 
the poles, alongside of which I had the Santeur's 
pipes arranged. I then informed them in short 
detail, of my transactions with the Santeure; but 
my interpreters were not capable of making them- 
selves underetood. I was therefore obhged to 
omit mentioning every particular relative to the 
rascal wlio fired on my sentinel, and of the scoun- 
drel who broke the Fols Avoins' canoes, and 
threatened my life; the interpreters, however, in- 
formed them that I wanted some of their princi- 
pal chiefs to go to St. Louis; and that those who 
thought proper might descend to the prairie, 
where we would give them more explicit infor- 
mation. They all smoked out of the Santeur's 
pipe, excepting three, who were pamted black, 
and were some of those who lost their relations 
last whiter. I invited the Fils de Pinchow, and 
the son of the Killeur Rouge, to come over and 
sup with me; when ilr. Dickson and myself en- 
deavored to explam what I intended to have said 
to them, could I have made myself imderstood; 
that at the prairie we would have all things ex- 
plained; that I was desh-ous of making a better 
report of them than Captain Lewis could do from 
their treatment of him. The former of those 
savages was the person who remained around my 
post all last winter, and treated my men so well; 
they endeavored to excuse their people. 

"AritiL 12th, Satitrday. — Embarked early. Al- 
though my interpreter had been frequently up the 
river, he could not tell me where the cave (spoken 
of by Carver) could be fomid ; we carefully 
sought for it, but in vain. At the Indian ^•illage, 
a few miles below St. Peter's, we were about to 
pass a few lodges, but on receiving a very partic- 
ular invitation to come on shore, we landed, and 
were received in a lodge kindly; they presented 
us sugar. I gave the proprietor a dram, and was 
about to depart when he demanded a kettle of 
liipior; on being refused, and after I had left the 
sliore, he told me he did not like the arrange- 
ments, and that he would go to war this summer. 
I directed tlie interpreter to tell him that if I 
returned to St. Peter's with the troops, I would 
settle that affair with him. On our arrival at the 
St. Croix, I found the Pettit Corboau with his 
people, and Messrs. Frazer and "Wood. We had 
a conference, when the Pettit Corbeau made 



CAMERON SELLS LlqlOll TO IShlANS. 



7!) 



many apologies for the miscoiuluct of his people; 
lie represented to ns llie dilTcrent manners in 
wliicli the yonng warriors liail lieen imhicing liini 
to goto war; tliat lie liad lieeii niueli l)lanied for 
dismissing liis party last fall; hut that he was de- 
termined to adhere as f;ir as lay in liis power to 
oiir instrnetions; that lie thonght it most prudent 
to remain here and restrain the warriors. lie 
then presented me with a beaver robe and pipe, 
and his message to the general. That he was 
determined to preserve peace, and make tlie road 
clear; also a remembrance of his promised medal. 
I made a reply, calculated to confirm him in his 
guild intentions, and assured him that he should 
not be the less remembered by his father, although 
not present. I was informed that, notwithstand- 
ing the instruction of his license, and my par- 
ticular request, ^lurdoch Cameron had taken 
liquor and sold it to the Indians on the river St. 
I^eter's, and that his partner below had been 



equally imprudent. I pledged myself to prose- 
cute them according to law; for they have been 
the occasion of great confusion, and of much 
injury to the other traders. This day met a 
canoe of Mr. Dickson's loaded with jirovisions, 
under the charge of Mr. Anderson, brother of 
the -Mr. Anderson at Leech Lake. lie politely 
oft'ered me any provisinii he had on board {for 
which ilr. Dickson had given me an order), but 
not now being in want, I did not accept of any. 
This day. i'or the lirst time, I observed the trees 
beginning to bud, and indeed the climate seemed 
to have changed very materially since we passed 
the Falls of St. Anthony."" 

The strife of political jiarties growing out of 
the French Revolution, and the declaration of 
war against Great Britain in the year 1S]:2, post- 
poned the military occupation of the I'jiper 
Mississippi by the United States of America, for 
several vears. 



so 



EXPLORERS AXD PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER Xin. 

THE YALLliY OF THK UrPER JUSSISSIFI'I DUillNG SECOND "WAIl AVITH CHIKAT BEITAIN. 



Dickson and other traders liosUlc — American stockade at rrairio du Chicn — F'>rt 
Shelby smrenders to Lt. Col. William McKay— L.iyal traders Frovencalle and 
Faribault— Rising Moose or One-eyed Sioux — Capt. Bulger evacuates Fort 
McKay — latcUii^'RUce of Peace. 

Not^Nithstanrliiig the professions of f riendsliip 
made to Pike, iii the second war with Great Brit- 
am, Dickson and others were foimd hearing arms 
against the Republic. 

A year after Pike left Prahie du Chien, it was 
evident, that under some secret influence, the 
Inilian trilies were combining agamst the United 
States. In the year 1809 , Nicholas Jarrot declared 
that the ISritisli traders were furnishing the sav- 
ages with guns for hostile purposes. On the first 
of May, 1812, two Indians were apprehended at 
Cliicago, who were on tlieir way to meet Dickson 
at Green Bay. They liad taken the precaution 
to hide letters in their moccasins, and bury them 
in the ground, and were allowed to proceed after 
a brief detention. Frazer, of Prairie du Chien, 
■who had been with Pike at the Council at the 
mouth of the Minnesota River, was at the port- 
age of the Wisconsin when the Indians delivered 
these letters, which stated that the British flag 
would soon be flying again at ISIackinaw. At 
Green Bay, the celebrated warrior. Black Hawk, 
was placed m charge of the Indians wlio were to 
aid the British. Tlie American troops at Macki- 
naw were obliged, on the seventeenth of July, 
1812, to capitulate -without firing a single gun. 
One who was made prisoner, writes from Detroit 
to the Secretary of War : 

" The persons who commanded the Indians are 
Robert Dickson, Indian trader, and John Askui, 
Jr., Indian agent, and his son. The latter two 
were painted and dressed after the maimer 
of the Indians. Tliose wlio commanded the 
Canadians are John Jobnson, Crawford, Pothier, 
Armitinger, La Croix, Rolette, Franks, Living- 
ston, and other traders, some of whom were lately 
concerned in smuggling British goods into the 



Indian comitry, and, in conjunction with others, 
have been using their utmost efforts, several 
months before the declaration of war, to excite 
the Indians to take up arms. The least resist- 
ance from the fort would have been attended 
with the desti'uction of all the persons who fell 
into the hands of the British, as I have been as- 
sured by some of the British traders." 

On the first of May, 1814, Governor Clark, 
■with two hundred men, left St. Louis, to build a 
fort at the junction of the Wisconsin and Missis- 
sippi. Twenty days before he arrived at Prah'ie 
du Chien, Dickson had started for Mackinaw 
with a band of Dahkotahs and Winuebagoes. 
The place was left in command of Captain Deace 
and tlie Mackinaw Fencibles. The Dahkotahs 
refusing to co-operate, when the Americans made 
their appearance they fled. The Americans took 
possession of the old ilackinaw house, in which 
they foiuid nine or ten trunks of papers belong- 
ing to Dickson. From one they took the foUow- 
ing extract : 

" ' Arrived, from below, a few Wiimebagoes 
with scalps. Gave them tobacco, six pomids 
powder and six pounds ball.' " 

A fort was immediately commenced on the 
site of the old residence of the late H. L. Dous- 
man, which was composed of two block-houses 
in the angles, and another on the bank of the 
river, with a subterranean communication. In 
honor of the governor of Kentucky it was named 
"Shelby." 

The fort was in charge of Lieutenant Perkins, 
and sixty rank and tile, and two gunboats, each 
of which carried a six-poimder; and se\eral 
howitzers were commanded by Captains Yeiser, 
Sullivan, and Aid-de-camp Kennedy. 

The traders at JIackinaw, learning that the 
Americans had built a fort at the Prairie, and 
knowing that as long as they held possession 
tlu\\ would be cut oft from the trade with the 



LOYALTY OF FAUlIiAVLT AND THE ONE-EYFI) SIOl'X. 



81 



Dahkotahs, iniiuediately raised an expeditiou to 
capture the garrison. 

The captain was an old trailer by the name of 
JleKay, and under him was a sergeant of ar- 
tillery, with a brass six-pounder, and three or 
four volunteer companies of Canadian voyageurs, 
otlieered by Captains Griguon, Rolette and An- 
derson, with Lieutenants Brisbois and Dunean 
Graham, all dressed hi red coats, with a number 
of Iniliaus. 

The Americans had scarcely completed their 
rude fortitication, before the IJritish force, guid- 
ed by Joseph Kolette, Sr., descended in canoes 
to a point on the V.'isconsm, several miles from 
the Prairie, to which they marched in battle 
array. JIcKay sent a flag to the Fort demanding 
a surrender. Lieutenant Perkins replied that he 
would defend it to tlie last. 

A fierce encounter took place, in which the 
Americans were worsted. The otiicer was 
wounded, several men were killed and one of 
their boats captured, so that it became necessary 
to retreat to St. Louis. Port Shelby after its 
capture, was called Port ilcKay. 

xVmong the traders a few remained loyal, es- 
pecially Provencalle and J. B. Faribault, traders 
among the Sioux. Faribault was a prisoner | 
among the British at the time Lieut. Col. Wm. 
McKay was preparing to attack Por<- Shellty, and 
he refused to perform any service, Faribaulfs 
wife, who was at Prairie du Chien, not knowing 
that her husband was a prisoner in the hands of 
the advancing foe, fled with others to the Sioux 
village, where is now the city of Winona. Fari- 
bault was at length released on parole and re- 
timied to his trading post. 

Pike writes of his flag, that "being in doubt 

whether it had been stolen by tlie Indians, or had 

fallen overboaid and floated away, I sent for my 

friend the Orignal Leve.'' lie also call" the 

Chief, Rising ^Moose, and gives his Sioux name 

Tahamie. He was one of those, who in 1805, 

signed the agreement, to siuTender land at the 

jimction of the Muinesota and Mississippi Rivers 

to the United States. He had but one eye, 

having lost the other when a boy, belonged to 

the Wapasha band of the Sioux, and proved 

true to the flag which had waved on the day he 

sat in council with Pike. 

In the fall of 1814, with another of the same 
6 



nation, he ascended the Missouri under the pro- 
tection of the (Ustinguished trader. Manual Lisa, 
as far as the An Jacques or James River, and 
from thenc'j struck across the country, enlisting 
the Sioux in favour of the I'niti'il States, and at 
length arrived at Prairie du Chien. On his arri- 
val, Dickson accosted him, and inquired from 
whence he came, and what was his business ; at 
the same time rudely snatching his bimdle from 
his shoulder, and searching for letters, The 
"one-eyed warrior" told him that he was from 
St. Louis, and that he had iiromised the wliite 
chiefs there that he would go to I'rairie du Chien, 
and that he had kept his promise 

Dickson then placed him in conlinement in 
Fort McKay, as the garrison was called by the 
British, and ordered him to divulge what mfor- 
mation he possessed, or he wo dd put him to 
death. But the faithful fellow said he would 
impart nothing, and that he was ready for death 
if he wished to kill him. Finduig that confine- 
ment had no effect, Dickson at last liberated him. 
He then left, and visited the bands of Sioux on 
the Upper Mississippi, with which he passed the 
winter. When he returned in the spring, Dick- 
son had gone to ilackinaw, and Cayit. A. Bidger, 
of the Royal Xew Foundland Regiment, was in 
command of the fort. 

On the twenty-third ot jNIay, 181.5, Capt. Bul- 
ger, wrote from Fort McKay to Gov. Clark at St. 
Louis : " Official intelligence of peace reached 
me yesterday. I propose evacuating the fort, 
taking with me the guns captm-ed in the fort. * 
* * * I have not the smallest hesitation in 
declaring ray decided opinion, that the presence 
of a detachment of British and United States 
troops at the same time, would be the means of 
embroiling one parly or the other in a fresh rup- 
ture with the Indians, which I presume it is the 
wish of both governments to avoid." 

The next month the " One-Eyed Sioux," with 
three other Indians and a sipiaw, visited St. Louis, 
and he mformed Gov. Clark, that the British 
commander left the caiuions in the fort when he 
evacuated, but in a day or two came back, took 
the cannons, and fired the fort with the American 
flag flying, but that he rushed in and saved it 
from being burned. From this time, the British 
flag ceased to float in the Valley of the Missis- 
sippi. 



82 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CIIAPTEE XIV. 



long's expedition, a. D. i817, IK A SIX-OARED SKIFF, TO THE FALLS OF SAINT ANTHONY. 



Carvers Grandsons.— Roque, Sioux iDtorpreter.— Wapashaw's Village and Its 
Vicinity.— A Sacred Dance.— Indian Villas" Below Daytim's Bluff.— Carver's 
Cave.— Fountain Cave.— F.aJls of St. Anthony Described.— Site or a Fort. 

Major Stephen II. Long, of the Engineer Corps 
of the United States Army, learning that there 
was little or no danger to be apprehended from 
the Indians, determined to ascend to the Falls of 
Saint Anthony, in a sLx-oared skiff presented to 
him by Governor Clark, of Saint Louis. Ilis 
party consisted of a Mr. Hempstead, a native of 
New London, Connecticut, who had been living 
at Prairie du Cliien, seven soldiers, and a half- 
breed interpreter, named lloque. A bark canoe 
accompanied them, containing Messrs. Gun and 
King, grandsons of the celebrated traveler, Jona- 
than Carver. 

On the ninth ot July, 1817, the expedition left 
Prairie du Chien, and on the twelfth arrived at 
" Trempe a I'eau." He writes : 

" AVhen we stopped for breakfast, Mr. Hemp- 
stead and myself ascended a high peak to take a 
view of the country. It is kno-mi by the name 
of the Kettle Hill, having obtained this appella- 
tion from the circumstance of its having numer- 
ous piles of stone on its top, most of them 
■fragments of the rocky stratifications which 
constitute the principal part of the lull, but some 
of them small piles made by the Indians. These 
at a distance have some similitude of kettlec 
arranged along upon the ridge and sides of the 
hill. From this, or almost any other eminence in 
its neighborhood, the beauty and grandeur of the 
prospect would baffle the skill of the most inge- 
nious pencil to depict, and that of the most ac- 
complished pen to describe. Hills marshaled 
into a variety of agreeable shapes, some of them 
towering into lofty peaks, wlnle others present 
broad summits embellished with contours and 
slopes in tlie most pleasing manner ; champaigns 
and waving valleys; forests, lawns, and parks 
alternating with each other; the humble Missis- 



sippi meandering far below, and occasionally 
losing itself in numberless islands, give variety 
and beauty to the picture, while rugged cliffs and 
stupendous precipices here and there present 
themselves as if to add boldness and majesty to 
the scene. In the midst of this beautiful scenery 
is situated a village of the Sioux Indians, on an 
extensive lavra called the Aux Aisle Prairie ; at 
which we lay by for a short time. On our arrival 
the Indians hoisted two American (lags, and we 
returned the comtliment by discharging our 
blunderbuss and pistols. They then fired several 
guns ahead of us by way of a salute, after which 
we landed and were received with mucli friend- 
ship. The name of their chief is Wauppaushaw, 
or the Leaf, commonly called by a name of the 
same import in French, La Feuille, or La Fye, 
as it is pronoimced in English. He is considered 
one of the most honest and honorable of any of 
the Indians, and endeavors to inculcate into the 
minds of his people the sentiments and principles 
adopted by himself. He was not at home at the 
time I called, and I had no opportunity of seeing 
him. The Indians, as I suppose, with the ex- 
pectation that I had something to communiccate 
to them, assembled themselves at the place 
where I landed and seated themselves upon the 
grass. I inquired if their chief was at home, 
and was answered in the negative. I then told 
tliem I should be very glad to see him, but as he 
W".s absent I would call on luni again in a few 
days when I should return. I further told them 
that cur father, the new President, wished to ob- 
tain some more information relative to his red 
children, and that I was on a tour to acquire any 
intelligence he might stand in need of. With 
this they appeared weU satisfied, and permitted 
Mr. Hempstead and myself to go rhrough their 
village. "Wliile I was in the wigwam, one of tlie 
subordinate chiefs, whose name was Wazzecoota, 
or Shooter from the Pine Tree, vohniteered to 



INITIATION OF A WAUUIOli B7 A SACRED DANCE. 



83 



Bcoompany me np the river. I accepted of his 
services, and be was ready to attend me on the 
tour in a very short time. Wlien we hove in 
sight the Indians were engaged in a ceremony 
called the Bear Dance; a ceremony which they 
are in the habit of performing when any young 
man is desirous of bringing himself into partic- 
ular notice, and is considered a kind of iuitiatiou 
into the state of manhood. I went on to the 
ground where they had their performances, 
which were ended sooner than usual on account 
of our arrival. There was a kind of a flag made 
of fawn skin dressed with the hair on. suspended 
on a pole. Upon the flesh side of it were drawn 
certain rude figures indicative of the dream 
which it is necessary the young man should have 
dreamed, before he can be considered a ])roper 
candidate for this kind of initiation; with this a 
pipe was suspended by way of sacrifice. Two 
arrows were stuck up at the foot of the pole, 
and fr^igments of painted feathers, etc., were 
strewed about the ground near to it. These per- 
tained to the religious rites attending the cere- 
mony, which consists iu bewailing and self-mor- 
tification, that the Good Spirit may be induced 
to pity them and succor their undertaking. 

"At the distance of two or three hundred 
yards from the flag, is an excavation which they 
call the bear's hole, prepared for the occasion. 
It is about two feet deep, and has two ditches, 
about one foot deep, leading across it at right an- 
gles. The young hero of the farce places himself 
in this hole, to be hunted by the rest of the young 
men, all of whom on this occasion are dressed iu 
their best attire and painted in their neatest style. 
The. hunters approach the hole in the direction of 
one of the ditches, and discharge their guns, 
which were previously loaded for the purpose 
with blank cartridges, at the one who acts the 
part of the bear; whereupon he leaps from his 
den, having a hoop in each hand, and a wooden 
lance; the hoops serving as forefeet to aid him 
in characterizing his part, and his lance to defend 
him from his assailants. Thus accoutred he 
dances round the place, exhibiting various feats 
of activity, while the other Indians pursue him 
and endeavor to trap him as he attempts to re- 
turn to his den, to effect which he is privileged to 
use any violence he pleases with impunity against 



his assailants, even to taking the life of auy of 
them. 

" This part of the ceremony is performed throe 
times, that the bear may escape from his den 
and return to it again through three of the ave- 
nues communicating with it. On being hunted 
from the fourth or last avenue, the bear must 
make his esca])e through all his pursuers, if pos- 
.sible, and flee to the woods, where he is to remain 
through the day. This, however, is seldom or 
never accomplished, as all the young men exert 
themselves to the utmost in order to trap him. 
When caught, he must retire to a lodge erected for 
his reception in the field, where he is to be se- 
cluded from all society through the day, except 
one of his particular friends whom he is allowed 
to take with him as an attendant. Here he 
smokes and performs varicuis other rites which 
superstition has led the Indians to believe are sa- 
cred. After this ceremony is ended, the ycung 
Indian is considered qualified to act any part as 
an efficient member of their community. The 
Indian, who has the good fortune to catch the 
bear and overcome him when endeavoring to 
make his escape to the wood, is considered a 
candidate for preferment, and is, on the first suit- 
able occasion, appointed the leader of a small war 
party, in order that he may further have an op- 
portunity to test his prowess and perform more 
essential service in behalf of his nation. It is 
accordingly expected that he will kill some of 
their enemies and return with their scalps. I re- 
gretted very much that I had missed the oppor- 
tunity of witnessing this ceremony, which is 
never performed except when prompted by the 
particular dreams of one or other of the young 
men, who is never complimented twice in the 
same manner on account of his dreams." 

On the sixteenth he approached the vicinity of 
where is now the capital of Minnesota, and 
writes: "Set sail "at half past four this morning 
with a favorable breeze. Pascd an Indian bury- 
ing ground on our left, the first that I have seen 
surrounded by a fence. In the center a pole is 
erected, at the foot of which religious rites are 
performed at the burial of an Indian, by the 
particular friends and relatives of the deceased. 
Upon the pole a flag is suspended when any per- 
son of extraordinary merit, or one who is very 
much beloved, ia buried. In the inclosure were 



B4 



EXPLOBERS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



two scaffolds erected also, about six feet high 
and six feet square. Upon one of them were two 
coffins containing dead bodies. Passed a Sioux 
village on our rigVit containing fourteen cal>ins. 
The name of tlie chief is the Petit Corbeau, or 
Little Raven. The Indians were all absent on a 
hunting party up t!ie River St. Croix, which 
is but a little distance across the country from 
the village. Of this we were very glad, as this 
band are said to be the most notorious beggars 
of all the Sioux on the ilississippi. One of their 
cabins is furnished with loop holes, and is sit- 
uated so near the water that the opposite side 
of the river is within musket-shot range from 
the building. By this means the Petit Corbeau 
is enabled to exercise a command over the pass- 
age of the river and has in some mstances com- 
pelled traders to land with their goods, and in- 
duced them, probably through fear of offending 
him, to bestow presents to a considerable amount, 
before he would suffer them to pass. Tlie cabins 
are a kind of stockade buildings, and of a better 
appearance than any Indian dwellings I have 
before met with. 

" Two miles above the village, on the same 
side of the river, is Carver's Cave, at which we 
stopped to breakfast. However interesting it 
may have been, it does not possess that character 
in a very high degree at present. We descend- 
ed it witli lighted candles to its lower extremity. 
The entrance is very low and about eight feet 
broad, so that a man in order to enter it must be 
completely prostrate. The angle of descent 
within the cave is about 2.5 deg. The flooring 
is an inclined plane of quicksand, formed of the 
rock in whicli the cavern is formed. Tlie dist- 
ance from its entrance to its inner extremity is 
twenty-four paces, and the widtli in the broadest 
part about nuie, and its greatest height about 
seven feet. In shape it resembles a bakers's oven. 
Tlie cavern was once probaljly much more ex- 
tensive. My interpreter informed me tliat, since 
his remembrance, the entrance was not less 
than ten feet high and its length far greater than 
at present. The rock in wliicli it is formed is 
a very white sandsUme, so friable tliat the frag- 
ments of it ^\ ill almost crumble to sand wlien 
taken into the hand. A few yards below the 
mouth of the <'avern is a very copious spring of 
Due water issuing from the bottom of the cliff. 



"Five miles above this is the Fountain Cave, 
on tlie same side of the river, formed in the same 
kind of sandstone but of a more pure and fine 
quality. It is far more curious and interesting 
than the former. The entrance of the cave is a 
large winding haU about one hundred and fifty 
feet in length, fifteen feet in wdth, and from 
eight to sixteen feet in height, finely arched 
overhead, and nearly perpendicular. Next suc- 
ceeds a narrow passage and ditlicult of entrance, 
which opens into a most beautiful circular room, 
finely arched above, and about forty feet in di- 
ameter. The cavern then contuiues a meander- 
uig course, expanding occasionally into small 
rooms of a circular form. We penetrated aliout 
one hundred and fifty yards, till our candles 
began to fail us, when we retiu-ned. To beauti- 
fy and embellish the scene, a fine crystal stream 
flows tliroiigli the cavern, and cheers the lone- 
some dark retreat with its enlivening murmurs. 
The temperature of the water in the cave was 
46 deg., and that of the air 60 deg. Entermg 
this cold retreat from an atmosphere of 89 deg., 
I thought it not prudent to remain in it long 
enough to take its several dimensions and me- 
ander its courses ; particularly as we had to wade 
in water to our knees in many places in order to 
penetrate as far as we went. The fountain sup- 
plies an abundance of water as fine as I ever 
drank. This cavern I was informed by my 
interpreter, has been discovered but a few years. 
That the Indians formerly living ui its neighbor- 
hood knew nothing of it till within six years 
past. That it is not the same as that described 
by Carver is evident, not only from this circiun- 
stance, but also from the circumstance that in- 
stead of a stagnant pool, and only one accessible 
room of a very different form, this cavern has 
a brook running through it, and at least four 
rooms in succession, one after the other. Car- 
ver's Cave is fast filling up with sand, so that 
no water is now foimd in it, whereas this, from 
the very nature of the place, must be enlarging, 
as the fountain will carry along with its current 
all the sand that falls into it from the roof and 
sides of the caN ern." 

On the night of the sixteenth, he ai rived at the 
Falls of Saint .Viithony and encamped on the east 
shore just below the cataract. He writes in h.ie 
journal : 



BESCRIPTION OF FALLS OF SAINT ANTHONY. 



85 



"The place where -we encamped last iii.u'ht need- 
ed no embellishment to render it romantic in the 
liighest degree. The banks on both sides of llic 
river are about one hundred feet higli. decorated 
with trees and shrubliery of various kinds. The 
post oak, Inckory, walnut, linden, sugar tree, 
wliite birch, and the American box ; also various 
evergreens, such as the pine, cedar, juniper, 
etc., added their embellishmenls to the scene. 
Amongst the sbrnbery were the prickly ash, 
lilnm. and cherry tree, the gooseberry, the black 
and red raspberry, the chokeberry. grape vine, 
etc. There were also various kinds of herbage 
and llowers, among which were the wild parsley, 
rue, spikenard, etc.. red and white roses, morning 
glory and various other handsome flowers. A 
few yards below us was a beautiful cascade of 
fine spring water, pouring down from a pi'oject- 
ing precipice about one hundred feet bight. On 
our left was the Mississippi hurrying through its 
channel with great velocity, and about three 
quarters of a mile above us, in plain view, was 
the majestic ci.taract of the Falls of St. Anthony. 
The murmuring of the cascade, the roaring of the 
river, and the thunder of the cataract, all contrib- 
uted to render the scene the most interestingand 
maguilicient of any I ever before witnessed."' 

'■The perpendicular fall of the water at the 
cataract, was stated by Pike in his journal, as six- 
teen and a half feet, which I found to be true by 
actual measurement. To this heiglit. however, 
four or five feet may be added for the rajiid des- 
cent which immediately succeeds to the jierpen- 
dicular fall witliin a few yards below. Innnedi- 
ately at the cataract the river is divided into two 
parts by an island which extends considerably 
above and below the cataract, and is aljout live 
Innulred yards long. The channel on the right 
side of the Island is about three times tlie width 
of that on the left. The qnauity of water pass- 
ins through them is not, however, in the same 
proportion, as about one-third part of the whole 
passes through the left chamiel. In the broadest 
channel, just below^ the cataract, is a small island 
also, about fifty yards in length and thirty in 
breadth. Both of these islands contain the same 
kind of rocky formation as the banks of the liver. 
and are nearly as liigh. Besides these, there are 
immediately at the foot of the cataract, two 
islands of very inconsiderable size, situated in 



Ihe right channel also. The rapids commence 
several hmi<lred yards aliove the cataract and 
continue about eight miles lielow. Tlie fall of 
the water, beginning at llie head of the rapids, 
and extending two hundred and sixty rods down 
the rivei' lo wlierc the portage road commences, 
below the (•ataract is, a<'cordiug to Pike, fifty- 
eight feet. If this estimate be correct the whole 
fall from the head to tlie foot of tlic rapids, is not ' 
imAiably luucli less tlian one hundred feet. But 
as I had 1111 i[istrument sufficiently accurate to 
level, where the view nuist necessarily be ])retty 
extensive, I took no jiaius to ascertain the extent 
of tlie fall. Tlie mode I adopted to ascertain 
the height of a cataract, was to suspend a line 
and iilummet from the table rock on the south 
side of the river, which at the same time liail 
very little water passing over it as the river was 
unusually low. The rocky formations at this 
place were arranged in the following order, from 
the surface downward. A coarse kind of lime- 
stone in thin strata containing considerable silex; 
a kind of soft friable stone of a greenish color 
and slaty fracture, probal)ly containing lime, 
aluminum and silex ; a very beautifid satratiflca- 
tion of shell limestone, in thin plates, extremely 
regular in its formation and containing a vast 
number of shells, all apparently of the same 
kind. This formation constitutes the Table Rock 
of the cataract. The next in order is a white or 
yellowish sandstone, so easily crumljled that it 
deserves the name of a sandbank ratliertlian that 
of a rock. It is of various deiitlis, from ten to 
fifty or seventy-five feet, and is of the same char- 
acter with that found at the caves before des- 
cribed. The next in order is a soft friable sand- 
stone, of a greenish coloi'. similar to that resting 
upon the shell limestone. These stratifications 
occupied the wliole space from the low water 
mark nearly to tlie top of the bluffs. ( )u the east, 
or rather north side of the river, at the Falls, are 
high grouuils. at tlie distance of half a mile from 
the river, considerably more elevated than the 
bluffs, and of a hilly aspect. 

Speaking of tlie bluff at the confluence o. Jie 
Mississippi and Minnesota, he writes: "A military 
\v<irk of considerable magnitude might lie con- 
structed on the point, and might be rendered 
sufficiently secure by occupying the commanding 
heiulit in the rear in a suitable manner, as the 



86 



BXPLOBEBS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



latter would control not only the point, but all 
the neighboring heights, to the full extent of a 
twelve pounder's range. The work on the point 
would be necessary to control the na\'igation of 
the two rivers. But without the commanding 
work in the rear, would be liable to be greatly 
annoyed from a height situated directly opposite 



on the other side of the Mississippi, whicli is 
here no more than about two hundred and fifty 
yards wide. This latter height, however, would 
not be eligible for a permanent post, on account 
of the numerous ridges and ravines situated im- 
mediately in its rear.'' 



EABLY JIISTOin' OF liKI) lilVEli VALLEY. 



87 



CriAPTER XV. 



THO^rAS DOrfil.AS, KAliT, OF SKLKIUK, AND THE KED RIVER VALLEY. 



Ettrly travi-Iers to Lalie Winni[ eg— Earliest Map liy Mn- In.lian Otcliafii— U'-llin's 
allusion to it — Verendrye's Map— De la Jemoraye's Map — Fort La Roiiio— Fort 
on Ucd River abandoned— Origin of name Red Lake— Earl of Selkirk— Ossini- 
boia described— Scotcli immigrants at Pembina— Strife of trading companies- 
Earl of Selkirk \-isits America— Governor Semple Killed— Romantic life of Jcbii 
Tanner, and his son James— Letter relative to Selkirk's tour ttirougb Hiiine- 



The valley of the Red River of the Xorth is 
not only an important portion of jSIinnesota, but 
has a most interesting history. 

"While there is no evidence that Groselliers, tlit^ 
first white man who exi)lore(l Minnesota, ever 
visited Lake "Winnipeg and the Reel River, yet he 
met the Assineboines at the head of Lake Supe- 
rior and at Lake Nepigon, while on his way by a 
northeasterly trail to Hudson's 15ay, and learned 
something of this region from them. 

The first person, of whom we have an account, 
who visited the region, was an Englishman, who 
came in 1692, by way of York River, to "Winni- 
peg. 

Ocliagachs, or Otchaga, an intelligent Indian, in 
1728, assured Pierre Gualtierde Varenne, known 
in history as the Sieur Verendrye, while he was 
stationed at Lake iNepigon, that there was a 
communication, largely by water, west of Lake 
Superior, to the Great Sea or Pacific Ocean. The 
rude map, drawn by this Indian, was sent to 
France, and is still preserved.' Upon it is marked 
Kamanistigouia, the fort first established by I)u 
Luth. Pigeon River is calleil Mautiihavagane. 
Lac Sasakanaga is marked, and Rainy Lake is 
named Teeamemiouen. The river St. Louis, of 
Minnesota, is R. fond du L. Superior. The 
French geographer, Bellin, in his " Remarks 
upon the map of North iVmerica," published m 
175.J, at Paris, alludes to this sketch of Ochagachs, 
and says it is the earliest drawing of the region 
west of Lake Superior, in the Depot de la Marine. 

After this "\^erendrye, in 1737, drew a map, 
which remains unpublished, which shows Red 
Lake in Northern Minnesota, and the point of 
the Big AV'oods in the Red River Valley. There 



is another sketch in th(^ arcliivcs of France, 
drawn by Dc la Jemeraye. He was a nephew of 
Verendrye, and, under his uncle's orders, he was 
ill 1731, the first to advance from the Grand 
Portage of Lake Siipcrinr, by way of tlie Nalao- 
iiMgan or Groselliers. now Pigeon River, to Rainy 
Lake. On this appears Fort Rouge, on the south 
bank of the AssLneboine at its junction with the 
Red River, and on the Assineboine, a post estab- 
lished on October 3, 1738, and called Fort La 
Reine. Bellin describes the fort on Red River, 
but asserts that it was aliandoiied because of its 
vicinity to Fort La Reine, on the north side of 
the Assinneboine, and only about nine miles by 
a ptn-tage, from Swan Lake. Red Lake and Red 
River were so called by the early French explo- 
rers, on account of the reddish tint of the waters 
after a stm-m. 

Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, a wealthy, 
kind-hearted but visionary Scotch nobleman, at 
tlie commencement of the present century formed 
the design of planting a colony of agriculturists 
west of Lake Superior. In the year 1811 he 
obtained a grant of land from the Hudson Bay 
Company called Ossiniboia, which it seems 
strange has lieen given up l)y the people of Man- 
itoba. In the autumn of 1812 a few Scotchmen 
with their families arrived at Pembina, in the 
Red River Valley, by way of Hudson Bay, where 
they passed the winter. In tlic winter of 1813-14 
they were again at Fort Daer or Pembina. The 
colonists of Red River were rendered very un- 
happy by the strife of riv;il trading companies. 

In the spring of 1815, McKenzie and Morrison, 
traders of the Northwest company, at Sandy 
Lake, told the Ojibway chief there, that they 
would give him and his band all the goods and 
nun at Leech or Sandy Lakes, if they would an- 
no\ the Red River settlers. 

Tlie Earl of Selkirk hearing of the distressed 
condition of his colony, sailed for America, and 



8S 



EXPLOBEIiS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



in the fall of 1815, airived at New York City. 
Proceeding to Monti-eal he found a messenger 
who had traveled on foot ui mid-winter from the 
Bed Eiver by way of Ked Lake and Fou du Lac, 
of Lake Superior. He sent back by this man, 
kind messages to the dispirited settlers, bnt one 
night he was way-laid near Ton du Lac, and 
robbed of his canoe and dispatches. An O jib- 
way chief at Sandy Lake, aftei-wards testified 
that a trader named Grant offered him rum and 
tobacco, to send persons to intercept a bearer of 
dispatches to Eed Kiver, and soon the messenger 
was brought in by a negro and some Indians. 

Failing to obtain military aid from the 
British authorities in Canada, Selkirk made an 
engagement with foiu- officers and eighty privates, 
of the discharged Meuron regiment, twenty of 
the De AV^atteville, and a few of the CUengary 
Fencibles, which had served in the late war with 
the United States, to accompany him to Red 
River. They were to receive monthly wages for 
navigating the boats to Red River, to have lands 
assigned them, and a free passage if they wished 
to return. 

AVlien he reached Sault St. INIarie, he received 
the uitelligence that the colony had again been 
destroyed, and that Semple, a mild, amiable, but 
not altogether judicious man, the chief governor 
of the factories and territories of the Hudson 
Bay company, residing at Red River, had been 
kiUed. 

Schoolcraft, m 1832, says he saw at Leech 
Lake, ilajegabowi, the man who had killed Gov. 
Semple, after he fell wounded from his horse. 

Before he heard of the death of Semple, the 
Earl of Selkirk had made arrangements to visit 
his colony by way of Fon du Lae, on the St. Louis 
River, and Red Lake of ilinnesota, but he now 
changed his mind, and proceeded with his force 
to Fort "NVilUuni, the chief trading post of the 
Northwest Company on Lake Superior ; and ap- 
prehending the piincii)al partners, warrants of 
comnut incut W(!re issued, and they were forward- 
ed to the Attorney-General of Upper Canada. 

AVhile Selkirk was engaged at Fort William, 
a party of ('iii grants in charge of Miles McDon- 
nel, Governor, and Captain D"Orsomen, Avent 
forward to reinforce the colony. At Rainy 
Lake they obtained the guidance of a man who 
had r.ll the characteristics of an Indian, and yet 



had a bearing which suggested a different origui. 
By his efficiency and temperate habits, he had se- 
cirred the respect of his employers, and on the Earl 
of Selkirk's anival at Red River, his attention was 
called to him, and in his welfare he became 
deeply interested. By repeated conversations 
witli him, memories of a different kind of exist- 
ence were aroused, and the light of other days 
began to brighten. Though he had forgotten his 
father's name, lie furnished sufficient data for 
Selkirk to proceed with a search for his relatives. 
Visiting the United States in 1817, he published 
a clfcnlar in the papers of the Western States, 
which led to the identification of the man. 

It appeared from his own statement, and 
those of his friends, that his name was John 
Tamier, the son of a minister of the gospel, who, 
about the year ITiH), lived on tlie Ohio river, near 
the Miami. Shoi-tly after his location there, a 
baud of roving Indians passed near the house, 
and found Jolm Tanner, then a little boy, filling 
his hat with walnuts from under a tree. They 
seized him and fled. The party was led by an 
Ottawa whose wife had lost a sou. To compen- 
sate for his death, the mother begged that a boy 
of the same age might.be captured. 

Adopted by the band, Tanner grew up an 
Indian in his tastes and habits, and was noted 
for bravery. Selkirk was successful in finding 
his relatives. After twenty-eight years of sepa- 
ration, John Tanner in 1S18, met his brother 
Edward near Detroit, and went with him to his 
home in Missomi. He soon left his brother, and 
went back to the Indians. For a time he was 
mterpreter for Henry R. Schoolcraft, but became 
lazy and ill-natured, and in 1836, skulking behind 
some buslies, he shot and killed Schoolcraft's 
brother, and fled to the wilderness, where, in 
1847, he died. His son, James, was kindly treatr 
ed by the missionaries to the Ojibways of Minne- 
sota; but he walked in the footsteps of his father. 
In the year 185], he attempted to impose upon 
the Presbyterian muiister in Saint Paul, and, 
when detected, called upon the Baptist minister, 
who, believuig him a penitent, cut a hole in the 
ice, and received liim into the church by inuner- 
sion. In time, the Baptists found hl:n out, when 
he became an Unitarian missionary, and, at last, 
it is said, met a death by violence. 

Lord Selkirk was in the Red River "\'alley 



KAHL OF sKLKlIiK VISITS SAINT Lor IS. 



during the siiinmor of 1817, and on the eighteenth 
of July concluded a treaty witli the Crees and 
Saulteaux, i\n- a trad of land beginning at the 
inontli of the Red Hiver, and extending along 
the same as far as the Great Forks (now Grand 
Forks) at the mouth of Red Lake River, and 
along the Assinniboine Riveras far as JMusk Rat 
River, and extending to the distance of six miles 
from Fort IJonglas on every side, and likewise 
from Fort Daer (Pembina) and also from the 
Great Forks, iuid in other parts extending to the 
distance of two miles from the banks of the said 
rivers. 

Having restored order and confidence, attend- 
ed by three or four jiersons he crossed the plains 
to the jMiunesota River, and from thence pro- 
ceeded to St. Louis. The Indian agent at 
Prairie du Chien was not pleased with Selkirk's 
trip through Minnesota; and on the sixth of 
February, 1818, wrote the (4overnor of Illinois 
imder excitement, some groundless suspicions : 

•' ^Miat do you suppose, sir, has been the re- 
sult of the passage through my agency of this 
British nobleman? Two entire bands, and part 
of a third, all Sioux, have deserted us and joined 
Dickson, who has distributed to them large quan- 
tities of Indian presents, together with flags, 
medals, etc. Knowing this, what must have been 
my feelings on hearing that his lordship had met 
with a favourable reception at St. Louis. The 
newspapers announcing his nmval, unci general 
Scotti!<Ii ajijiearance, all tend to diseomiiose me ; 
believuig as I do, that he is plotting with his 
friend Dickson our destruction — sharpening the 
savage scalping knife, and colonizing a tract of 
country, so'remote as that of the Red River, for 
the purpose, no doubt, of monopolizing the fur 
and peltry trade of this river, the JNIissonri and 
their waters; a trade of the first importance to 
our ^^■estern States and Territories. A courier 
who had arrived a few days since, confirms the 
belief that Dickson is endeavouring to undo what 
I have done, and secure to the British govern- 
ment the affections of the Sioux, and stxbject the 
Xorthwest Company to his lordship. * * * 



Dickson, as I have before observed, is situated 
near the head of the St. Peter's, to which place 
he trans]iorls his goods from Selkirk's Red River 
establishment, in carts nuiile for the purpose. 
The trip is performed in live days, sometimes 
less. Tie is directed to build a fort on the high- 
est land between Lac du Traverse and Red River, 
which he supiHises will lie tlie established lines. 
This fort will be defended by twenty men, with 
two small pieces of artillery." 

In the year 1820, at Berne, Switzerland, a cir- 
cular was issued, signed, R. May D'Uzistorf, 
Captain, in his Britannic Majesty's service, and 
agent Plenipotentiary to Lord Selkirk. Like 
m;.iiy documents to induce emigration, it was so 
highly colored as to prove a delusion ami a 
snare. The climate was represented as '• mild 
and healthy." " "Wood either for building or 
fuel in the greatest plenty,'' and llie coiuitiy 
supplying "in profusion, whatever can be re- 
quired for the convenience, pleasuii' or comfort 
of life." Remarkalile statements considering 
that every green thing had been devoured the 
year before by grasshoppers. 

Under the influence of these statements, a num- 
ber were induced to embark. In tlie si>ring of 
18121, about two Innidred jicrsons assembled on 
the banks of the Rhine to jiroceed to the region 
west of Lake Superior. Having descended tlie 
Rhine to the vicinity of liotterdam, tliey went 
aboard the ship "Lord Wellington,"" and after a 
voyage across the Atlantic, and amid the ice- 
floes of Hudson's Bay, they reached York Fort. 
Here they debarked, an<! entering batteaux, as- 
cended Nelson River for twenty days, when they 
came to Lake "Winnipeg, and coasting along the 
west shore they reached the Red River i>f the 
]S,'ortli, to feel that they had been deluded, and 
to long for a milder clime. If they did not sing 
the Switzer"s Song of Ili)nie, they apiireciatcd its 
sentiments, and gradually these imnugrants re- 
moved to the banks of the ^lississippi River. 
Some settled in Minnesota, and were the first to 
raise cattle, and till the soil. 



90 



EXPLOREBS AND FIOXEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



FOET SNELLrNG DTTirNO ITS OCCTTPANCT IJY COjrP ANTES OF TITE FIFTH REGIMENT TJ. S. nsTFANTK Y. 

A. D. 1819, TO A. D. 1827. 



Orders for military occapatioa of Upper Mississippi — Leavenworth and Forsytli 
at Prajrie du Cliien— Birtli in Camp — Troops arrive at Mendota — Cantonment 
Estaltlislied— Wln-at carried to roiiibina— Notice of Devotion, Prescott, and 
Majur T.diaferro— Camp Cold Water Establislied— Col. Snelling takes command 
— Iiiil)ressive Scene— Officers in 1820— Condition of tlie Fort in 1S21— Saint 
Anthony Mill- Alexis Bailly takes cattle to Pembina— Notice of Beltrami— 
Arrival of lirst Steamboat — Ka.ior Long's Expedition to Nortliern Boundarj*- 
Beltrami visits tile northern sources of the Mississippi — First flour mill— First 
Sunday School— Great flood in 1S2G. African slaves at the Fort — Steamboat 
Arrivals — Duels — Notice of William Joseph Snelling — Indian fight at the Fort — 
AtUck upon keel boats — General tiaines' report — Removal of Fifth Regiment — 
Death of Colonel Snelling. 

The rumor that Lord Selkirk was foimding a 
colony on the borders of the United States, and 
that the Britisli tradhig companies within the 
boundaries of what lieeame tlie territory of Min- 
nesota, coiivinfed the authorities at Washmgton 
of the impiirtance of a military occupation of the 
valley of the Upper Alississippi. 

By direction of Major General Brown, the fol- 
lowing order, on the tenth of February, 1819, was 
issued : 

" ^lajor General JNlacomb, commander of the 
Fifth Military department, will without delay, 
concentrate at Detroit the Fifth Regiment of In- 
fantry, excepting the recruits otlierwisu directed 
by the general order herewith transmitted. As 
soon as the navigation of the lakes will admit, he 
will cause the regiment to be transported to Fort 
Howard; from thence, by the way of the Fox 
and "Wisconsin Rivers, to Prairie du-Chien, and, 
after detachuig a sufficient number of companies 
to garrison Forts Crawford and Armstrong, the 
remainder will proceed to the moutli of the River 
St. Peter's, where they will establish a post, at 
which the headquarters of the regiment will be 
located. The regiment, previous to its depar- 
ture, will receive the necessary supplies of cloth- 
ing, provisions, arms, and ammunition. Imme- 
iliate application will lie made to Brigadier Gen- 
eral Jes<ip, (Juartermaster General, for fimds 
necessary to execute the movements required by 
this order." 

On the thirteenth of April, this additional order 
was issued, at Detroit : 



"Tlie season having now anived when the 
lakes may be navigated with safety, a detach- 
ment of the Fifth Regiment, to consist of Major 
Marston's and Captain Fowle's companies, imder 
the command of Major Muhlenburg, will proceed 
to Cireen Bay. Surgeon's Mate, R. M. Byrne, of 
the Fifth Regiment, will accompany the detach- 
ment. The Assistant Deputy Quartermaster 
General will furnish the necessary transport, and 
will send by the same opportunity two hundred 
barrels of provisions, wliich he will draw from the 
contractor at this post. The provisions must be 
examined and inspected, and properly put up for 
transportation. Colonel Leavenworth will, with- 
out delay, prepare his regiment to move to the 
post on the Mississippi, agreeable to the Divi- 
sion order of the tenth of February. The Assist- 
ant Deputy (Quartermaster Cieuer;il will furnish 
the necessary transportation, to be ready by the 
first of May next. The Colonel ■will make requi- 
sition for such stores, ammunition, tools and 
iniplements as may be required, and he be able to 
take with him on the expedition. Particular in- 
stractions will be given to the Colonel, explaining 
the objects of his expedition." 

EVKNTS OF THE TEAR 1819. 

On Wednesday, the last day of June, Col. Leav- 
enworth and troops arrived from Green Bay, at 
Prairie du Chien. Scarcely had they reached 
this point when Charlotte Seymour, the wife of 
Lt. Nathan Clark, a native of Hartford, Ct., 
gave buth to a daugliter, whose first baptismal 
name was Charlotte, after her mother, and the 
second Ouisconsin, given by the officers in view 
of the fact that she was born at the junction of 
that stream with the ^Mississippi. 

In time Charlotte Ouisconsin marr'ed a young 
Lieutenant, a native of Princeton, Xew Jersey, 
and a graduate of West Point, and still resides 
witli her husband, General II. P, Van Cleve, in 



COL. LEAVENWORTIL jUiBIVES AT MKXDO'IA 



01 



the city of iMiiii ">apolis, living to do good .is she 
has opportunity. 

In June, imiler instructions from the AVar 
Department, il.ajor Thomas Forsytli, connected 
with the ollice of Indian affairs, left St. Louis 
with two thousand dollars worth of goods to he 
distributed among the Sioux Indums, in iiccor- 
daiice with the agreement of 1S05, already re- 
ferred to, hy the late General Pike. 

^Vbout uine o'clock of the morning of the fifth 
of July, he joined Leavenworth and his couiinand 
at Prairie da Chien. Some time was occupied hy 
Leavenwortli awaiting the arrival of ordnance, 
provisions and recruits, but on Sunday morning, 
the eighth of August, about eight o'clock, the 
expedition set out for the point now known as 
Mendota. The llotilla was qiute imposing ; there 
were the C'olouers barge, fomleen batteaux witli 
ninety-eight soldiers and oflicers, two large canal 
or JNIackiuaw boats, filled with various stores, and 
Forsyth'n keel boat, contaiiiing gomls and pres- 
ents fov the Indians. On the twenty-third of 
Angus*", Forsyth reached the mouth of the Jlin- 
nesota 'with his boat, and the next morning Col. 
Leava'aworth arrived, and selecting a place ;il 
Mendota, near the present railroad bridge, lie 
ordered the soldiers to cut down trees and make 
a clearing. On the next Saturday Col. Leaven- 
worth, ilajor Vose, Surgeon Purcell, Lieutenant 
Clark and the wife of Captain Gooding ivited 
the Falls of Saint Anthony with Forsyth, in 
his keel boat. 

Early in September two more boats and a bat- 
teaux, ■^vith otticeiK and one hundred and twenty 
recruits, arrived. 

During the winter of 18:20, Laidlow and others, 
in behalf of Lord Selkirk's Scotch settlers at 
Pembina, whose crops had been destroyed by 
grasshoppers, passed the Cantonment, on their 
w-ay to Prairie du Chien, to purchase wheat. 
Upon the fifteenth of April they began their 
return with their ^Mackinaw boats, each loaded 
with two lumdred bushels of wheat, one Inmdred 
of oats, and thu-ty of peas, and reached the mouth 
of the !MinneSota early in ihiy. Ascendmg this 
stream to Big Stone Lake, the boats were drawn 
on rollers a mile and a half to Lake Traverse, 
and on the third of June arrived at Pembina and 
cheered the desponding and needy settlers of the 
Selkirk colony. 



The first sutU'r of the post was a Mr. l)e\iition. 
He brought with him a young man iianied Phi- 
lander Prescott, who was born in istil ,at Phelps- 
town, Ontario county, New Yorl-c. At first they 
stopped at Ahul Hen Island, in the Mississippi 
below the mouth of the St. Croix Kiver. Coming 
up late in the year ISIS), at the site of the jires- 
ent town of Hastings they found a keel-boat 
loaded with sujijilies for the cantonment, in charge 
of Lieut. Oliver, detained by the i<'e. 

.Vmid all tlic cliangcs of the Imops, Mr. Pres- 
cott remained nearly all his life in tlu; vicinity of 
the post, to wliich he came when a mere lad, and 
was at length killed in tlie Sicnix Massacre. 

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1820 

In the spring of 1820. Jean Haptiste Faribaidt 
brought up Leavenworth's horses from Prairie 
dii Cliien. 

The first Indian Ageiit at the post was a former 
army officer, Lawrence Taliaferro, pronounced 
Toliver. As he had the confidence of the Gov- 
ernment for twenty-one successive years, he is 
deserving of notice. 

His family was of Italian origin, aiid among 
the early settlers of Virginia. He was born in 
1794, in King William county in that State, and 
when, in 1812, war was declared against Great 
Ih'itain, with four brothers, he entered the army, 
and was commissioned as Lieutenant of the 
Thirty-fifth Infantry. He behaved gallantly at 
Fort Erie and Sackett's IIarl)or, and after peace 
was declared, he was retained as a First Lieuten- 
ant of the Third Infantry. In 181(5 he was sta- 
tioned at Fort Dearborn, now the site of Cldcago. 
While on a furlough, he called one day upon 
President Monroe, who told him that a fort would 
be built near the Falls of Saint Anthony, and an 
Indian Agency established, to which he offered 
to appoint him. His commission was dated 
Mai-ch 27th, 1819, and he proceeded in due time 
to his post. 

On the fifth day of May, 1820, Leavenworth 
left his \\1nter quarters at JMendota, crossed the 
stream and made a sununer camp near the 
present military grave yard, which in conse(|uence 
of a fine spring has been called " Camp Cold 
Water." The Indian agency, imder Taliaferro, 
remained for a time at the old cantonment. 

The cdnnnanding ofiicer established a fine 



»2 



EXPL0BER8 AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



garden in the bottom lands of the Minnesota, 
and on the fifteenth of Jime the earliest garden 
peas were eaten. The first distinguished visitors 
at tlie new encampment were Governor Lewis 
Cass, of Michigan, and Henry Schoolcraft, who 
arrived in July, by way of Lake Superior and 
Sandy Tjake. 

The relations between Col. Leavenworth and 
Lidian Agent Taliaferro were not entirely har- 
monioiis. growing out of a disagreement of views 
relative to the treatment of the Indians, and on 
the day of the arrival of Governor Cass, Tel- 
iaferro writes to Leavenworth : 

" As it is now imderstood that I am agent for 
Indian affairs in this comitry, and you are about 
to leave the upper Mississippi, in all probability 
in the coiu'se of a month or two, I beg leave to 
suggest, for the sake of a general understanding 
with the Indian tribes in this country, that any 
medals, you may possess, would by bemg turned 
over to me, cease to be a topic of remark among 
the different Indian tribes under my direction. 
I will pass to you any vonchei' that may be re- 
quired, and I beg leave to observe that any pro- 
gress in influence is much impeded in conse- 
quence of this frequent iutercoiu'se with the gar- 
rison." 

In a few days, the disastrous effect of Indians 
mingling viith the soldiers was exhibited. On 
the third of August, the agent wrote to Leaven- 
worth: 

" His Excellency Governor Cass during his 
visit to this post remarke<l to me that the Indians 
jU this quarter were spoiled, and at the same 
time said they should not be permitted to enter 
the camp. An unpleasant affair has lately taken 
place ; I mean the stabbing of the old chief 
Mahgossau by his comrade. This was caused, 
doubtless, by an anxiety to obtain the chief's 
whiskey. I beg, therefore, that no whiskey 
wliatever l)e given to any Indians, imless it be 
throtigli their proper agent. While an oveii^lus 
of whiskey thwarts the benificent and humane 
policy of the government, it entaUs misery upon 
the Indians, and endangers their lives." 

A few days after this note was v.ritten Josiah 
Snelling, who had been recently promoted to the 
Colonelcy of the Fiftli Regiment, arrived with 
his family, relieved Leavenworth, and infused 
new life and energy. A little while before his 



arrival, the daughter of Captain Gooding was 
married to Lieutenant Green, the Adjutant of 
the regiment, the first mamage of white persons 
in Mumesota. Mrs. SnelUng, a few days after 
her arrival, gave birth to a daughter, the first 
white child born in Minnesota, and after a brief 
existence of tliirteen months, she died and was 
the first mterred in the military grave yard, and 
for years the stone which marked its resting 
place, was visiljle. 

The earliest manuscript in Minnesota, written 
at the Cantonment, is dated October 4, 1820, and 
is in the hand\rating of Colonel Snelling. It 
reads : "In justice to Lawrence Taliaferro, Esq., 
Indian Agent at this post, we, tlie undersigned, 
officers of the Fifth Kegiment here stationed, 
have presented him this paper, as a token, not 
only of our individual respect and esteem, but as 
an entire approval of his conduct and deportment 
as a pulilic agent in this quarter. Given at St. 
Peter, this 4th day of October, 1820. 

J. Snelling, if. Claek, 

Col. 5th Iirf. Lieutenant. 

S. BuKisANK, Jos. Hake, 

Br. Major. Lieutenant. 

David Perry, Ed. Pubcell, 

Captain. Surgeon, 

D. Gooding, P. R. Green, 

Brevet Captain. Lieut, and Adjt. 

J. Plympton, W. G. Camp, 

Lieutenant. Lt. and Q. M. 

R. A. McCABE, II. "WlLKINS, 

Lieutenant. Lieutenant." 

During the summer of 1820, a party of the 
Sissetou Sioux killed on the ISIissouri, Isadore 
Poupon, a half-breed, and Joseph Andrews, a 
Canadian engaged in the fur trade. The Indian 
Agent, tlu'ough CoUu Campbell, as interpreter, 
notified the Sissetons that trade would cease 
with tliem, until the murderers were dehvered. 
At a council held at Big Stone Lake, one of the 
murderers, and the aged father of another, agreed 
to surrender themselves to the commanding 
officer. 

On tlie twelfth of November, accompanied by 
their friends, they approached tlie encampment 
in solemn procession, and marched to the centre 
of the parade. First appeared a Sisseton bear- 
ing a British flag; then the murderer and the de- 
voted father of another, tlieir arms pinioned, and 



ARRIVAL OF TllK FlRtiT STEAMBOAT. 



\<Z 



large wooden splinters thrust tlnough the flesli 
above the elbows indicating their contempt for 
pain and denth ; in tlie rear followed friends and 
relatives, with them chanting the death dirge. 
Having arrived in front of the guard, lire was 
kindled, and the ]?ritish llag burned; tlien the 
murderer delivered up his medal, and both prisou- 
ers were surrounded. Col. Snelling detained t:.e 
old chief, while the murderer was sent to St. 
Louis for trial. 

EVENTS OF THE VEAK ISlJl. 

Col. Snelling built the fort in the shape of a 
lozenge, in view of the projection between the 
two ri\'ers. The first row of barracks was of 
licwu logs, obtained from the pine forests of Rum 
Jtiver, but the other buildings were of stone. 
Mrs. Van Cleve, the daughter of Lieutenant, 
afterwards Captain Clark, writes : 

■■ In 1821 the fort, although not complete, was 
lit for occupancy. My father had assigned to 
him the quarters next beyond the steps leading 
to the Commissary's stores, and during the year 
my little sister Jidiet was born there. ^Vt a later 
period my father and jSIajor (iai'Iand obtained 
permission to buikl more commodious quarters 
outside the walls, and the result «as the two 
stone houses afterwards occupied by the Indian 
Agent and interpreter, lately destroyed." 

Early in August, a young and intelligent mixed 
bl<iod, Alexis Bailly, in after years a member of 
the legislature of Minnesota, left the cantonment 
with the first drove of cattle for the Selkirk Set- 
tlement, and the next winter returned with Col. 
Robert Dickson and Messrs. Laidlow and ilac- 
kenzie. 

The next month, a party of Sissetons visited 
the Indian Agent, and told him that they had 
started with another of the murderers, to which 
reference has been made, but that f)n the way he 
had, through fear of being hung, killed himself. 

This fall, a mill was constructed for the use of 
the garrison, on the west side of St. Anthony 
Falls, under the supervision of Lieutenant McCabe. 
During the fall, George Gooding, Captain by 
brevet, resigned, and became Sutler at I'rairie dii 
Chien. He was a native of ilassachusetts, and 
entered the army as ensign in isos. In isio he 
became a Second Lieutenant, and the next year 
was wounded at Tippecanoe. 



In the middle of October, there embarked on 
the keel-boat " Saucy Jack," for Prairie du Cliien, 
Col. Snelling, Lieut. liaxley. Major Taliaferro, 
and Mrs. (rooding, 

EVENTS ov ^x■l■l .w'l) isi;:!. 

Karly iu January, l.si!!', there canu' to \\w Fort 
Ironi the Red River of tlie Xorlh. Cul. l!ol)ert 
Dickson, Laidlow, a Scotch farmer, tlie superin- 
tendent of Lord Selkirk's experimental farm, and 
one Mackenzie, on their w^ay to Prairie du Chien. 
Dickson returned with a drove of cattle, but 
owing to the hostility of the Sioux his cattle were 
scattered, and never reached Pembina. 

During the winter of l.S2;i, Agent Taliaferr<i 
was in Washington. While returning iu Marcli, 
iie was at a hotel in Pittsburg, when he received 
a note signed G. C. Beltrami, who was an Italian 
exile, asking permission to arcimiiiany him to tlie 
Indian territory. He was tall ami i-omniamling 
in appearance, and gentlemanly in bearing, and 
Taliaferro was .so forciVily impressed as toacced:' 
to the request. After reaching St. Louis they 
embarked on the first steamboat for the I'pjier 
Mississijipi. 

It was named the Mrgiuia. and was built iu 
Pittsburg, twenty-two feet in widtli, and one 
hundred and eighteen feet in length, in charge of 
a Captain ('rawford. It reached the Fort on the 
tenth of ^lay, and was saluted by the discliaige 
of caniKUi. Among tlie passengers, besiiles tlie 
Agent and the Italian, were Major Riddle, Lieut. 
Russell, and others. 

The arrival of the Virginia is an era in the 
history of the Dahkotah nation, and will proba- 
lily be transmitted to their posterity as long as 
they exist as a people. Tliey say their sacred 
men, the night before, dreamed of seeing some 
monster of the waters, whicli frightened them 
\ery much. 

As the boat neared the shore, men, women, 
and children beheld with silent astonishment, 
supposing that it was some enormous water-spirit, 
coughing, pulling out hot breath, and splashing 
water in every direction. A\'hen it touched the 
landing their fears prevailed, and they retreated 
some distance; but when the blowing off of 
steam commenced they were coiiqiletely un- » 
nerved: mothers forgetting tlieir childreu. willi 
streaming hair, sought hiding-places; chiefs, re- 



94 



BXPLOBEBS AND PIONSEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



noimcing their stoicism, scampered away like 
aftriglited auimals. 

The peace agreement beteen the Ojibways and 
Dahkotahs, made througli tlie iiiHuence of Gov- 
ernor Cass, was of brief duration, tlie latter be- 
ing the first to violate the provisions. 

On the fourtli of June, Taliaferro, the Indian 
agent among tlie Dalikotahs, took advantage of 
the presence of a large number of Ojilnva>« to 
renew the agreement for the cessation of hostili- 
ties. Tlie council hall of the agent was a large 
room of logs, in wliich waved conspicuously the 
flag of the United States, surrounded by British 
colors and medals that had been delivered up 
from time to time by Indian chiefs. 

Among the Dahkotah chiefs present were 
Wapashaw, Little Crow, and Penneshaw; of the 
Ojibways there were Kendous\\a. JMoshomene, 
and Pasheskonoepe. After mutual accusations 
and excuses concerning the infraction of the pre- 
vious treaty, tlie Dalikotahs lighted the calumet, 
they having been tlie first to infringe upon tlie 
agreement of 1820. After smoking and passing 
the pipe of peace to the Ojibways, who passed 
througli the same formalities, they all shook 
hands as a pledge of renewed amity. 

The morning after the council. Flat ilouth, 
the distinguished Ojibway chief, arrived, who 
had left his lodge vowing tliat he would never be 
at peace with the Dahkotahs. As he stepped from 
his canoe, Penneshaw held out his hand, but was 
repulsed with scorn. The Dahkotah warrior 
immediately gave the alarm, and in a moment 
runners Avere on their way to the neighboring 
villages to raise a war party. 

On the sixth of June, the Dahkotahs had assem- 
bled, stripped for a fight, and surromided the 
Ojibways. The latter, fearing the wt)rst, con- 
cealed their women and children beliind the old 
barracks which had been used by tlie troojis while 
the fort was being erected. At the solicitation of 
the agent and commander of the fort, the Dahko- 
tahs desisted trom an attacli and retired. 

On the seventh, the Ojibways left for their 
homes; but, in a few hours, while they were 
making a portage at Falls of St. Anthony, they 
were again approached by the Dahkotahs, who 
would have attacked them, if a detachment of 
troops had not arrived from the fort. 

A rumor reaching Pennesliaw's village that he 



had been killed at the falls, his mother seized an 
Ojibway maiden, wlio had been a captive from 
infancy, and, with a tomahawk, cut her in two. 
Upon t"he return of the son in safety he was much 
gratified at what he considered the prowess of 
Ills parent. 

On the third of July, 1823, Major Long, of the 
engineers, arrived at the fort in command of an 
expedition to explore the Minnesota Biver, and 
tlie region along the northern boundary line of 
the United States. Beltrami, at the request of 
Col. Snelling, was permitted to be of the party, 
and Alajor Taliaferro kindly gave liim a horse 
and equipments. 

The relations of the Italian to Major Long were 
not pleasant, and at Pembina Beltrami left the 
expedition, and with a " bois brule "', and two 
Ojibways proceeded and discovered the northern 
sources of the Mississippi, and suggested where 
the western sources would be found ; which was 
verified by Schoolcraft nine years later. About 
the second week in September Beltrami returned 
to the fort by wa}' of the ilississippi, escorted by 
forty or fifty Ojibways, and on the 25th departed 
for New Orleans, where he published his discov- 
eries in the French language. 

The mill which was constructed in 1821, for 
sawing lumber, at the Falls of St. Anthony, stood 
upon the site of the Holmes and Sidle Mill, in 
MinneapoUs, and in 1823 was fitted up for grind- 
ing flour. The following extracts from corres- 
pondence addressed to Lieut. Clark, Commissary 
at Fort Snelling, will be read ^Yiih interest. 

Under the date of August oth, 1823, General 
Gibson writes : '■ From a letter addressed by 
Col. Snelling to the Quartermaster General, 
dated the 2d of April, I learn that a large quan- 
tity of wheat would be raised this summer. Tlie 
assistant Commissary of Subsistence at St. Louis 
has been instructed to forward sickles and a pair 
of millstones to St. Peters. If any flour is manu- 
factured from the wheat raised, be pleased to let 
me know as early as practicable, that I may deduct 
tlie quantity manufactured at the post from the 
quantity advertised to be contracted for." 

In another letter, General Gibson writes : 
" Below you will find the amount charged on the 
books against the garrison at Ft. St. Anthony, 
for certain articles, and forwarded for the use of 
the troops at that post, which you will deduct 



FIBST FLOUE MILL IN MINNESOTA. 



il.5 



from ihe payments to be made for Hour raised 
and turned over to you for issue : 

One pair buhr niillstoiies g2o0 11 

337 pounds plaster of Paris 'M) 22 

Two dozen sickles. is 00 

Total $288 33 

Upon the 19th of January, 1824, tlie (ieneral 
WTites: "The mode suggested l>y Col. Snelling, 
of fixing the price to be paid to the troops for the 
flour furnished Ijy them is deemed equitable and 
just. You will accordingly pay for the flour 
$3.33 per ban-el." 

Charlotte Ouisconsiii '\''an Cleve. now the oldest 
person living who was connected with the can- 
tonment in 1819. in a paper read liefore the De- 
partment of American History of the Minnesota 
Historical Society in January, 1880, wrote : 

" In 1823, Mrs. Snelling and my mother estab- 
lished the first Sunday School in the Northwest. 
It was held in the basement of the commanding 
oflBcer's quarters, and was productive of much 
good. Many of the soldiers, with their families, 
attended. Joe. Brown, since so well know in 
this country, then a drummer boy, was one of 
the pupils. A Bible class, for the officers and 
their wives, was formed, and all became so inter- 
ested in the history of the patriarchs, that it fur- 
nished topics of conversation for the week. One 
day after the Sunday School lesson on thedeathof 
Moses, a member of the class meeting my mother 
on the parade, after exchanging the usual greet- 
ings, said, in saddened tones, ' But don't you feel 
son-y that Moses is dead ? ' 

Early in the spring of 1824, the Tully Ijoys 
were rescued from the Sioux and brought to the 
fort. They were children of one of the settlers 
of Lord Selkirk's colony, and with their parents 
and others, were on their way from Red Eiver 
^'alley to settle near Fort Snelling. 

The party was attacked by Indians, and the 
parents of these children murdered, and the boys 
captured. Through the influence of Col. Snell- 
ing t!ie children were ransomed and brought 
to the fort. Col. Snelling took John and 
my father Andrew, tlie younger of the two. 
Everyone became interested in the oi-phans, and 
we loved Andrew as if he had been our own lit- 
tle brother. John died some two years after his 
arrival at the fort, and Mrs. Snelling asked me 



when I last saw her if a tomb stone had been 
placed at his grave, she as requested, during a 
visit to the old home some years ago. She said 
she received a promise that it should lie done, 
and seemed quite disappointed when I told her it 
had not been attended to." 

Andrew Tully, after lieing (-(luratcd at an 
Orphan Asylum in New York City, became a 
carriage maker, and died a few years ago in that 
vicinity. 

EVENTS (IF THE VEAK A. I). 1824. 

In the year 1824 tlie Fort was visited by Gen. 
[ Scott, on a tour of inspection, and at his sug- 
gestion, its name was changed from Fort St. 
Anthony to Fort Snelling. The following is an 
extract from his report to the "War Deiiartment : 

" This work, of which the AVar Department is 
in possession of a plan, reflects the highest credit 
on Col. Snelling, his officers and men. The de- 
fenses, and for the most part, the public store- 
houses, shojis and quarters being constructed of 
stone, the whole is likely to endure as long as the 
post shall remain a frontier one. The cost of 
erection to the government has been the amount 
paid for tools and iron, and the per diem \n\u\ 
to soldiers employed as mechanics. I wish to 
suggest to the General in Chief, and through him 
to the War Department, the proiiriety of calling 
this work Fort Snelling, as a just cdniplinient 
to the meritorious officer under whom it has 
been erected. Tlie present name, (Fort St. An- 
thony), is foreign to all our associations, and is. 
besides, geographically incorrect, as the work 
stands at the junction of the Mississippi and 
St. Peter's [Minnesota] Rivers, eight miles be- 
low the great falls of the JMississippi, called 
after St. Anthony." 

In 1824, iSIajor Taliaferni proceeded to AVasli- 
ington with a delegation of Chippewaysand Dah- 
kotahs, headed by Little Crow, the grand fatliei- 
of the chief of the same name, wlio was engaged 
in the late horrible massacre of defenceless 
women and children. The object of the visit, ^\•as 
to secure a convocation of all the tribes of the 
Upper ilississippi, at Prairie du Cliein, to deUne 
their boundary lines and establish friendly rela- 
tions. "When they reached Prairie du Cheiii, 
AVahnatah, a Yankton chief, and also Wapashaw, 
by the whispenngs of mean traders, became dis- 



96 



EXPLOBERS ASn PIONEERS OF JflNNESOTA. 



affected, and wished to turn back. Little Crow, 
perceiving this, stopped all hesitancy by tlie fol- 
lowing speech: "My friends, you can do as you 
please. I am no coward, nor can my ears be 
pulled about by evil counsels. We are here and 
should go on, and do some good for our nation. 
I have taken our Father here (Taliaferro) by the 
coat tail, and will follow him vuitil I take by the 
hand, our great American Father." 

While on board of a steamer on the Ohio 
Elver, Marcpee or the Cloud, in consequence of a 
bad dream, jumped from the stern of the boat, 
and was supposed to be drowned, but he swam 
ashore and iflade his way to St. Charles, Mo. . 
there to be murdered liy some Sacs. The re- 
mainder safely arrived in AVashington and ac- 
complished the object of the visit. The Dahko- 
tahs returned by way of New York, and while 
there were anxious to pay a ^'isit to certain par- 
ties with "W^m. Dickson, a half-breed son of Col 
Robert Dickson, the trader, who in the war of 
1812-15 led the Indians of the Northwest against 
the Ignited States. 

After this visit Little Crow carried a new 
double-barreled gun, and said that a medicine 
man by the name of Peters gave it to him for 
signing a certain paper, and that he also prom- 
ised he woidd send a keel-boat full of goods to 
them. The medicine man referred to was the 
Kev. Samuel Peters, an Episcopal clergyman, 
who had made himself obnoxious duriut; the 
Revolution by his tory sentiments, arid was sub- 
sequently nomuiated as Bishop of A'ermont. 

Peters asserted that in 1806 he liad purchased 
of the lieirs of .Jonathan Carver the right to a 
tract of land on the upper Mississippi, embracing 
St. Paul, alleged to have been given to Carver by 
the Dahkotahs, in 1767. 

The next year there arrived, in one of the keel- 
boats from Prairie du Chieu, at Fort Snelling a 
box marked Col. Robert Dickson. On opening, it 
was found lo contain a few presents from Peters 
to Dickson's Indian wife, a long letter, and a 
copy of Carver's alleged grant, written on parch- 
ment. 

KVKNTS OF THE YEARS 1825 AND 1826. 

On the .'iOth of October, 1825, seven Indian 
women in canoes, were drawn into the rapids 
above the Falls of St. Anthony. All were saved 



l)ut a lame girl, who was dashed over the cata- 
ract, and a month later her body was found at 
Pike's Island in front of the fort. 

Forty years ago, the means of communication 
betTveen Fort Snelling and the civilized world 
were very limited. The mail in winter was usu- 
ally carried by soldiers to Prairie du Chien. On 
the 26th of January, 1826, there was great joy in 
the fort, caused by the return from furlough of 
Lieutenants Baxley and Russell, who brought 
with them the first mail received for five months. 
About tills period there was also another excite- 
ment, cause by the seizure of liquors in the trad" 
ing house of Alexis Bailey, at Xew Hope, now 
Mendota. 

During the months of February and ilarcli, in 
this year, snow f eU to the depth of two or three 
feet, and there was great suffering among the 
Indians. On one occasion, thii'ty lodges of Sisse- 
ton and other Sioux w^ere overtaken by a snow 
storm on a large prairie. The storm continued 
for three days, aud pro\'isions grew scarce, for 
the party were seventy in number. At last, the 
stronger men, with the few pairs of snow-shoes 
in their possession, started for a trading post one 
hundred miles distant. They reached their des- 
tuiation half aliv(% and the traders sympathizing 
sent foiu" Canadians with supplies for those left 
behind. After great toil they reached the scene 
of distress, and found many dead, and, what was 
more horrible, the living feeding on the corpses 
of their relatives. A mother had eaten her dead 
child and a jmrtion of her own father's arms. 
Tlie shock to her nervous system was so great 
that she lost her reason. Iler name was Pash- 
nno-ta, and she was both young and good look- 
ing. One day in September, while at Fort Snell- 
ing, she asked Captain Jouett if he knew which 
was the best jiortion of a man to eat, at the same 
time taking him by the collar of his coat. He 
replied with great astonishment, "No !" and she 
then said, "The arms." She then asked for a 
piece of his servant to eat, as she was nice and 
fat. A few days after this she dashed herself 
from the bluffs near Fort Snelling, into the river. 
Her body ■was found just above the mouth of the 
Minnesota, and decently Interred by ihe agent. 

The spring of 1826 was very backw'ard. On 
the 20th of March snow fell to the depth of one 
or one and a half feet on a level, and drifted in 



]VEOBO SLAVEIS AT FOUT aSELLlNQ. 



97 



heaps from six to fifteen feet in heiglit. On tlie 
5t!i of April, eurly in the day, tliere was a violent 
storm, anil the ire was still tliirk in tlio river. 
Diuiui,' the storm llaslies of Ii8iitnint>- were seen 
and thnnder heard. On the 10th, the thermome- 
ter was fom- degrees aliove zero. On tlio 1 1th 
there was rain, and on the next day the St. Peter 
river liroke up, hut the ice on the Jilississippi re- 
mained lirm. On the lilst, at noon, the ice began 
to move, and carried away Mr. Fariljault's houses 
on llu> east side of tlie river, for se\eral days 
the river was twenty feet above low water mark, 
and all the houses on low lands were swept off. 
On the second of Itlay, the steamboat T.awreuce, 
Captain Reeder, arrived. 

Major Taliaferro hail inherited several slaves, 
which he used to hire to officer's of the garrison. 
On the 31st of March, his negro boy, Wilham, 
was employed by Col. Snelling, the latter agree- 
ing to clothe him. About this time, AVilliani at- 
tempted to shoot a hawk, but instead shot a small 
boy, named Henry Cullum, and nearly killed him. 
In May, Captain Pl\'mpton, of the Fifth Infantry, 
wished to yiurchase his negro woman, Eliza, biit 
he refused, as it was his intention, ultimately, to 
fi'ee his slaves. Another of his negro girls, Har- 
riet, was married at the fort, the ilajor perform- 
ing the ceremony, to the now historic Dred Scott, 
who was then a slave of Surgeon Emerson. Tlie 
only person that ever purchased a slave, to retain 
in slavery, was Alexis Bailly, who bought a man 
of Major Garland. The Sioux, at first, had no 
prejudices against negroes. They called them 
" Black Frenchmen," and placing their hands on 
their woolly heads would laugh heartily. 

The following is a list of the steamboats that 
had arrived at Fort SnelUng, up to May 26, 1826 : 

1 Vu-ginia, May 10, 1823 ; 2 Neville ; 3 Put- 
nam, April 2, 182.5 ; 3 Jlandan ; o Indiana ; 6 Law- 
rence, May 2, 1826; 7Sciota;8 Eclipse; 9 Jo- 
sephine; 10 Fulton; 11 Red Rover; 12 Black 
Rover; 13 Warrior; 14 Enterprise; lo Volant. 

Life within the walls of a fort is sometimes the 
exact contrast of a paradise. In the year 1826 a 
Pandora box was opened, among the officers, and 
dissensions began to prevail. One young officer, 
a graduate of ^V'est Point, whose father had been 
a professor in Princeton College, fought a duel 
with, and slightly wounded, AVilliam Joseph, the 
talented son of Colonel SneUiug, who was then 



twenty-two years of age, and had been three years 
at West I'oint. At a Coint Jlarlial convened to 
try the officer for violating the Articles of AVar, 
the accused objected to the testimony of Lieut. 
William Alexander, a Tennesseean, not a gradu- 
ate of the ^Military Academy, on the ground that 
he was an infidel. Alexander, hurt by this allu- 
sion, challenged the objector, and aimlhcr duel 
was fought, rcsuUing oidy In sliglit injuries to 
tlie clothing of the comliatants. Inspector (ien- 
eral 10. P. Gaines, after this, visited the fort, and 
in his I'eport of the inspection he wrote: ''A 
defei^t hi the discipline of this regiment has ap- 
Bcared in the character of certain personal con- 
troversies, between the Colonel and several of his 
young officers, the iiarticulars of which I forbear 
to enter into, assured as I am that they will be 
developed in the proceedings of a general court 
martial ordered for the trial of Lieutenant Hun- 
ter and other officers at Jefferson BaiTacks. 

" From a conversation with the Colonel I can 
have no doiilit that he has erred in the course 
pursued by him in reference to some of the con- 
troversies, inasmuch as he has intimated to his 
officers his willingness to sanction in certain cases, 
and even to participate in personal conflicts, con- 
trary to the twenty-fifth. Article of War." 

The Colonel's son, AVilliam Joseph, after this 
passed several years among traders and Indians, 
and became distinguished as a poet and briUiant 
author. 

His " Tales of the Xorthwest," published in 
Boston ill 1.S20, by llilliard. Gray, Little & AVil- 
kins, is a work of great literary ability, and Catliu 
thought the book was the most faithful pictured 
Indian life he had read. Some of his poems were 
also of a high order. One of his pieces, deficient 
in dignity, was a caustic satire upon modern 
American poets, and was pulilished under the 
title of '■ Truth, a (;ift for Scribblers." 

Nathaniel P. AVillis, who had winced imder 
the last, wrote the following lampoon : 
" Oh, smelling Joseph ! Thou art like a cur. 

I'm told thou once did live by hunting fur : 

Of bigger dogs thou smellest, and, in .sooth, 

Of one extreme, perhaiis, can tell the truth. 

"Tis a wise shift, and sliows thou know'st thy 
jiowers. 

To leav(^ the ■ Xortli West tales,' and take to 
smelling ours.'' 



98 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



In 1832 a second edition of " Truth " appeared 
■with additions and emendations. In this ap- 
peared the following pasquinade upon Willis : 
"I live by Imnting fur, thou say"st, so let it be, 
But tell me. Natty ! Had I hunted thee, 
Had not my time been thrown away, young sir. 
And eke my powder V Puppies have no fur. 

Our tails ? Thou ownest thee to a tail, 
I've scanned thee o'er and o'er 
But, though I guessed the species right, 
I was not sure before. 

Our savages, authentic travelers say, 
To natural fools, religious homage pay, 
Eadst thou been born in wigwam's smoke, and 

died in, 
Nat ! thine apotheosis had been certain." 

Snelling died at Chelsea, Mass., December six- 
teenth, 1848, a victim to the appetite which en- 
enslaved Robert Burns. 

In the year 1826, a small party of Ojibwayfi 
(Chippeways) came to see tlie Indian Agent, 
and three of them ventured to visit the Colum- 
bia Fur Company's trading house, two miles 
from the Fort. While there, they became 
aware of their danger, and desired two of the 
wliite men attached to the establishment to 
accompany tliem back, thinking that their pres- 
ence might be some protection. They were in 
error. As they passed a little copse, three Dali- 
kotahs sprang from behind a log with the speed of 
light, fired their pieces into the face of the fore- 
most, and then fled. The guns must have been 
double loaded, for the man's liead was literally 
blown from his shoulders, and his wliite com- 
panions were spattered witli brains and blood. 
Tlie survivors gained the Fort without further 
molestation. Their comrade was buried on the 
spot where he fell. A stafE w-as set up on his 
grave, which became a landmark, and received 
the name of The Murder Pole. The murderers 
boasted of their achievement and with impunity. 
They and their tribe thought that they had struck 
a fair blow on their ancient enemies, in a becom- 
ing manner. It was only said, '..hat Toopunkah 
Zeze of the village of the Butlure aux Fievrex, 
and two others, had each acquired a right to 
•wear skunk skins on their heels and war-eagles' 
feathers on their lieads. 



EVKNTS OF A. D. 1827. 

On the tu'enty-eighth of May, 1827, tlie Ojib- 
way chief at Sandy Lake, Kee-wee-zais-hish 
called by the English, Flat Mouth with seven 
warriors and some women and children, in all 
amountnig to twenty-four, arrived about sunrise 
at Fort Snelling. Walking to the gates of the 
gaiTison, they asked the protection of Colonel 
Snelling and Taliaferro, the Indian agent. They 
were told, that as long as they remained inider 
the United States flag, they were secure, and 
were ordered to encamp within musket shot of 
the high stone walls of the fort. 

During the afternoon, a Dahkotah, Toopunkah 
Zeze, from a village near the first rapids of the 
Minnesota, visited the Ojibway camp. They 
were cordially received, and a feast of meat and 
corn and sugar, was soon made ready. The 
wooden plates emptied of their contents, they 
engaged in conversation, and whiffed the peace 
pipe. 

That night, some oflicers and their friends were 
spending a pleasant evening at the head-quarters 
of Captain Clark, wliich was in one of the stone 
houses which used to stand outside of the walls 
of the fort. As Captain Cruger was walking on 
the porch, a bullet whizzed by, and rapid firing 
w^as heard. 

As the Dahkotahs, or Sioux, left the Ojibway 
camp, notwithstanding their friendly talk, they 
tur-ned and discharged their guns with deadly aim 
upon their entertainers, and ran off with a sliout 
of satisfaction. The report was heard liy the 
sentinel of the fort, and he cried, repeatedly^ 
" Corporal of the guard !"' and soon at the gates, 
were the Ojibways, witli their women and the 
wounded, telling their tale of woe in wild and in- 
coherent language. Two had been killed and six 
woinided. Among others, was a little girl about 
seven years old, who was pierced through both 
thighs with z bullet. Surgeon McJIahon made 
every effort to save her life, but wdthout avail. 

Flat ilouth, the chief, reminded Colonel Snel- 
ling that he had been attacked while inider tlie 
protection of the United States flag, and early the 
next morning. Captain Clark, witli one hundred 
soldier. , proceeded towards LaiuTs End, a tra- 
ding-post of the Columbia Fur Company, on the 
Minnesota, a mile above the former residence of 



TRAGIC SCENE UNDEli THE ]VALL::i OF THE FoUT. 



yj 



Franklin Steele, where tlie Dalikolalis were sup- 
posed to be. The soldiers had just li'l't the lari;e 
gate of the fort, when a partx of Dahkotahs, in 
battle array, appeared on one of the prairit* 
hills. After some parleying they turned their 
baeks, and being pnrsned, thirly-two were cap- 
tured near the trading-post. 

Colonel Snelling ordered the prisoners to lie 
brouglit before the Ojibways. and two being 
pointed out as participants in tlie slaughter of the 
pi'eceding uight, they were delivered to tlu^ 
aggrieved party to deal with in accordance with 
their customs. They were led out to the plain 
in front of the gate of the foil, anil when placed 
nearly without the range of tlie Ojibway guns, 
they were told to run for their lives. AVitli the 
rapidity of deer they bounded away, but the Ojib- 
way bidlet Hew faster, and after a few steps, they 
fell gasping on the groimd, and were soon lifeless. 
Tlien the savage nature displayed itself in all its 
hideousness. Women and children danced for 
joy, and plachig their fingers in llic bullet holes. 
from which the blood oozed, tliey licked tliein 
with delight. The men tore the scalps fnnn the 
dead, and seemed to luxuriate in the privilege of 
plunging their Isnives through the corpses. After 
the execution, the Ojibways returned to the fort, 
and were met by the Colonel. He had prevented 
all over whom his authority extended from wit- 
nessing the scene, and had done his best to con- 
fine the excitement to the Indians. The same 
day a deputation of Uahkotah warriors received 
audience, regretting the violence that liad lieen 
done by their young men, and agreemg to deliver 
uji the ringleaders. 

At the time appointed, a son of Flat JNIonth, 
with those of the Ojibwa party that were not 
wounded, escorted by United States troops, 
marched forth to meet the Dahkotah deputation, 
on the prame just beyond the olil residence of 
tlie Indian agent. AVith much solemnity two 
more of the guilty were lianded over to the 
assaulted. One was fearless, and with firmness 
stripped himself of his clothing and ornaments, 
and distributed them. The other could not face 
death with composure, lie was iiotf d for a hid- 
eous hare-lip, and had a bad reputation among 
liis fellows. In the spirit of a coward he prayed 
for life, to the mortification of iiis tribe. The 
same opportunity was presented to them as to the 



first, of running for their lives. At the first fire 
the coward fell a corpse; but his brav(> compan- 
ion, tliiiuijli wounded, ran on. and had iiearlv 
reached the goal of safety, when a second bullet 
killed him. Tht; body of the coward now became 
a common object of loathing for both Dahkotahs 
and Ojibways. 

("olonel Snelling told th(! Ojibways that tlie 
bodies must \n\ removed, and then they took Ih.e 
scalped Dahkotahs. and dragging them by the 
hffls. tliirw tliciii oil' lli(^ blulf iiilo the river, a 
hundred and fifty feet beneath. The dreadful 
scene was now over ; and a detaclmient of troops 
was sent with the old chief Flat Mouth, to escort 
him out of the reach of Dahkotah vengeance. 

An eyewitness wrote : " After this catastroiihe, 
all the Dahkotahs (piit ted the vicinity of Fort Snel- 
ling, and did not return to it for some months. 
It w-as said that they formed a consiiiracy to de- 
mand a council, and kill the Indian Agent and 
the commanding olllcer. If this was a fact, they 
had no opportunity, or wanted the spirit, to exe- 
cute their purpose. 

" The Flat Mouth's band lingered in the fort 
till their woiuided comrade died. lie was sensi- 
ble of his condition, and bore his iiains with great 
fortitude. When he felt his end ajiproach, he 
desh'ed that his horse might be gaily caparisoned, 
and brought to the hospital window, so that he 
might touch the animal. He then took from his 
medicine bag a large cake of maple sugar, and held 
it forth. It may seem strange, but it is true, that 
the beast ate it from his hand, liis features 
were radiant with delight as he fell back on the 
pillow exhausted. His horse had eaten the sugar, 
he said, and he was sure of a favorable reception 
and comfortable quarters in the other world. 
Half an hour after, he breathed his last. A\'e 
tried to discover the details of his superstition, 
but could not succeed. It is a subject on which 
Indians unwillingly discourse." 

In the fall of l.s^B, all the troops at Prairie du 
Cliien had been removed to Fort Snelling, the 
commander taking with him two 'Winnebagoes 
that had been confined in Fort Crawford. After 
the soldiers left the I'rairie, the Indians in the 
vicinity w'ere quite insoleiu. 

In .June, 1827, two keel-boats passed Prairie du 
Chien on the way to Fort Snelling with provis- 
ions. When they reached Wapashaw village, on 



100 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA.. 



the site of the present town of Winona, the crew 
were ordered to come ashore by the Dahkotahs. 
Complying, they found themselves surrounded by 
Indians with hostile intentions. The boatmen 
had no fire-arms, but assuming a bold mien and a 
defiant voice, the captain of the keel-boats ordered 
the savages to leave the decks ; which was suc- 
cessful, The boats pushed on, and at Red Wing 
and Kaposia the Indians showed that they were 
not friendly, though tliey did not molest the 
boats. Before they started on their return from 
Fort Snelltng, the men on board, amounting to 
thirty-two, were all provided with muskets and a 
barrel of ball cartridges. 

When the descending keel-boats passed Wapa- 
shaw, the Dahkotas were engaged in the war 
dance, and menaced them, but made no attack. 
Below this point one of the boats moved in ad- 
vance of the other, and when near the mouth of 
the Bad Axe, the half-breeds on board descried 
hostile Indians on the banks. As the channel 
neared the shore, the sixteen men on the first 
boat were greeted with the war whoop and a vol- 
ley of rifle balls from the excited Wimiebagoes, 
killing two of the crew. Bushing into their ca- 
noes, the Indians made the attempt to board the 
boat, and two were successful. One of these 
stationed himself at the bow of the boat, and 
fired with killing effect on the men below deck. 
An old soldier of the last war with Great Britain, 
called Saucy Jack, at last despatched him, and 
began to rally the fainting spirits on board. Du- 
ring the fight the boat had stuck on a sand-bar. 
With four companions, amid a shower of balls 
from the savages, he phniged into the water and 
pushed ofE the boat, and thus moved out of reach 
of the galling shots of the Winnebagoes. As 
they floated down the river during the night, 
they heard a wail in a canoe behind them, the 
voice of a father mourning the death of the son 
who had scaled the deck, and was now a corpse 
in possession of the white men. The rear boat 
passed the Bad Axe river late in the night, and 
escaped an attack. 

The first keel-boat arrived at Prairie du Ohein, 
with two of their crew dead, four wounded, and 
the Indian that had been killed on the boat. The 
two dead men had been residents of the Prairie, 
and now the panic was increased. On the morn- 
ing of the twenty-eighth of June the second 



keel -boat appeared, and among her passengers 
was Joseph Snelling, the talented son of the 
colonel, who wrote a story of deep interest, based 
on the facts narrated. 

At a meeting of the citizens it was resolved to 
repair old Fort Crawford, and Thomas McNair 
was appointed captain. Dirt was thrown aromid 
the bottem logs of the fortification to prevent its 
being fired, and young Snelling was put in com- 
mand of one of the block-houses. On the next 
day a voyageur named Loyer, and the well-known 
trader Duncan Graham, started through the in- 
terior, west of the Mississippi, with intelligence 
of the murders, to Fort Snelling. Intelligence 
of this attack was received at the fort, on the 
evening of the ninth of July, and Col. Snelling 
started in keel boats with four companies to Fort 
Crawford, and on the seventeenth four more 
companies left under Major Fowle. After an 
absence of six weeks, the soldiers, without firing 
a gim at the enemy, returned. 

A few weeks after the attack upon the keel 
boats General Gaines inspected the Fort, and, 
subsequently in a communication to the War 
Department wrote as follows ; 

" The main points of defence against an enemy 
appear to have been in some respects sacrificed, 
in the effort to secure the comfort and conven- 
ience of troops in peace. These are important 
considerations, but on an exposed frontier the 
primary object ought to be security against the 
attack of an enemy. 

" The buildings are too laige, too numerous, 
and extending over a space entirely too great, 
enclosing a large parade, five times greater than 
is at all desireable in that climate. The build- 
ings for the most part seem well constructed, of 
good stone and other materials, and they contain 
every desirable convenience, comfort and securi- 
ty as barracks and store houses. 

" The work may be rendered very strong and 
adapted to a garrison of two hundred men by re- 
moving one-half the buildings, and with the ma- 
terials of which they are constructed, building a 
tower sufficiently high to command the hill be- 
tween the ^Mississippi and St. Peter's [Minnesota], 
and by a block house on the extreije pohit, or 
brow of the cliff, near the commandant's quarters, 
to secure most effectually the banks of the river, 
and the boats at the landing. 



DEATH OF COL. JOSIAII SNELLING. 



101 



''Mufli crei.it i- due to Colonel Siu'Uiiii;, his 
officers and men, for their immense labors and 
excellent workmanship exhibited in the constnic- 
tion of these barracks and store houses, but this 
has been effected too mui-h at the expense of the 
discipline of the regiment." 

From reports made from 1823 to 1826. the health 
of the troops was good. In the year ending .Sep- 
tember thirty, 1823, there were but two deaths; 
m 1S24 only six, and in 1825 but seven. 

In lS2/i there were three desertions, in 1824 
twenty-two, and in 1825 twenty-nine. JNIost of 
the deserters ^\■ere fresh recruits and natives of 
America, Ten of the deserters were foreigners, 
and five of these were born in Ireland. In ls2(i 
there were eight companies numbering two luui- 



dreil and fourteen soldiers <piartered in Ihe Fort" 
During tlu^ fall of l.s27 the Fitlh Regiment was 
relieved by a part of llie First, and the next year 
(.'olonelSnelling proceeded to Washington on bus- 
iness, wliere he, died with inllaiunialion of the 
lirain. Major (ieucral Macoiuli announcing his 
death in an order, wrote : 

'■(-olonel Snelling joined the army in early 
youth. In the battle of Tippecanoe, he was 
distinguish(>d for gallantry and good conduct. 
Subsequently and during the whole late war with 
Great P.ritain, from the battle of Brownstown to 
the termination of the contest, lie was actively 
employed in the field, with credit to himself, and 
honor to his country.'' 



102 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



OCCUERENCES IX THE VICIIsriTT OF FOKT SNELLTTSTG, CONTINTTED. 



Arrival of J. N. Nicollel— Marriage of James Wells— NicoUet's letter from Falls- 
of St. AntholiJ'— Perils of Mal-tin McLeod^-Cliippeway treachery— Sioux Re 
veiige— Rum River and Stilhvater hattles— Grog shops near the Fort. 

Oil the second of July 1S36, the steamboat 
Saint Peter landed siiiiplics, and among its 
passengers was the distinguished French as- 
tronomer. Jean N. Nicollet (Nicokiy). I^Iajor 
Taliaferro on the twelfth of Jidy, wrote; 
" Mr. Nicollet, on a visit to the post for scientific 
research, and at present in my family, has showii 
me the late work of Henry R. Schoolcraft on the 
discovery of the source of the Mississippi ; which 
claim is ridiculous in the extreme." On the 
twenty-seventh, Nicollet ascended the JNIississippi 
on a tour of observation. 

James AVells, a trader, wlio afterwards was a 
member of the legislature, at the house of Oliver 
Cratte, near the fort, was married on the tw elfth 
of September, by Agent Taliaferro, to Jane, a 
daughter of Duncan Graham. Wells was killed 
in 1862, by the Sioux, at the time of the massacre 
in the Minnesota Valley. 

Nicollet in September returned from his trip 
to Leech Lake, and on the twenty-seventh wTote 
the following to JMajor Taliaferro the Indian 
Agent at the fort, which is supposed to be the 
earliest letter extant written from the site of the 
city of Minneapolis. As the principal hotel and 
one of the finest avenues of that city bears his 
name it is worthy of preservation. He speUed 
his name sometimes Nicoley, and the pronuncia- 
tion in English, would be Nicolay, the same as 
if written Nicollet in French. The letter shows 
that he had not mastered the English language : 
" St. Anthony's Falls, 27th September, lS3fi, 

Deak Friend :— I arrived last evening about 
dark; all well, nothing lost, nothuig broken, 
happy and a very successful journey. But I 
done exhausted, and nothing can reUeve me, but 
the pleasure of meeting you again under your 
hospitable roof, and to see all the friends of th" 
garrisou who have been so kind to me. 



" This letter is more particularly to give you 
a very extraordinary tide. Flat Mouth, the chief 
of Leech Lake and suite, ten in number are with 
me. The day before yesterday I met them again 
at Swan river where they detained me one day. 
I had to bear a new^ harangue and gave answer. 
All terminated by their own resolution that they 
ought to give you the hand, as well as to the 
Guinas of the Fort (Colonel Davenport.) 1 
thought it my duty to acquaint you with it be- 
forehand. Peace or war are at stake of the visit 
they pay you. Please give them a good welcome 
until I have reported to you and Colonel Daven- 
port all that has taken place diu'ing my stay 
among the Pillagers. But be assured I have not 
trespassed and that I liave behaved as would 
have done a good citizen of the U. S. As to 
Schoolcraft's statement alluding to you, you will 
have full and complete satisfaction from Flat 
Mouth himself. In haste, your friend, J. N. 
Nicoley." 

events of a. d. 1837. 

On the seventeenth of March, 1837, there ar- 
rived Martin ilcLeod, who became a prominent 
citizen of Minnesota, and the legislature has 
given his name to a county. 

He left the Red River country on snow shoes, 
with two companions, one a Polander and the 
other an Irishman named Hays, and Pierre Bot- 
tineau as interpreter. Being lost in a violent 
snow storm the Pole and Irishman perished. lie 
and his guide, Bottmeau, lived for a time on the 
flesh of one of their dogs. After being twenty- 
six days without seeing any one. the survivors 
reached the traduig post of Joseph R. Brown, at 
Lake Traverse, and from thence they came to 
the fort. 

EVENTS OF A. D. 1838. 

In tlic nuiiitli of April, eleven Sioux were slain 
in a dastardly manner, by a i)arfy of Ojibways, 



IXDIAI^ BATTLES AT RVM lilVEH AND STILLWATER. 



103 



imder the noted and elder Hole-in-the-Day. The 
Chippeways feigned the wannest friendship, and 
at dark lay do\ni in the tents by the side of the 
Sionx, and in tlie night silently arose and lulled 
them. Tlie occurrence took place at the Chippe- 
way Kiver, abouttliirty miles from Lac qui Parle, 
and tlie next day the Hev. G.II. Pond, the Indian 
missionary, accompanied by a ,Sionx, \.ent out 
and buried the mutikited and scalpless bodies. 

On the second of August old IIole-in-the-I)ay, 
and some Ojibways, came to the fort. They 
stopped first at the cabin of Peter Quiini, whose 
wife was a half-breed Chippeway, about a mile 
from the fort. 

The missionary, Samuel AV. Pond, told the 
agent that the Hioux, of Lake Calhoun were 
aroused, and on their way to attack the Chippe- 
ways. The agent quieted them for a time, but 
two of the relatives of those slain at Lac qui Parle 
in ^Vpril, hid themselves near Quimi's house, and 
as IIole-iu-the-Day and hi.s associates were pass- 
ing, they -fired and killed one Chippeway and 
wounded another. Obpquette. a Chippeway from 
Ked Lake, succeded, however, in shooting a 
Sioux while he was in the act of scalpmg his 
comrade. The Chippeways were brought within 
the fort as soon as possible, and at nine o'clock 
a Sioux was confined in the guard-house as a 
hostage. 

Notwithstanding the murdered Chippeway had 
been buried in the graveyard of the fort for safety, 
an attempt was made on the part of some of the 
Sioux, to dig it up. On the evening of the sixth, 
Major Plympton sent the Chippeways across the 
river to the east side, and ordered them to go 
home as soon as possible. 

EVENTS OF A. D. 1839. 

On the twentieth day of June the elder Ilole- 
m-the-Day arrived from the Upper ^Mississippi 
with several Innidreil Chippeways. Upon tlieir 
return homeward the Mississippi and Mille Lacs 
band encampei^ the first night at the Falls of ><amt 
^Vnthony, and some of the Sioux visited them and 
smoked the pipe of peace. 

On the second of July, about sunrise, a son-in- 
law of the chief of tlie Sioux band, at Lake Cal- 
houn, named Meekaw or Badger, was killed and 
scalped by two Chippeways of the Pillager band, 
relatives of him who lost his b'fp near Patrick 



Quinn's the year before. The excitement was 
intense among the Sioux, and innnediately war 
parties started in pursuit. iloIe-in-the-Uay's 
band was not sought, but the JNlille Lacs and 
Saint Croix Chippeways. The Lake Calhoun 
Sioux, with those from the villages on the 
^Minnesota, assembled at the i'alls of Saint 
Anthony, and on the morning of the fourth 
of .July, came up with the Mille Lacs 
Chippeways on Rum River, before sunrise. Xot 
long after the war whoop was raised and the 
Sioux attacked, killing and wounding ninety. 

The Kajiosia band of Sioux pursued the Saint 
Croix Chippeways, and on the third of July found 
them in the Penitentiary ravine at Stillwater, 
under the influence of wiiisky. Aitkin, the old 
trader, was with them. The sight of the 
Sioux tended to make them sober, but in the fight 
twentj'-one were killed and twenty-nine were 
wounded. 

AVliisky, during the year 1839, was freely in- 
troduced, in the face of the law prohibiting it. 
The first boat of the season, the Ariel, came to 
tlie fort on the fomteenth of April, and brouglit 
twenty barrels of whisky for Joseph R. Brown, 
and on the twenty-first of May, the Glaucus 
brought six barrels of liquor for David Faribault. 
On the thirtieth of June, some soldiers went to 
Joseph R. Brown's groggery on the opposite side 
of the Mississippi, and that night forty -seven 
were in the guard-house for dj:unkenness. The 
demoralization then existing, led to a letter by 
Sm'geon Emerson on duty at the fort, to the Sur- 
geon General of the United States army, in which 
he writes : 

" The whisky is brought here by citizens who 
are pouring in upon us and .settling themselves 
on the opposite shore of the Mississippi river, 
in defiance of our wortliy commanding officer, 
^lajor .1. Plympton. whose authority they set 
at naught. At this moment there is a 
citizen named Browni, once a sohlier in 
the Fifth Infantry, who was discharged at 
this post, while Colonel Snelling commanded, 
and who has been since employed by the Ameri- 
can Fur Company, actually building on the land 
marked out by the land officers as the reserve, 
and withui gunshot distance of the fort, a very 
expensive whisky shop." 



104 



EXPLOBEIiS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 



INDIAN TRIBES IN MINNESOTA AT THE TI3IE OF ITS ORGANIZATION. 



Sioux or 0alikotah people— MeanitiRof words Sioux and Dalikotah— liarly villages 
— Hesi'lence of Sioux in 1S49— Ttie Winiieliapoe^i— Tiie Ojibways or Chippeways. 

Tlie three Iiidiiin nations who dwelt in tliis 
region after the organization of JSIinnesota, were 
the Sioux or Dahkotahs ; the Ojibways or Chip- 
peways ; and the Ilo-tcliun-graws or Winneba- 
goes. 

SIOUX OR DAHKOTAHS. 

They are an entirely different group from the 

Algonquin and Iroquois, who were found by tlie 
early settlers of the Atlantic States, on the banks 
of the Connecticut, Mohawk, and Susquehanna 
Elvers. 

When the Dahkotahs were first noticed by the 
European adventurers, large numbers were occu- 
pying the Mille Lacs region of country, and appro- 
priately called by the voyageur, "People of the 
Lake," "Gens du Lac." And tradition asserts that 
here was the ancient centre of this tribe. Though 
we have traces of their warring and hunting on the 
shores of Lake Superior, there is no siitisfaetory 
evidence of their residence, east of the Mille Lacs 
region, as they have no name for Lake Superior. 

The word Dahkotah, by which they love to be 
designated, signifies allied or joined together in 
friendly compact, aiid is equivalent to " E pluri- 
bus unum," the motto on the seal of the United 
States. 

In the history of the mission at La Pointe, 
Wisconsin, published nearly two centuries ago, a 
a writer, referring to the Dahkotahs, remarks : 

" For sixty leagues from the extremity of the 
Upper Lake, toward sunset; and, as it were in 
the centre of the western nations, they have all 
unUed their force by a general league." 

The Dahkotahs in the earliest documents, and 
even until the present day , are called Sioux, Scioux, 
or Soos. The name originated mtli the early voy- 
ageurs. For centuries the Ojibways of Lake 
Superior waged war against the Dahkotahs; and. 



whenever they spoke of them, called them Xado- 
waysioux, which signifies enemies. 

The French traders, to avoid exciting the atten- 
tion of Indians, while conversing in their pres- 
ence, were accustomed to designate them by 
names, which would not be recognized. 

The Dahkotahs were nicknamed Sioux, a word 
composed of the two last syllables of the Ojibway 
word for foes 

Under the influence of the French traders, the 
eastern Sioux began to wander from the Mille 
Lacs region. A trading post at 0-ton-we-kpa- 
dan, or Rice Creek, above the Falls of Saint 
Anthony, induced some to erect their summer 
dwellings and plant corn there, which took the 
place of wild rice. Those who dwelt here were 
called Wa-kpa-a-ton-we-dan Those v,ho dwell on 
the creek. Another division was known as the 
ila-tan-ton-wan. 

Less than a hundred years ago, it is said that 
the eastern Sioux, pressed by the Chippeways, 
and influenced by traders, moved seven miles 
above Fort Snelling on the Minnesota River. 

MED-DAY-WAH-KAWN-TWAWNS. 

In 1849 there were seven villages of Med-day- 
wah-kawn-twawn Sioux. (1) Below Lakp Pepin, 
where the city of Winona is, was the village of 
Wapashaw. This band was called Kee-yu-ksa, 
because with them blood relations intermarried. 
Bounding or Whipping Wind was the chief. (2) 
At the head of Lake Pepin, under a lofty bluff, 
was the Red ^Ving village, called Ghay-nini-chan 
Hill, wood and water. Shooter was the name 
of the chief. (3) Opposite, and a little below the 
Pig"s Eye IMarsh, was the Kaposia band. The 
word, Kapoja means light, given because these 
people are quick travelers. His Scailet People, 
better kno^\^^ as Little Crow, was the chief, and 
is notorious as the leader in the massacre of 1862. 

On the Minnesota River, on the south side 



SOTICE OF THE llOTCIirXGRAWS, 01! ^n X .\ K/:.\(;nE.<i. 



111.1 



a lew miles above Fort Snelling, was Black Dog 
village. The inhabitants were called, Ma-ga-yu- 
tay-shnee. People who do not a geese, be- 
cause they found itpiolitable to sell game at Fort 
Snelliug. Grey Iron was the chief, also known 
as Fa-ma-ya-vaw, jNIy head aches. 

At Oak (irove, on the north side of the river, 
eight miles above the fort, was (5) 1 lay-ya-ta-o- 
ton-wan, or Inland A'illage, so called because 
they formerly lived at Lake Calkoun. Contigu- 
ous was (G) 0-ya-tay-shee-ka, or Bad People, 
Known as Good Roads Band and (7) the largest 
village was Tin-ta-ton-wan. Prairie Village ; 
Shokpay, or Six, was the chief, and is now the 
site of the town of Shakopee. 
West of this di\ision of the Sioux were— 

WAR-PAY-KIT-TAY. 

The War-pay-ku-tay, or leaf shooters, who 
occupied the country south of the Minnesota 
around the sources of the Cannon and Blue Earth 
Rivers. 

"WAK-PAY-TWAWNS. 

North and west of the last were the War-pay- 
twawns, or People of the Leaf, and their princi- 
pal village was Lac qui Parle. They numbered 
about fifteen hundred. 

SE-SEE-TWAWNS. 

To the west and southwest of these bands of 
SioiLx were the Se-see-twawns (Sissetoans), or 
Swamp Dwellers. This band claimed the land 
west of the Blue Earth to the James River, and 
the guardianship of the Sacred Red Pipestone 
Quarry. Their principal village was at Traverse, 
and the number of the band was estimated at 
thirty-eight hundred. 

HO-TCHUN-GRAWS, OK WINNEBAC40ES. 

The llo-tchun-graws, or Winnebagoes, belong 
to the Dahkotah family of aborigines. Cham- 
plain, although he never visited tliem, mentions 
them. Xicollet, wlio had been in his employ, 
visited Green Bay about the year 1635. and an 
early Relation mentions tliat he saw the Ouini- 
pegous, a people called so, because they came 
from a distant sea, whicli some French erron- 
eously called Puants. Another writer speak- 



ing of these people says : ■' This people are 
called ' Les Puants ' not because of any bad odor 
peculiar to them, but because they claim to have 
come from the shores of a far distant lake, 
towards the north, whose waters are salt. They 
call themselves the people ' de I'eau puants,' of 
the putrid or bad water." 

By the treaty of 1837 they were removed to 
Iowa, and by another treaty in October, 1846, 
they came to Minnesota in the spring of 1848, 
to the coimtry between the Long Prairie, 
and Crow Wing Rivers. The agency was located 
on Long Prairie River, forty miles from the 
Mississippi, and in 1841) the tribe numbered 
about twenty-tive htmdred souls. 

In February 1855, another treaty was made 
with them, and that spring they removed to lands 
on the Blue Earth River. Owing to the panic 
caused by the outbreak of the Sioux in 1S62, Con 
gress, by a special act, without consulting them, 
in 1863, removed them from their fields in Min- 
nesota to the Missouri River, and in the words 
of a missionary, "they were, like the Sioux, 
dumped in the desert, one hundred miles above 
Fort Randall" 

O.JIBWAY OR CHIPPEWAY NATION. 

The Ojibways or Leapers, when the French 
came to Lake Superior, had their chief settlement 
at Sault St. ]\Iarie, and were called by the French 
Saulteurs, and by the Sioux, Ilah-ha-tonwan, 
Dwellers at the Falls or Leaping Waters. 

When Du Luth erected his trading post at the 
western extremity of Lake Superior, they liad not 
obtained any foothold in Minnesota, and were 
constantly at war with their hereditary enemes, 
the Nadouaysioux. By the middle of the 
eighteenth century, they had pushed in and occu- 
pied Sandy, Leech, Mille Lacs and other points 
between Lake Superior and the Mississippi, which 
had been dwelling places of the Sioux. In 1820 
the principal villages of Ojibways in Minnesota 
were at Fond du Lac, Leech Lake and Sandy 
Lake. In 1837 they ceded most of their lands. 
Since then, other treaties have been made, until 
in the year 1881, they are confined to a few res- 
ervations, in northern Minnesota and vicinity. 



106 



EXPLOBSRS AND PIONEEES OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



EARLY JIISSIONS A3IONG THE OJIBWAYS AND DAHKOTAHS OF MnSniTESOTA. 



Jesuit Missions not permanpnt— Pipsliytr-ri.-in Mission at Mackinaw — Visit of Uev 
A. Coe an<! J D. Stevens to Foil Suellmg— JJotice of Ayers, Hall, antl Boutwell 
—formation of the word Itasca — The Brothers Pond— Arrival of Dr. William- 
son -Presbj-terian Church at Fort Snelling — Mission at Lake Harriet— Mourn- 
ins for the Dead— Church at Lac-qui parle- Father Ravoux — Mission at Lake 
Pokeginna— Attack by the Sioux — Chippeway attack at Pig's Eye— De.ith of 
Rev. Sherman Hall — Methodist Missions Rev. S. W. Pond prepares a Sioux 
Grammar and Dictionary Swiss Presbyterian Mission- 



Bancroft the distinguished historian, catching 
the enthusiasm of tlie narratives of tlie early 
Jesuits, depicts, in language which glows, tlieir 
missions to the Northwest ; yet it is erroneous 
to suppose that the Jesuits exercised any perma- 
nent influeuce on the Ahorigines. 

Shea, a devoted member of the Koman Catho- 
hc Church, in his History of American Cathohc 
-Missions writes : " In KiSO Father Eugalran was 
apparently alone at Green Bay, and Pierson at 
Mackinaw. Of the other missions neither Le- 
Clerq nor Hennepin, the Recollect writers of the 
AVest at tliis time, make any mention, or m any 
way allude to their existence." He also says 
that "Father Menard had projected a Sioux 
mission ; Martjuette, Allouez, Druilletes, all en- 
tertained hopes of realizing it, and had some 
intercourse wdth that nation, but none of them 
ever succeeded in establishing a mission." 

Father Hennepin wrote: '• Can it he possible, 
that, that pretended prodigious amoimt of savage 
converts could escape the sight of a midtitnde 
of French Canadians who travel every year? 
i. * * * How comes it to pass that these 
churches so devout and so numerous, should be 
invisible, when I passed through so many 
countries and nations V " 

After the American Fur Company was formed. 
the island of Mackmaw became the residence of 
the principal agent for the Nin'thwest, Robert 
Stuart a Scotchman, and devoted Presbyterian. 

In the mouth of June, 1820, the Rev. Dr. 
JSIorse, father of the distinguislied inventor of 
the telegraph, visited and preached at Mackuiaw, 
and in consequence of statements published by 



him, upon his return, a Presbyterian Missionary 
Society in the state of New York sent a graduate 
of Union College, the Rev. W. M. Ferry, father 
of the present United States Senator from Michi- 
gan, to explore the field. In 1823 he had estab- 
lished a large boarding school composed of 
children of various tribes, and here some were 
educated who became waves of men of intelli- 
gence and influence at the capital of Minnesota. 
After a few years, it was determined by the 
Mission Board to modify its plans, and in the 
place of a great central station, to send mission- 
aries among the several tribes to teach and to 
preach. 

In pursuance of this policy, the Rev. Alvan 
Coe, and J. D. Stevens, then a licentiate who 
had been engaged in the Mackinaw Mission, 
made a tour of exploration, and arrived on 
September 1, 1829, at Fort Snelling. In the 
journal of Major LawTcnce Taliaferro, which 
is in possession of the Minnesota Historical 
Society, is the following entry : " The Rev. 
Mr. Coe and Stevens reported to be on their w^ay 
to this post, members of the Presbyterian church 
looking out for suitable places to make mission- 
ary establishment for the Sioux and Chippeways, 
found schools, and instruct in the arts and agri- 
culture.'' 

The agent, althou.gh not at that time a commu- 
nicant of the Cluu-ch, welcomed these visitors, 
and afforded them every facility in visiting the 
Indians. On Sunday, the 6th of September, the 
Rev. Iilr. Coe jireached twice in the fort, and the 
next night held a prayer meeting at the quarters 
of the commanding officer. On the next Sunday 
he preaciied again, and on the 14th, with Mr. 
Stevens and ;i hired guide, returned to Mackinaw 
by way of the St. Croix river. During this visit 
the agent offered fur a Presliyterian mission the 
mill which then stood on the site of ^liiuieapolis, 
and had been erected by the govenunent, as well as 



FORMATION OF THE WOIU) ITASKA. 



107 



the farm at Lake Calhoun, which was begiui to 
teach the Sionx agriculture. 

CHIPPEWAY MISSIONS. 

In 1830, F. Ayer. one of the teachers at .Mack- 
inaw, made an expkmilion as far as La I'oiute, 
and returned. 

Upon the ;U)th day of August, 1831, a Macki- 
naw boat about forty feet lung arrived at La 
Pointe, bringing from :Mackinaw the principal 
trader, Mr. Warren, Rev.Shernian Hall and wife, 
and Mr. Frederick Ayer, a, catechist and teacher. 
Mrs. Hall attracted great attention, as she was 
the first white woman who had visited that 
region. Sherman Hall was born on April 30. 
ISOl, at "Wetliersfield, "Vermont, and in 1S2S 
graduated at Dartmouth College, and completed 
his theological studies at Andover. Massacliu- 
setts, a few weeks before he journeyed to the 
Indian country. 

His classmate at Dartmouth and Aiidover, tlie 
Rev W. T. Boutwell still living near Stillwater. 
became his yoke-fellow, but remained for a time 
at jMackinaw, which they reached about the mid- 
dle <.f July. In .June, 1832, Henry R. School- 
craft, the head of an exploring expedition, invited 
Mr. Boutwell to accompany him to the sources of 
the Mississippi. 

"When tlie expedition reached Lac la Biche or 
Elk Lake, on July 13, l«32, Mr. Schoolcraft, who 
was not a Latin scholar, asked the Latin word for 
tnith, and was told "veritas." He then wanted 
..ij word which signified head, and was tokl 
'■caput." To the astonishment of many, School- 
craft struck off the first sylable, of the word 
ver-i-tas and the last sylable of ca-put, and thus 
coined the word Itasca, which he gave to the 
lake, and which some modern writers, with all 
gravity, tell us was the name of a maiden who 
once dwelt on its banks. Upon Mr. Boutwelfs 
return from this expedition he was at fust asso- 
ciated with Mr. Hall in the mission at La Pointe. 
In 1833 the mission band which had centered 
at La Pointe diffused their inlluence. In Octo- 
ber Rev. Mr. Boutwell went to Leech Lake, Mr. 
Ayer opened a school at Yellow Lake, Wiscon- 
sin, and Mr. E. F. Ely, now in California, became 
a teacher at Aitkin's trading post at Sandy Lake. 

siorx MISSIONAKIES. 

Mr. lioutwfll, of Leech I^ake Stntiim. on (li.- 



sixth of May, 1834, happened to be on a visit to 
Fort Snclling. 'While there a steamboat arrived, 
and among the passengers w^ere U\o young men, 
brothers, natives of Washington, Connecticut, 
Sanniel W. and (iideon H. Pond, who had come, 
constrained liy th(^ love of Christ, and without con- 
ferring with llcsh and blood, to try to imiirove 
the Sioux. 

Sanuiel, the older ))rother, the year before, had 
talked with a liqunr seller in (iaiena. Illinois, who 
had come from the Red River country, and the 
desire was awakened to help the Sioux; and he 
wrote t(i liis brother to go with him. 

The l!cv. Samuel \\ . Pond still lives at Shako- 
pee, Lu the old mission house, the lirst buihling of 
sawed lumber erecteil in the valley of the 2ilinne- 
sota, above Fort Snelling. 

JIISSIONS AMONCJ THE SIOUX A. D. 183o. 

About tliis jieriod, a native of South Carolina, 
a graduate of Jelferson College, Pennsylvania, 
the Rev. T. S. Williamson, M. D., who previous 
to Ins ordination had Ijcen a respectable jihysi- 
cian in Ohio, was appointed by the American 
Board of Foreign Alissions to visit the Dahkotahs 
with the view of ascertaining what coidd be done 
to introduce Christian instruction. Having made 
inquiries at Prairie du Chieu and Fort Snelling, 
he reported the lield was favorable. 

The Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, 
through their joint Missionary Society, appointed 
the following persons to labor in JNIinnesota : 
Rev. Thomas S. Williamson, yi. I)., missionary 
and physician; Rev. J. I). Stevens, missionary; 
Alexander Iluggins, farmer; and their wives; 
Miss Sarah Poage, and Lucy Stevens, teachers; 
who \\eie prevented during the year 1834, by the 
state of navigation, from entering upon their 
work. 

During the winter of 1834-35, a pious officer 
of the array exercised a good inlluence on his 
fellow oflicers and soldiers mider his command. 
In the alisence of a chaplain of ordained minis- 
ter, he, like General Ilavelock, of the British 
army in India, was accustomed not only to drill 
the soldiers, but to meet them in bis own i\\iv.\- 
ters, and reason with them " of righteousness, 
temperance, and judgment to come." 

In the mouth of Jlay, 183.5, Dr. AVilliamson 
and mission band arrived at Foil Suellim,'. and 



108 



IIXPLOBERS AKD PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



were hospitably received by the otfieers of the 
garrison, the Indian Agent, and JNIr. Sibley, Agent 
of the Company at Mendota, who had been in 
the country a few months. 

On the twenty-seventh of this month the Rev. 
Dr. Williamson united in marriage at the Fort 
Lieutenant Edward A. Ogden to Eliza Edna, the 
daughter of Captain G. A. Loomis, the first 
marriage service in which a clergyman officiated 
in the present State of ^Minnesota. 

On tlie eleventh of June a meeting was held 
at the Fort to organize a Presbyterian Church, 
sixteen persons who had been communicants, 
and six who made a profession of faith, one of 
whom was Lieutenant Ogden, were enrolled as 
members. 

Four elders were elected, among whom were 
Capt. Gustavus Loomis and Samuel W. Pond. 
The next day a lecture prejiaratory to administer- 
ing the communion, was delivered, and on Smi- 
day, the 1-tth, the first organized church in the 
Valley of the Upper Mississippi asi^embled for 
the first time in one of the Company rooms of the 
Fort. The services in the morning were conducted 
by Dr. AMlliamson. Tlie afternoon service com- 
menced at 2 o'clock. The sermon of Mr. Stevens 
was upon a most appropriate text, 1st Peter, ii:25 ; 
" For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now 
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your 
souls." After the discourse, the sacrament of the 
Lord's supper was administered. 

At a meeting of the Session on the thirty-first 
of July, Rev. J. D. Stevens, missionary, was in- 
vited to preach to the church, " so long as the 
duties of his mission will permit, and also to pre- 
side at all the meetings of the Session." Captain 
Gustavus Loomis was elected Stated Clerk of the 
Session, and they resolved to observe the monthly 
concert of prayer on the first Monday of each 
month, for the conversion of the world. 

Two pohits were selected by the missionaries 
as proper spheres of labor. Mr. Stevens and 
family proceeded to Lake Harriet, and Dr. Wil- 
liamson and family, in Jime, proceeded to Lac 
qui Parle. 

As there liad never been a chaplain at Fort 
Snelling, the Rev. J. D. Stevens, the missionary 
at Lake Harriet, preached on Sundays to the 
Presbyterian chiu'cli, there, recently organizetl. 



Writing on January twenty-seventh, 1836. he 
says, in relation to his field of labor : 

" Yesterday a portion of this band of Indians, 
who had been some time absent from this village, 
returned. One of the number (a woman) was 
informed that a brother of hers had died during 
her absence. He was not at this village, but 
with another band, and the information had just 
reached here. In the evening they set up a most 
piteous crying, or rather wailing, w^hich con- 
tinued, with some little cessations, during the 
night. The sister of the deceased brotherwould 
repeat, times Vv'ithout number, words which may 
be thus translated into English : ' Come, my 
brother, I shall see you no more for ever.' The 
night was extremely cold, the thermometer 
standing from ten to twenty below zero. About 
sunrise, next morning, preparation was made for 
performing the ceremony of cutting their flesh, 
in order to give relief to their grief of mind. 
The snow was removed from the frozen ground 
over about as large a space as would be required 
to place a small Indian lodge or wigwam. In the 
centre a very small fire was kindled up, not to 
give warmth, apparently, but to cause a smoke. 
The sister of the deceased, who was the chief 
mourner, came out of her lodge followed by 
three other women, who repaired to the place 
prepared. They were all barefooted, and nearly 
naked. Here they set up a most bitter lamenta- 
tion and crying, mingling their wailings with the 
words before mentioned. The principal mourner 
commenced gashing or ciitting her ankles and 
legs up to the knees with a sharp stone, until her 
legs were covered with gore and Jlowing blood ; 
then in like manner her arms, shoulders, and 
breast. The others cut themselves in the same 
way, but not so severely. On this poor infatuated 
woman I presume there were more than a hun- 
dred long deep gashes in the flesh. I saw the 
operation, and the blood instantly followed the 
instrument, and flowed down upon the flesh. She 
ayipeared frantic with grief. Through the pain 
of her wounds, the loss of blood, exhaustion of 
strength by fasting, loud and long-tontinue<l and 
bitter groans, or the extreme cold upon her al- 
most naked and lacerated body, she soon sunk 
upon the frozen ground, shaking as with a violent 
fit of the ague, and writhing in apparent agony. 
'Surely,' I exclaimed, as I beheld the bloody 



.1 ROMAy CATHOLIC Vy.ssiOA.I /.' )'. 



ion 



scene, 'the tender mercies of the heathen are 
cnielty!' 

'' The Uttle church at the fort beguis to mani- 
fest something of a missionary spirit Their con- 
tributions are considerable for so small a nmnlier. 
I hope they will not only be willing to contrilnite 
liberally of their substance, but will give them- 
selves, at least some of them, to the missionary 
work. 

" The surgeon of the military post, IJr. Jarvis, 
has been very assiduous in his attentions to us in 
our sickness, and has very generousl\- made a do- 
nation to our board of twenly-tive dollars, being 
the amount of his medical services in our family. 

" On the nineteenth instant we commenced a 
school with six full Indian children, at least so in 
all their habits, dress, etc.; not one could speak a 
word of any language but Sioux. The school has 
since increased to the number of twenty-five. I 
am now collecting and arranging words for a dic- 
tionary. Mr. Pond is assiduously employed in 
preparing a small spelling-book, which we may 
forward next mail for printing. 

On the fifteenth of September, 1.S3G, a Presby- 
terian church was organized at Lac-qui-Parle, a 
branch of that in and near Fort Snelling, and 
Joseph Renville, a mixed blood of great influ- 
ence, became a communicant. He had been 
trained in Canada by a Poman Catholic priest, 
but claimed the right of private judgment. ]SIr. 
Renville's wife was the first pure Dahkotah of 
whom we have any record that ever joined the 
Church of Christ. This church has never become 
extinct, although its members have been neces- 
sarily nomadic. After the treaty of Traverse des 
Sioux, it was removed to Hazlewood. Driven 
from thence by the outbreak of lS(i2, it has be- 
came the p.irent of other churches, in the valley 
of the upper Missouri, over one of which John 
Renville, a descendant of the elder at Lac-qul- 
Parle, is the pastor. 

ROMAN CATHOLIC SnSSION ATTEMPTED. 

Father Ravoux, recently from France, a sin- 
cere and earnest priest of the Cluu'cli of Rome, 
came to Mendota in the autumn of 1841, and 
after a brief sojoiun with the Rev. L. Galtier, 
who had erected Saint Paul's chapel, which has 
given the name of Saint Paul to the capital of 
Minnesota, he ascended the ^linnesota River 
and visited Lac-qui-Parle. 



IJisho]) Loras, of Dubuque, w rote the next year 
of his visit as follows : " Our young missionary, 
M. Ravoux, passed the winter on the banks of 
Lac-qui-Parle, without any other sup])ort than 
Providence, without any other means of eonver- 
sion than a birming zeal, he has wrought in the 
space of six months, a hayipy revolution among 
the Sioux. From the time of his arrival he has 
been occupied night and day in the study of their 
language. * * * * * "When he mstnu'ts 
the savages, he speaks to them with so much lire 
widlst showing them a large copper crucifix wiiich 
he carries on his breast, that he makes the strong- 
est impression upon them." 

The impression, however was evanescent, and 
he .soon retired from the held, and no more efforts 
were made in this direction by the Church of 
Rome. This young Mr. Ravoux is now the highly 
respected vicar of the Roman Catholic diocese of 
JSIinnesota, and justly esteemed for his simpUcity 
and iniobtrusiveness. 

CIIII'PEW^VY MISSIONS AT I'OKEOITMA. 

Pokegmna is one of the " Mille Lacs," or thou- 
sand beautiful lakes for wiiich Minnesota is re- 
markable. It is about four or five miles in extent , 
and a mile or more in width. 

This lake is .situated on Snake River, about 
twenty miles above the junction of that stream 
with the St. Croix. 

In the year 1836, missionaries came to reside 
among the Ojibways and Pokeguma, to promote 
their temporal and spiritual welfare. Their mis- 
sion house was built on the east side of the lake ; 
but the Indian village w^as on an island not far 
from the .shore. 

In a letter written in 1837, we find the fol- 
lowing: "The young women and girls now 
make, mend, wash, and iron after our man- 
ner. The men have learned to build log houses, 
drive team, plough, hoe, and handle an American 
axe witii some skill m cutting large trees, the 
size of wiiich, two years ago, would have afforded 
them a sufficient reason wiiy they should not med- 
dle with them." 

In May, 1841, .leremiali Russell, who was In- 
dian farmer, sent two Chippeways, accompanied 
by Elam Greeley, of Stillwater, to the Falls of 
Saint Croix foi- .supplies. On Saturday, the 
fifteenth of the month they arrived there, and 



no 



ElXPLOllEliS AND PIONEEBS OF MINNESOTA. 



the next day a steamboat came up with the 
goods. The captam said a war party of Sioux, 
headed by Little Crow, was advancing, and tlie 
two Cliippeways prepared to go bacli and were 
their friends. 

They had hardly left the Falls, on their re- 
turn, lief ore they saw a party of Dahkotahs. The 
sentinel of the enemy had not noticed the ap- 
proach of the young men. In the twinkling of 
an eye, these two young Ojibways raised their 
guns, fired, and killed two of Little Crow's sons. 
The discharge of the guns revealed to a sentinel, 
that an enemy was near, and as the Ojibways 
were retreating, he fired, and mortally wounded 
one of the two. 

According to custom, the corpses of the chief's 
sons were dressed, and then set np with their 
faces towards the country of their ancient ene- 
mies. The wounded Ojibway was liorribly 
mangled by the uifuriated party, and his limbs 
strewn about in every direction. His scalped 
head was i)laced in a kettle, and suspended in 
front of the two Dahkotah corpses. 

Little Crow, disheartened by the loss of his two 
boys, returned with his party to Kaposia. But 
other parties were in the field. 

It was not till Friday, tlie twentj'-flrst of May, 
that the death of one of the young Ojibways 
sent by Jlr. Kussell, to the Falls or Saint Croix, 
was known at Pokeguma. 

Mr. llusi-ell on the next Simday, accompanied 
by Captain AVilliam Ilolconib and a half-breed, 
went to tlie mission station to attend a religious 
service, and while crossing the lake in returning, 
the half-breed said that it ^mis rumored that the 
• Sioux were approaching. On Monday, the twen- 
ty-fourth, three young men left in a canoe to go 
to the west shore of the lake, and from thence to 
Mille Lacs, to give intelligence to the Ojibways 
there, of the skirmish that had already occurred. 
They took witli them two Indian girls, about 
twelve years of age, who were pupils of the mis- 
sion school, for the purpose of bringing the canoe 
back to the island. Just as the three were land- 
ing, twenty or thirty Dahkotah warriors, with a 
war whoop emerged from their concealment be- 
hind the trees, and fired into the canoe. The 
young men instantly spranginto the water, which 



was shallow, returned the fire, and ran into the 
woods, escapuig without material injury. 

The little girls, in their fright, waded into the 
lake ; but were pursued. Their parents upon 
the island, heard the death cries of their children. 
Some of the Indians around the mission-house 
jumped into their canoes and gained the island. 
Others went into some f(n-tified log huts. The 
attack upon the canoe, it was afterwards learned, 
was premature. The party upon that side of the 
lake were ordered not to fire, imtil the party 
stationed in the Avoods near the mission began. 

There were in all one hundred and eleven 
Dahkotah warriors, and all the fight was in the 
vicinity of the mission-house, and the Ojibways 
mostly engaged in it were those who had been 
under religious instruction. The rest were upon 
the island. 

The fathers of the murdered girls, burning for 
revenge, left the island in a canoe, and drawing 
it up on the !;hore, hid behind it, and fired upon 
the Dahkotahs and killed one. The Dahkotahs 
advancing upon them, they were obliged to 
escape. The canoe was now launched. One lay 
on his back in the bottom ; the other plunged 
into the water, and, holding the canoe with one 
hand, and swimming with the other, he towed 
his friend out of danger. The Dahkotahs, in- 
furiated at their escape, fired volley after volley 
at the swimmer, but he escaped the balls by 
putting his head luider water whenever he saw 
them take aim, and waiting till he heard the 
discharge, he woidd then look up and breathe. 

After a fight of two hcmrs, the Dahkotahs re- 
treated, with a loss of two men. At the request 
of the parents, Jlr. E. F. Ely, from whose 
notes the writer has obtained these facts, be- 
ing at that time a teacher at the mission, 
went across the lake, with two of his friends, to 
gather the remains of his murdered pupils. He 
foiuid the corpses on the shore. The heads cut 
off and scalped, with a tomahawk buried in the 
brains of each, were set up in the sand near the 
bodies. The bodies were pierced in the lireast, 
and the right arm of one was taken a\\'ay. Re- 
moving the tomahawks, the bodies were brought 
back to the island, and ui the afteoioon were 
buried in accordance with the simple but solemn 
rites of the Chm'ch of Christ, by members of the 
mission. 



SIOUX MISSIONARIES BEFOBE TEE TBEATLKS. 



Ill 



The sequel to this story is soou told. The In- 
dians of I'okeguma, after the light, deserted their 
village, and went to reside with their couutrymen 
near Lake Superior. 

In July of the following year, 1842. a war party 
n'as formed at Fond dii Lac, al)iint lorty in ninu- 
ber, and proceeded towards the Dalikotah country. 
Sneaking, as none but Indians can, they arrived 
unnoticed at the little settlement below Saint 
Paul, commonly called "Pig's Eye," which is 
opposite to what Tvas Kaposia, or Little Crow's 
village. Finding an Indian woman at work in 
the garden of her husband, a Canadian, by the 
name of Gamelle, they killed lier; also another 
woman, with her infant, whose head was oit off. 
The Dahkotahs, on the opposite side, were mostly 
intoxicated ; and, living across in their canoes but 
half prepared, they were worsted in the en- 
counter. They lost thu-teen warriors, and one of 
their number, knowii as the Dancer, the Ojib- 
ways are said to have skinneil. 

Soon after this the Chippeway missions of the 
St. CroLx Valley were abandoned. 

In a little while Rev. Mr. Bontwell removed to 
the vicinity of Stillwater, and the missionaries, 
Ayer and Spencer, went to Red Lake and other 
points in Minnesota. 

In 1853 the Rev. Sherman Hall left the Indians 
and became pastor of a Congregational chiuch at 
Sauk Eapids, where he recently died. 

METHODIST MISSIONS. 

la 1S37 the Rev. A. Bnmson commenced a 
Methodist mission at Kaposia, about four miles 
below, and opposite Samt Paul. It was afterwards 
removed across the river to Red Rock. He was 
assisted by the Rev. Thomas W. Pope, aud the 
latter was succeeded by the Rev. J. Holton. 

Tlie Rev. Mr. Spates and others also labored 
for a brief period among the Ojibways. 

PEESBTTERIAN MISSIONS CONTINTTED. 

At the stations the Dahkotah language was dil- 
igently studied. Rev. S. W. I'ond had prepared 
a dictionary of three thousand words, and also a 
small grammar. The Rev. S. R. Riggs, who 
joined the mission m 1837, in a letter dated 
February 24, 1841, wiites : "Last summer^ 
after returning from Fort SneUiiig. I spent live 
weeks in copying again the Sioux vocabulary 
which we had collected and arranged at this sta- 



tion. It contamed then about 5500 words, not 
inclmling the various forms of the verbs. Since 
that time, the words collected by Dr. Williamson 
and myself, have, I presume, increasci! the num- 
ber to sis thousand. ***** In this con- 
nection, I m.ay mention thatdiuing the winter of 
1839-40, Mrs. Riggs, with some assistance, wrote 
an English aud Sioux vocabulary containing 
about three thousand words. One ol .Mr. Ren- 
ville's .sons and three of his daughters are en- 
gaged in copying. In committing the grammati- 
cal principles of the language to WTiting, we have 
done something at this station, but more has been 
done by Mr. S. W. Pond." 

Steadily the numl)er of Indian missionaries 
increased, and in 1851, before the lands of the 
Dahkotahs west of the Mississippi were ceded to 
the whites, they were disposed as follows by the 
Dahkotah Presbytery. 

Lac-qui-parle, Rev. S. R. Riggs, Rev. M. N. 
Adams, Missionaries, Jonas Pcttijohn, Mrs. 
Fanny Pettijohn, Jlrs. JNIary Ann Riggs, Mrs. 
]Mary A. M. Adams, Miss Sarah Rankin. As- 
sisldnts. 

Tirtrerse des Sioitx, Rev. Robert Hopkins, Mis- 
sioniiry; Mrs. Agnes Hopkins, Alexander G. 
Hoggins, Mrs. Lydia P. lliiggins. Assistants. 

Shakpfiii, or Sholpay, Rev. Samuel ^^'. I'ond, 
Missionary; JNIrs. Sarah P. Pond, Assistant. 

Oak Grove, Rev. Gideon II. Pond and wife. 

Kaposia, Rev. Thomas AVilliamson, M. D., 
3Iissionary and Physician ; Mrs. Margaret P. 
Williamson, Miss Jane S. "WilUamson, Assistants. 

Bed Winy, Rev. John F. Alton, Rev. Joseph 
W. Hancock, Missionaries; Mrs. Nancy II. Alton, 
jMrs. Hancock, Assistants. 

The Rev. Daniel Gavin, the Swiss Presbyte- 
rian Missionary, spent the winter of 1839 in Lac- 
qui-Parle and was afterwards married to a niece 
of the Rev. J. D. Stevens, of the Lake Harriet 
Mission. ]Mr. Stevens became the farmer and 
teacher of the Wapashaw baud, and the first 
white man who lived where the city of Winona 
has been built. Another missionary from Switz- 
erland, the Rev. Mr. Denton, married a iliss 
Skinner, formerly of the Mackinaw mission. 
During a portion of the year 1839 these Swiss 
missionaries lived with the American mission- 
aries at camp Cold "Water near Fort SnelUug, 
but their chief field of labor was at Red Wing. 



11:3 



EXPLOBERIS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA.. 



CIIAPTEB, XX. 



TREAD OF PIONEERS IN THE SAINT CROIX VALLEY AND ELSEWHERE. 



Origin of the name Saint Croix— Dii Lnth, first Explorer — Fri'ncli I'ost on the St. 
Croix — Pitt, an early pioneer — Early settlers at Saint Croix Falls — First women 
there — Marine Settlement — Joseph R. Brown's town site — Saint Croix County 
organized— Pinprieturs of Stillwater — A dead Negro woman — Pig's Eye, origin 
of name — Rise of Saint Paul — Pr. Williamson secures first school teacher for 
Saint Paul — Description of first school room — Saint Croix County reK}rganized 
— Rev. W. T. lioutwell, pioneer clergyman. 

The Saint Croix river, acconliiig to Le Sueur, 
named after a Prencliman who was drowned at 
its mouth, was one of tlie earliest througlifares 
from Lake Superior to tlie Mississippi. The first 
white man who directed canoes upon its waters 
was Du Luth, wlio had in 1()79 explored ilinue- 
sota. He thus describes liis tour in a letter, first 
pnblislied by Harrisse : " In June^ 1680, not be- 
ing satisfied, with having made my discovery by 
land, I took two canoes, with an Indian wlio was 
my interiireter, and four Frenchmen, to seek 
means to make it by water. With tliis view I 
entered a river which empties eight leagues from 
the extremity of Lake Superior, on the south 
side, where, after having cut some trees and 
broken about a hundred beaver dams, I reached 
the upper waters of the said river, rind then I 
made a portage of half a league to reach a lake, 
tho outlet which fell into a very fine river, 
which took i. e down into the Mississippi. There 
I learned from eight cabins of Nadouecioux that 
the Hev. Father Louis Henne]iin, Itecollect, now 
at the convent of Saint (iermain, with two oUier 
Frenchmen had been robbed, and carried oil as 
slaves for more than three hundred leagues by 
the Nadouecioux themselves." 

He then relates how h^ left two Frenchmen 
with his goods, and went with his interpreter and 
two Frenchmen in a canoe down the Mississiiipi, 
and after two days and two nights, found ncniie- 
pin, Accault and Augelle. He told Hennepin 
that he must return with him through the country 
of the Fox tribe, and writes : " I preferred to re- 
trace my stejis, manifesting to them [the Sioux] 
tlio just indignation I felt agfiinst them, rather 
than to remain after the violence tliey had done 



to the Rev. Father and tlie other two Frenchmen 
with liim, whom 1 put in my canoes and brought 
them to Michilimackinack." 

After this, the Saint Croix river became a chan 
nel for commerce, and Bellin writes, that before 
1755, the French had erected a fort forty leagues 
from its mouth and twenty from Lake Superior. 

The pine forests between the Saint Croix and 
Minnesota had been for several years a tempta- 
tion to energetic men. As early as November, 
1836, a Mr. Pitt went with a boat and a party of 
men to the Falls of Saint Croix to cut pine tim- 
ber, with the consent of the Chippeways bvit the 
dissent of the United States authorities. 

In 1837 while the treaty was being made by Com- 
missioners Dodge and Smith at Fort Snelling, on 
one Sunday Franklin Steele, Dr. Fitch, .Jeremiah 
Russell, and a Mr. Maginnis left Fort Snelling 
for the Falls of Saint Croix in a birch bark canoe 
paddled by eight men, and re.iched that point 
about noon on Monday and corijnienced a log 
cabin. Steele and Maginnis remained here, 
while the others, dividing into two parties, one 
luider Fitcli. and the other under Russell, search- 
ed for pine land. The first stopped at Sun Rise, 
while Russel went on to the Snake River. About 
the same time Robbinet and Jesse B. Taylor 
came to the Falls in the mterest of B. F. Baker 
who had a stone trading house near Fort Snelling, 
since destroyed by fire. On the fifteenth of July, 
1S38, the Palmyra, Capt. Holland, arrived at 
the Fort, with the oflicial notice of the ratifica- 
tion of the treaties ceding the Lands between the 
Saint Croix and Mississippi. 

She had on board C. A. Tuttle, L. W. Stratton 
and others, with the machinery for the projected 
mills of the Northwest Lumber Compciny at the 
Falls of Saint Croix, and reached thcit point on 
the se\'entpeiith, the first steamVioat to disturb the 
waters aliove Lake Saint Croix. The steamer 
Gypsy came to the fort on the twenty-first of 



WOMHN IN THE VALLEY OF THE HAIMT VltOlX. 



113 



October, with goods for the Chippeways, and was 
chai-tered for foui' lumdred and fifty dollars, to 
carry them up to the Falls of Saint CroLx. In 
passing through the lake, the boat grounded near 
a projected to^\■n called Stambaughville, after S. 
C. Stambaugh, the sutler at the fort. On the 
afternoon of the 26th, the goods were landed, as 
stipulated. 

The agent of the Improvement Company at the 
falls was Washington Libbey, who left in the fall 
of IS.SS, and was succeeded by Jeremiah Eussell, 
Stratton acting as millwright in place of Calvin 
Tuttle. On the twelfth of December, Kussell and 
Stratton walked down the river, ciit the first tree 
and built a cabin at Marine, and sold their claim. 

The first women at the Falls of Saint Croix were 
a Mrs. Orr, Mrs. Sackett, and the daughter of a 
Mr. Young. During the winter of lSoS-0, Jere- 
miah Russell married a daughter of a respectable 
and gentlemanly trader, Charles H. Oakes. 

Among the first preachers were the Eev. W. T. 
Boutwell and Mr. Seymour, of the Chippeway 
Mission at Pokeguma. The Rev. A. Bnuison, of 
Prairie du Cliien, who visited this region in 1838, 
wrote that at the mouth of Snake River he found 
Franklin Steele, with twenty-five or thirty men, 
cutting timber for a mill, and when lie offered to 
preach Mr. Steele gave a cordial assent. 

On the sixteenth of August, JNIr. Steele, Living- 
ston, and others, left the Falls of Saint Croix in a 
barge, and went around to Fort Snelling. 

The steamboat Fayette about the middle of 
May, 1839, lauded sutlers' stores at Fort Snell- 
ing and then proceeded with several persons of 
intelligence to the Saint Croix river, who s tiled 
at Marine. 

The place was called after Marine in Madison 
county, Illinois, where the company, consisting 
of Judd, Hone and others, was formed to build 
A saw mill in the Saint Croix Valley. The mOl 
at Marine commenced to saw lumber, on August 
24, 1839, the first in Minnesota. 

Joseph E. Brown, who since 1838, had lived at 
Chan AVakan, on the west side of Grey Cloud 
Island, this year made a claim near the upper 
end of the city of Stillwater, which he called 
Dahkotah, and was the first to raft lumber down 
the Sauit Croix, as well as the first to represent 
the citizens of the valley in the legislature of 
Wisconsin. 



Until the year 1841, the jurisdiction of Craw- 
ford county, Wisconsin, extended over the delta 
of country between the Saint Croix iind jMissis- 
sippi. Joseph R. BrowTi having been elected as 
representative of the county, in the territorial 
legislature of Wisconsin, succeeded in obtaining 
tlie passage of an act on November twentieth, 
1841, organizing the county of Saint Croix, with 
Dahkotah designated as the county seat. 

At the time V)rescnl)ed for holding a court in 
the new county, it is said that the judge of the 
district arrived, and to his surprise, found a 
claim cabin occupied by a Frenchman. Speedily 
retreating, lie never came again, and judicial 
proceedings for Saint Croix county ended for 
several years. Pliineas Lawrence was the first 
sheriff of this county. 

On the tenth of October, 1S43. was commenced 
a settlement which has become the town of Still- 
water. The names of the iiroiiri^tors were John 
McKusick from Maine, Calvin Leach from Ver- 
mont, Elam Greeley from Maine, and Elias 
McKean from Pennsylvania. Tliey immediately 
commenced the erection of a sawmill. 

John II. Fonda, elected on the twenty-second 
of September, as coroner of Crawford county, 
Wisconsin, asserts that he was once notified that 
a dead body was lying in the water opposite Pig's 
Eye slough, and immediately proceeded to the 
spot, and on taking it out, recognized it as the 
body of a negro woman belonging to a certain 
captain of the United States army tlien at. Fort 
Crafli'ord. The body was cruelly cut and bruised, 
but no one appearing to recognise it, a verdict of 
" Foimd dead," was rendered, and the corpse was 
buried. Soon after, it came to light that the 
woman was wliiiiped to death, and thrown into 
the river during the night. 

The year that the Dahkotahs ceded their lands 
east of the ^Mississippi, a Canadian Frenchman 
by the name of Parraut, the ideal of an Indian 
whisky seller, erected a shanty in what is now 
the city of Saint Paul. Ignorant and overbear- 
ing he loved money more than his own soul. 
Destitute of one eye, and the other resembling 
that of a pig, he was a good representative of 
Caliban. Some one writing from his groggery 
designated it as " Pig's Eye." The reply to the 
letter was directed in good faith to "Pig's Eye" 



114 



EXPLOBERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



Some years ago the editor of the Saint Paul 
Press described the occasion in these words : 

" Edmiuid Brisette, a clerldy Frenchman for 
tliose days, who lives, or did live a little while 
ago, on Lake Harriet, was one day seated at a 
table in Parrant's cabin, with pen and paper 
abont to write a letter for Parrant (for Parrant, 
like Charlemagre, could not write) to a friend 
of the latter in Canada. The question of geog- 
raphy puzzled Brissette at the outset of the 
epistle ; wliere should he date a letter from a 
place without a name ? He looked up inquir- 
ingly to Parrant, and met the dead, cold glare of 
the Pig's Eye fixed upon htui, with an irresist- 
ible suggestiveness that was inspiration to 
Brisette." 

In 1842, the late Henry Jackson, of Mahkahto, 
settled at the same spot, and erected the first 
store on the height just above the lower landing, 
Eoberts and Simpson followed, and opened 
small Indian titiding shops. In 1846, the site of 
Saint Paul was chiefly occupied by a few shanties 
owned by " certain lewd fellows of the baser 
sort," who sold rum to the soldier and Indian. 
It was despised Viy all decent white men, and 
linown to the Dahkotahs by an expression in 
their tongue which means, the place where they 
sell minne-wakan [supernatural water]. 

The chief of t!ie Kaposiaband in 1846, was shot 
by his own brother in a drunken revel, but sur- 
viving the woimd, and apparently al.armed at the 
deterioration under the influence of the modern 
harpies at Saint Paul, went to Mr. Bruce, Indian 
Agent, at Fort Snelling, and requested a mis- 
sionary. The Indian Agent in his report to gov- 
ernment, says : 

" The chief of the Little Crow's band, who re- 
sides below this place (Fort Snelling) about nine 
miles, in the immediate neighbourhood of the 
whiskey dealers, has requested to have a school 
established at his village. He says they are de- 
termined to reform, and for the future, will try 
to do better. I wrote to Doctor WilUamson soon 
after the request was made, desiring him to take 
charge of the school. He has had charge of the 
mission school at Lac qui Parle for some years; 
is well qualified, and is an excellent physician." 

In November, 1846, Dr. Williamson came from 
Lac qui Parle, as requested, and became a resi- 
dent of Kaposia. While disapproving of their 



practices, he felt a kindly interest in the whites 
of Pig's Eye, which place was now beginning to 
be called, after a little log chapel which had been 
erected at the suggestion of Rev. L. Galtier, and 
called Saint Paul's. Though a missionary among 
the Dahkotahs, he was the first to take steps to 
promote the education of the whites and half- 
breeds of Minnesota. In the year 1847, he wrote 
to ex-Governor Slade, President of the National 
Popular Education Society, in relation to the 
condition of what has subsequently become the 
capital of the state. 

In accordance with his request. Miss H. E. 
Bishop came to his mission-house at Kaposia, 
and, after a short time, was introduced by him 
to the citizens of Saint Paul. The first school- 
house in Minnesota besides those connected with 
the Indian missions, stood near the site of the 
old Brick Presliyterian church, corner of Sauit 
Peter and Third street, and is thus described by 
the teacher : 

•' The school was commenced in a little log 
hovel, covered with bark, and chinked with mud, 
previously used as a blacksmith shop. On three 
sides of the interior of this humble log cabin, 
pegs were driven into the logs, upon which boards 
were laid for seats. Another seat was made by 
placing one end of a plank between the cracks 
of the logs, and the other upon a chair. This 
was for visitors. A rickety cross-legged table in 
the centre, and a hen's nest in one corner, com- 
pleted the furniture." 

Saint Croix comity, in the year 1847, was de- 
tached from Crawford coimly, Wisconsin, and 
reorganized for judicial purposes, and Stillwater 
made the county seat. In the month of June 
the United States District Court held its session 
in the store-room of ilr. John McKusick ; Judge 
Charles Dnmi presiding. A large number of 
lumbermen had been attracted by the pineries 
in the upper portion of the valley of Saint Croix, 
and Stillwater was looked upon as the center of 
the lumbering interest. 

Tlie Rev. Mr. Boutwell, feeling that he could 
be more useful, left the Ojibways, and took up 
his residence near Stillwater, preaching to the 
lumbermen at the Falls of Saint Croix, Marine 
Mills, Stillwater, and Cottage Grove. In a letter 
spealdng of Stillwater, he says, " Here is a little 
village sprung up like a gourd, but whether it is 
to perish as soon, God only knows." 



NA3IES FIlOPOfiEl) FOR MINNESOTA TERRITORY. 



11.5 



CHAPTER XXI. 



EVENTS PRELIMINARY TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 3I1N.NKS0TA TERRITORY, 



ffliconsin State Bouml;iries— First Bill for ttie Ori;;iiiization of Minnesota T.rri- 
tory, A. D. 1840 — Chaiise of Wisconsin Bouiulaiy — Memorial of Saint Croix 
Valley citizens — Various names proposed for the New Territory — Convention at 

Stillwater— H. H. Sibley electeil Delegate to Congress— n.>riv;i ,,r word 

Minnesota. 

Three years elapsed from the time that the 
territory of Minnesota was proposed iu Congress, 
to the final passage of the organic act. On the 
sixth of August, 1846, an act was passed by Con- 
gress authorizing the citizens of Wisconsin Ter- 
ritory to frame a constitution and form a state 
government. The act fixed the Saint Louis river 
to the rapids, from thence south to the Samt 
Croix, and thence down that river to its junction 
with the Mississippi, as the western boundary. 

On the twenty - tliird of Decembei', 1846, the 
delegate from Wisconsin. Morgan L. Martin, in- 
troduced a bill in Congress for the organization 
of a territory of Muuiesota. This bill made its 
western boundary the Sioux and Eed Eiver of 
the North. On the third of March, 1847, per- 
mission was granted to Wisconsm to change her 
boimdary, so that the western limit would pro- 
ceed due south from the first rapids of the Saint 
Louis river, and fifteen miles east of the most 
easterly point of Lake Saint Croix, thence to the 
Mississippi. 

A number in the constitutional convention of 
Wisconsin, were anxious that Rum river should 
be a part of her western boundary, while citizens 
of the valley of the Saint Croix were desirous 
that the Chippeway river should be the limit of 
Wisconsin. The citizens of Wisconsin Territory, 
hi the valley of the Samt Croix, and about Fort 
Snelling, wished to be included in the projected 
new territory, and on the twenty-eighth of March, 
1848, a memorial signed by H. H. Sibley, Henry 
M. Rice, Franklin Steele, WilUam R. Marshall, 
and others, was presented to Congress, remon- 
strating against the proposition before the con- 
vention to make Rum river a part of the bound- 
ary line of the contemplated state of Wisconsin. 



On tlie twenty-ninth of May, 1<S48, thi3 act to 
admit Wisconsin changed the boiuuhiry line to 
the present, and as first defined in the enabling 
act of 1846. After the bill of Mr. Martin was 
introduced into the House of Representatives iu 
1846 it was referred to the Committee on Terri- 
tories, of which JNIr. Douglas was chairman. On 
the twentieth of January, 1847, he reported iu 
favor of the proposed territory with the name 
of Itasca. On the seventeenth of February, be- 
fore the bill passed the House, a discussion arose 
in relation to the proposed name. Mr. Win- 
throp of Massachusetts proposed Chippewa as a 
substitute, alleging that this tribe was the prui- 
cipal in the proposed territory, which was not 
correct. Mr. J. Thompson of Mississippi disliked 
all Indian names, and hoped the tenitory would 
be called Jackson. Mr. Houston of Delaware 
thought that there ought to be one territory 
named after the •■ Father of Ids country," and 
proposed Washington. All of the names pro- 
posed were rejected, and the name in the origmal 
bill inserted. On the last day of the session, 
Jlarch third, the bill was called up in the Senate 
and laid on the table. 

When Wisconsin became a state the query 
arose whether the old territorial government did 
not continue in force west of the Saint Croix 
river. The first meeting on the subject of claim- 
ing territorial privileges was held in the building 
at Saint Paul, known as Jackson's store, near the 
corner of Bench and Jackson streets, on the 
l)luff. This meeting was held in July, and a 
convention was proposed to consider their posi- 
tion. The first public meeting w-as held at Still- 
water on August fourth, and Jilessrs. Steele and 
Bibley were the only persons present from the 
west side of the Mississippi. This meeting is- 
sued a call foi a general convention to take steps 
to secure an early territorial organization, to 
assemble on the twenty-sixth of the month at 



IK) 



EXPLORMBS AKl) PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



the same place. Sixty-two delegates answered 
the call, and among those present, were W. D. 
Phillips, J. W. Bass, A. Laipenteur, J. M. Boal, 
and others from Saint Paul. To the convention 
a letter was presented from Mr C'atlin, who 
claimed to be acting governor, giving his opinion 
that tlie '\\'!seonsin territorial organization was 
still in force. Tlie meeting also appointed Mr. 
Sibley to visit Washington and represent their 
views ; but the Hon. John H. Tweedy having 
resigned his office of delegate to Congress on 
September eighteenth-, 1848, Mr. Catlin, who had 
made Stillwater a temporary residence, on the 
ninth of October issued a proclamation ordering 
a special election at Stillwater on the thirtieth, 
to fill a vacancy occasioned by the resignation. 
At this election Henry II. Sibley was elected as 
delegate of the citizens of the remaining portion 
of Wisconsin Territory. His credentials were 
presented to the House of Representatives, and 
the committee to whom the matter was referred 
presented a majority and minority report; but 
the resolution inti-oduced by the majority passed 
and Mr. Sibley took his seat as a delegate from 
-Wisconsin Tei'ritory on the hfteenth of January, 
184i). 

iMr. II. M. Rice, and other gentlemen, visited 
Washington during tlie winter, and, uniting with 
Mr. Sibley, used all their energies to obtain the 
organization of a new territory. 

Mr. Sibley, in an interesting commmiication to 
the Miimesota 1 1 istorical Society, wi-ites : " Wheii 
my credentials as Delegate, were presented by 
Hon. James Wilson, of New Ilampshii'e, to the 



House of Representatives, there was some curi- 
osity manifested among the members, to see what 
kind of a person had been elected to represent the 
distant and wild territory claiming representation 
in Congress. I was told by a New England mem- 
ber with whom I became subsequently quite inti- 
mate, that there was some disappointment when 
I made my appearance, for it was expected that 
the delegate from this remote region woidd make 
liis debut, if not in full Indian costume, at least, 
with some peculiarities of dress and manners, 
characteristic of the rude and semi-civiUzed peo- 
ple who had sent him to the Capitol." 

The territory of JliuHiesota was named after 
the largest tributary of the Mississippi within its 
limits. The Sioux call the Missouri Minnesho- 
shay, muddy water, l)ut the stream after which 
this region is named, Minne-sota. Some say that 
Sota means clear ; others, turbid ; Schoolcraft, 
l.)luish green. Nicollet wrote. " The adjective 
Sotah is of diflicidt translation. The Canadians 
translated it by a pretty equivalent word, brouille, 
perhaps more properly rendered into English by 
blear. I have entered upon this explanation be 
cause the word really means neither clear nor 
turbid, as some authors have asserted, its true 
meaning being found in the Sioux e^.pression 
Ishtali-sotah, blear-eyed." From the fact that the 
word signifies neither blue nor white, but the 
peculiar appearance of the sky at certain times, 
by some, jMiunesota has been defined to mean the 
sky tinted water, which is certainly poetic, and the 
late Eev. Gideon II. Pond thought quite correct. 



Miy?:SSOTA liX tile UEGINyiNG. 



117 



CHAPTER XXII. 

SmraESOTA FROM ITS OltCiAXrZATK.X AS A TERRITORY, A. D. 1S40, TO A. D. 1854. 



Appearance of the Country, A. D. lS-19 — Avrivul of liist liiUtor — (iovernur 
Ramsey arrives — Gufst nf H. H. Sibli-y -- Proclamation issued — Governor 
Ramsey and H. M, Bice move to Saint Paul — Fourth of July Cel«?hr.it ion — 
First election — Early Bowspapers — First Courts— First Legislature — Pioneer 
News CaiTicr"s Addi-ess— Wedding at Fort Snellini,'— Tcrritori;il Seal— Sc;ilp 
Dance at Stillwatrr— First Stcamlioat at Falls of Saint Anthony— Pr05l.yti.-nan 
Chapel burned — Indian count-il .it Fort Snetling — First Steainlioat above Saint 
Anthony — First boat at the Blue Earth River— Congressional election — Visit.of 
Fredrika Bremer — Indian newspaper — Otlusr newspapers — Second Legislature 
— ^University of Minnesota — Teamster killed by Indians — Sioux Treaties — Third 
Legislature— Land slide at Stillwat'^r — Death of first Editor— Fourth Legislature 
Baldwin School, now Mat^alester College — Indian fislit in Saint Paul. 

On the third of March, 1S40, the bill was passed 
by Congress for orgciniziiis,' the teri'itory of 
Mmnesota, whose bonudary on the west, extended 
to the Jlissoiiri River. At this time, the region was 
little more than a wilderness. Tire west bank of 
the jMississippi, from the Iowa line to Lake 
Itasca, was iniceded by the Indians. 

At A\^apasliaw, was a trading post in charge of 
Alexis liailly, and here also resided the ancient 
voyageur, of fonrscore years, A. Rocqne. 

At the foot of Lake Pepin was a store honse 
kept by JNtr. F. S. Richards. On the west shore of 
the lake lived the eccentric Wells, whose wife 
was a bois brule, a daughter of the deceased 
trader, Duncan Graham. 

Tlie two imfiiiished buildings of stone, on 
the beautifid bank opposite the renowned 
Maiden's Rock, and tlie siuTounding skin lodges 
of his wife's relatives and friends, presented a 
nide but pictiu-esque scene. Above the lake was 
a cluster of bark wigwams, the Dahkotah village 
of Raymneeclia, now Red Wing, at wliich was a 
Presbyterian mission house. 

Tlie next settlement was Kaposia, also an In- 
dian village, and the residence of a Presl)yteriau 
missionary, the Rev. T. S, Williamson, M. D. 
On the east side of the ilississippi, the first set- 
tlement, at the mouth of the St. Croix, was Point 
Douglas, then as now, a small hamlet. 

At Red Rock, the site of a former Methodist 
mission station, there were a few farmers. Saint 
Paul was just emerging from a collection of In- 
dian whisky shops and bircli roofed cabins of 



half-breed voyageurs. Here and tliere a frame 
tenement was erected, and, under the auspices of 
the Hon. II. M. Rice, who had obtained an inter- 
est in the towii, some ^^■arf■honses were con- 
structed, and the foundations of the American 
House, a frame hold, which stood at Third and 
Exchange street, were laid. In 1849, the jiopu- 
latiou had increased to two hundred and lifty 
or three hundred inhabitants, for rumors had 
gone abroad that it might be mentioned in the 
act, creating the territory, as tlie capital 
of ^Minnesota. ]More than a month after 
the adjoununent of Congress, just at eve, 
on the ninth of ^\pril, amid territic peals of 
thunder and torrents of rain, the weekly steam 
packet, the first to force its way through the icy 
barrier of Lake Pepin, rounded the rocky point 
whistling k)ud and long, as if the bearer of glad 
tidings. Refore siie was safely moored to the 
landing, the shouts of the excited villagers were 
lieard announcing that there was a territory of 
:Miuiiesota, and that Saint Paul \\as the seat of 
government. 

Every successive steamboat arrival poured out 
on the landing men big with hope, and anxious 
to do something to mould the future of the new 
stale. 

Nine days after the news of the existence of the 
territory of Mimiesota was received, there arrived 
James M. Goodhue with press, type, and printing 
apparatus. A grachiate of Amherst college, and 
a lawyer by profession, he wielded a sharp pen 
and wrote ecUtorials, which, more than anything 
else, perhaps, induced immigration. Though a 
man of some faults, one of the counties properly 
bears his name. On the twenty-eighth of April, 
he issued from his press the first number of the 
Pioneer. 

On the twenty - seventh of ^lay, Alexander 
Ramsey, the CJovernor, anil family, arrived at 
Saint Paul, butowing to thecrowdcd state of pub- 



118 



JSXPLCItEBS AND PICNiSJiliS OF MlNIS'Es'O'i-A. 



lie houses, immediately proceeded in the steamer 
to the estahlislimeiit of the Fiir Company, known 
as Ivleudotii, at the junction of the ]\Iinuesota and 
ilississippi, and became the guest of the Hon. H. 
H. Sibley. 

On the first of June, Governor Ramsey, by pro- 
clamation, declared the territory duly organized, 
Willi the follo\Ying officers: Alexander llamsey, 
of Pennsylvania, Governor ; C. K. Smith, of Ohio, 
Secretary ; A. Goodrich, of Tennessee, Cliief 
Justice ; D. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, and J>. B. 
Meeker, of Kentucky, Associate Judges; Joshua 
L. Taylor, Marshal ; II. L. iloss, attorney of the 
United States. 

On the eleventh of June, a second proclama- 
tion was issued, dividing the territory into three 
temporary judicial districts. The first comprised 
the county of St. Croix ; tlie county of La Pointe 
and the region north and west of tlie Mississippi, 
and north of the Mimiesota and of a line runnmg 
due west from the headwaters of the Minnesota 
to the Missouri river, constituted the second ; 
and the country west of tlie Mississippi and south 
of the Mmnesota, formed the third district. 
Judge Goodrich was assigned to the first. Meeker 
to the second, and Cooper to the third. A court 
was ordered to beheld at Stillwater on the second 
Monday, at the Falls of St. Anthony on the third, 
and at Mendota on the fourth Monday of August. 

Until the twenty -sixth of June, Governor 
Ramsey and family had been guests of Hon. H. 
II. Sibley, at Mendota. On the afternoon of 
that day they arrived at St. Paul, in a birch-bark 
canoe, and became permanent residents at the 
capital. The house first occupied as a guber- 
natorial mansion, was a small frame building tliat 
stood on Tliird, between Robert and Jackson 
streets, formerly kno\«i as the New England 
House. 

A few days after, the Hon. H. M. Rice and 
family moved from Mendota to St. Paid, and oc- 
cupied the house he had erected on St. Anthony 
street, near the corner of ^larket. 

On the first of July, a land office was estab- 
hshed at Stillwater, and A. "\^an Vorhes, after a 
few weeks, became the register. 

The anniversary of oiir .National Indepenaence 
was celebrated in a becoming manner at the cap- 
ital. The place selected for the address, was a 
grove that stood on the sites of the City Hall and 



the Baldwm School buildmg, and the late Frank- 
lin Steele was the marshal of the day. 

On the seventh of Jrdy, a proclamation was is- 
sued, dividing the territory into seven council 
districts, and ordering an election to be held on 
the first day of August, for one delegate to rep- 
resent the people in the House of Representatives ■ 
of the United States, for nine councillors and 
eighteen representatives, to constitute the Legis- 
lative Assembly of Minnesota. 

In this month, the Hon. II. M. Rice despatch- 
ed a boat laded with Indian goods from the 
the Falls of St. Anthony to Crow Wing, which 
was towed by horses after the maimer of a canal 
boat. 

The election on the first of August, passed off 
with Uttle excitement, lion. H, II. Sibley bemg 
elected delegate to Congress without opposition. 
David Lambert, on what might, perhaps, be 
termed the old settlers' ticket, was defeated in 
St. Paul, by James M. Boal. The latter, on the 
night of the election, was honored with a ride 
through to^^^l on the axle and fore-wheels of an 
old wagon, which was drawn by his admiring 
but somewhat undisciplined friends. 

J. L. Taylor ha\'ing declined the office of 
United States Marshal; A. il. :Mitchell, of Ohio, 
a giaduate of West Pouit, and colonel of a regi- 
ment of Ohio volunteers in the Mexican war, was 
appomted and arrived at the capital early in 
August. 

There were three papers published in the ter- 
ritory soon after its organization. The first was 
the Pioneer, issued on April twenty-eighth, 1S49, 
imder most discouraging circumstances. It Vi'as 
at first tlie intention of the ^rttty and reckless 
editor to have called his paper " The Epistle of 
St. Paul." About the same time there was issued 
in Cuicinnati, under the auspices of the late Dr. 
A. Randall, of California, the first number of 
the Register. The second number of the paper 
was printed at St. Paul, in .July, and the office 
was on St. Anthony, between AV^ashington and 
Market Streets, About the first of June, James 
Hughes, afterward of Hudson, Wisconsin, arrived 
with a press and materials, and established the 
Minnesota Chronicle. After an existence of s. 
few weeks two papers were discontinued ; and, 
iu their place, was issued the " Chronicle and 



DESCIilPTIOX OF THE TEMPORARY c 



rio;^istcr," edited by Nathaiel McLean and Jotiii 
W Owens. 

The lirst conrls, pursuant to proclamation of, 
tbe governor, were held In the month of August. 
At Slilhvater, the co\irt was organized ou the 
thirteentli of the month, Judge Goodrich pre- 
siding, and Judge Cooper by coui-tesy, sitting on 
the bench. On tlie twentieth-, t!vc second judi- 
ciiil district hehl a court. The room useil was 
the old govenmient mill at JMinneapolis. The 
presiding judge was B. M. Meeker; the foreman 
of the grand jiu-y, Franklin Steele. On the hist 
Monday t>f the montli, tlie court for the third 
judicial district was organized in the large stone 
v."arehouse of the fur company at ilendota. The 
presiding judge was David Cooper. Governor 
Ramsey sat on tlie right, and Judge Goodrich on 
tiie left. Hon. II. II. Sibley was the foreman of 
the grand jury. As some of the jurors could not 
speak the English language, W. H. Forbes acted 
as interpreter. The cliarge of Judge Cooper was 
lucid, scho'arly, and dignified. At the request 
of the grand jury it was afterwards publislied. 

On ^londay, the thii'd of September, the first 
Legisl^itive Assembly convened m the " Central 
House,'"in Saint Paul, a building at the corner 
of ilinnesota and Bench streets, facing the 
Mississippi river which answered the double 
purpose of eapitol and hotel. On the first 
floor of the main building was the Secreta- 
ry's office and Tlepresentative eliamber, and in 
the second story was the library and Council 
chamber. As the flag was rui\ up the staff in 
fi'ont of tlie house, a number of Indians sat on a 
rocky bluff in the vicinity, and gazed at what to 
them was a novel and perhaps saddenuig scene ; 
for if the tide of immigration sweeps in fi-om t!ie 
Pacific as it has from the Atlantic coast, they 
must soon dwindle. 

The legislature having organized, elected the 
follo-niug permanent ofiicers: Da^id Olmsted, 
President of Council ; Joseph K. Brown, Secre- 
ary ; II. A. Lambert, Assistant. In the House 
of Kepresentatives, Joseph W. Furber was elect- 
ed Speaker: ^\'. I). PhiUiits, Clerk: L. B. Vfait, 
Assistant. 

On Tuesday afternoon, both houses assembled 
in the dining hall of the hotel, and after prayer 
was offered by Eev. E. D. Xeill, Governor Ram- 
sey delivered his message. The message was ablv 



written, and its perusal ah'urded satisfaction at 
home and aljroad. 

The first session of tlie legislatui'i? adjomncd on 
the first of November. Among other proceed- 
ings of interest, was the creation of the following 
counties: Itasca, Wapashaw, Dahkotah, "\Vah- 
nahtah. Mahkahto, Pembina AVashington, Eam- 
sev and Benton. The tb^ree latter counties com- 
prised the country that up to that time had been 
ceded by the Indians on the east side of the Ms- 
sissippi, Stil." water was deiligfcl the county .seat 
of Waslungtou, Saint Paul, of IJamsey, and '■ the 
seat of justice of the comity of Benton was to be 
witlun one-quarter of a mile of a point on the east 
side of the Mississippi, directly opposite the moutb 
of Sauk river." 

EVENTS OF A. D 1850. 

By the active exertions of the secretary of the> 
territory, C. K. Smith, Esq., the Historical 
Society of Minnesota was incorporated at tlie 
first session of the legislature. The opening an- 
nual addi-ess was delivered in the tiien Methodist 
(now Swedenborgi'iii) church at Saint Paul, on 
the first of January, 1830. 

Tlie following account of the proceedings is 
from the Clironicle and Register. "The first 
public exercises of tlie ^linncsota Historical 
Society, took place at the Jlethodist church. Saint 
I'aul, on the first inst., and passed off liiglily 
creditable to all concerned. The day was pleasant 
and the attendance large. At the appointed 
hour, the President and both Vice-Presidents of 
the society being absent ; on motion of Hon. C. 
K. Smith, Hon. Cliief Justice Goodrich was 
called to the chair. The same gentleman then 
moved that a committee, consisting of ilessrs. 
Pai-sous K. Jolinson, John A. 'Wakefield, and B. 
W. Branson, be appointed to wait upon tlie 
Orator of the day, Rev. Jlr. Xeill, and infonn 
him that the audience was waiting to hear his 
addr(!,ss. 

" Mr. A'fill was shorily conducted to the pulpit; 
and after an eloquent and approriate prayer by 
the Rev. Mr. Pai-sons, and music by the band, he 
liroceeded to deliver his discourse upon the early 
French missionaries and Voyageurs into ilinne- 
sota. We hope the society will provide for its 
publication at an early day. 

••After some brief remarks by Rev. Jlr 



120 



EXi'LUHJ'JMti AND F10^EK1{S OF MINNl^SOTA. 



Hobart, upon the objects and ends of Mstory, the 
ceremonies were conchided with a prayer by 
that gentleman. The audience dispersed liighly 
deUghted with all that oeciured.' 

At this early period the Minnesota Pioneer 
issued a Gamer's New Year's Address, which 
was amusing doggerel. The reference to the 
future greatness and ignoble origin of the capital 
of Minnesota was as follows : — 

The cities on this river must be three, 
Two that are built and one that is to be. 
One, is the mart of all the tropics yield, 
The cane, the orange, and the cotton-field, 
And sends her ships abroad and boasts 
Her trade extended to a thousand coasts ; 
The other, central for the temperate zone. 
Gamers the stores that on the plains are gro'rni, 
A place where steamboats from all quarters. 

range, 
To meet and speculate, as 'twere on 'change. 
The third loill he, where rivers confluent flow 
From the wide spreading north through plauis 

of snow ; 
The mart of all that boundless forests give 
To make mankind more comfortably Uve, 
The land of manufacturing industry, 
The workshop of the nation it shall be. 
Propelled by this wide sti'eam, you'll see 
A thousand factories at Saint Anthony : 
And the Saint Croix a hundred mills shall drive. 
And all its smiling villages shall thrive ; 
But then 7ny town— remember that high bench 
"With cabins scattered over it, of French ? 
A man named Hem-y Jackson's livmg there. 
Also a man — why every one knows L. liobair, 
Below Fort Snelling, seven miles or so. 
And three above the village of Old Crow ? 
Pig's Eye ? Yes ; Pig's Eye ! That's the spot 1 
A very funny name ; is't not "i' 
Pig's Eye's the spot, to plant my city on. 
To be remembered by, when I am gone. 
Pig's Eye converted thou shall be, like Saul : 
Thy name henceforth shall be Siiint Paul. 

On the evenhig of New Year's day, at Fort 
SneUtng, there was an assemblage which is only 
seen on the outposts of civiUzation. In one of 
the stone edifices, outside of the wall, belonguig 
to the United States, there resided a gentleman 
who had dwelt in Mumcsota since the year lyPJ, 



and for many years had been in the employ of 
the govermneut, as Indian interpreter. In youth 
he had been a member of the Columbia Fur Com- 
pany, and conforming to the habits of traders, 
had purchased a Dahkotah wife who was wholly 
ignorant of the English language. As a family 
of children gathered around him he recognised 
the relation of husband and father, and consci- 
entiously discharged his duties as a parent. His 
daughter at a proper age was sent to a boarding 
school of some celebrity, and on the night re- 
ferred to was married to an intelligent young 
American farmer. Among the guests present 
were the officers of the garrison m full uniform, 
with their \\-ives, the United States Agent for 
the Dalikotahs, and family, the bois brules of 
the neighborhood, and the Indian relatives of the 
mother. The mother did not make lier appear- 
ance, but, as the muiister proceeded v.'ith the 
ceremony, the Dahkotah relatives, wrapped in 
their blankets, gathered in the hall and looked 
in throngh the door. 

The marriage feast was worthy of the occa- 
sion. In consequence of the numbers, the 
ofhcers and those of European extraction partook 
first ; then the bois brules of Ojibway and Dah- 
kotah descent; and, finally, the native Ameri- 
cans, who did ample justice to the pleutifid sup- 
ply spread before them. 

Governor Ramsey, Hon. H. H. Sibley, and the 
delegate to Congress devised at Washington, this 
winter, the territorial seal. The design was Falls 
of St. Anthony in the distance. An immigrant 
ploughing the land on the borders of the Indian 
country, full of hope, and looking forn'ard to the 
possession of the hunting grounds beyond. An 
Indian, amazed at the sight of the plough, and 
fleeing on horseback towards the setting sun. 

Tlie -motto of the Earl of Dnnraven, "Quae 
sursuni volo videre" (I wish to see what is above) 
was most appropriately selected by IMr. Sibley, 
but by the blunder of an engraver it appeared on 
the territorial seal, "Quo sursum velo videre," 
which no scholar could tianslate. At length was 
substituted, "L' Etoile du Nord," "Star of the 
North," while the device of the setting sun 
remained, and this is objectionable, a.: the State 
of Maine had already placed the North Star on 
her escutcheon, with the motto "Dirigo," "I 
!;uide." Perhaps some future legislature may 



SCALP DANCE IN STlLLWATKIi. 



121 



direct the tirst motto to be restored and correctly 
engraved. 

In the mourn of April, there was a renewal of 
hostilities hetween the Dalikotahs and (Jjiljwuys, 
on lands that had 1 leen ceded to the ITnited States. 
A war prophet at Red Wing, dreamed that he 
ought to raise a war party. Announcing the fact, 
a number expressed their willingness to go on such 
an expedition. Several from the Kaposia village 
also joined the party, under the leadership of a 
worthless Indian, who had been confined in the 
guard-house at Fort Snelling, the year pre\'ious, 
for scalping his wife. 

Passing up the valley of the St. Croix, a Tew 
miles above Stillwater the party discovered on the 
snow the marks of a keg and footprints. These 
told them that a man and woman of the Ojibways 
had been to some whisky dealer's, and were re- 
turning. Following their trail, tliey found on 
Apple river, about twenty miles from Stillwater, 
a band of Ojibways encamped in one lodge. Wait- 
ing till daybreak of Wednesday, April second, the 
Dahkotahs commenced firing on the unsuspecting 
inmates, some of whom were drinking from the 
contents of the whisky keg. The camp was com- 
posed of fifteen, and all were murdered and scalp- 
ed, with the exception of a lad, who was made a 
captive. 

On Thursday, the victors came to Stillwater, 
and danced the scalp dance around the captive 
l)oy, in the heat of excitement, striking him in the 
face with the scarcely cold and bloody scalps of 
liis relatives. The child was then taken to Ka- 
posia. and adopted b>' the chief. Governor Ram- 
sey immediately took measures to send the boy to 
his friends. At a conference held at the Gov- 
ernor's mansion, the boy was delivered up, and, 
on being led out to the kitchen by a Utile son of 
the Governor, since deceased, to receive refresh- 
ments, he cried bitterly, seemingly more alarmed 
at being left with the whites than he had been 
while a captive at Kaposia. 

From the first of April the waters of the Mis- 
sissippi began to rise, and on the thirteenth, the 
lower floor of the warehouse, then occupied by 
AMlliam Constans, at the foot of Jackson street, 
St. Paul, was submerged. Taking advantage of 
the freshet, the steamboat Anthony Wayne, for a 
purse of two hundred doUar.s, ventured through 
the swift current above i^'ort Snelling, and readied 



the Falls of St. Anthony. The boat loft the fort 
after dinner, with Governor Ramsey and other 
guests, also the band of tlie Sixtli Regiment on 
board, and reached the falls between three and 
four o'clock in the afternoon. The whole town, 
men, women and children, lined the shore as the 
boat approached, and welcomed this first aiTival, 
with shouts and waving handkerchiefs. 

On the afternoon of May fifteenth, there might 
have lieen seen, hurrying through the streets of 
Saint Paul, a number of naked and pauited braves 
of the Kajiosia band of Dahkotahs, ornamented 
with all the attire of war, and panting for the 
scalps of their enemies. A few hours before, the 
warlike head chief of the Ojibways. young IIolc- 
in-the-Day , having secreted his eaiioe in the retired 
gorge which leads to the cave in the upper sub- 
urbs, with two or three associates had crossed the 
river, and, almost in sight of the citizens of tli,> 
town, had attacked a small party of Dahkotahs. 
and murdered and scalped one man. On receipt 
of the news. Governor Ramsey granted a parole 
to the thirteen Dahkotahs contiued in Fort Snell- 
ing, for participating in the Apple river massacre. 

On the morning of the sixteenth of May, the 
fii'st Protestant church edifice coniijleted in the 
white settlements, a small frame building, built 
for the Presbyterian clmrch, at Saiut Paul, was 
destroyed by fire, it being the first conflagration 
tliat had occurred since the organization of the 
territory. 

One of the most interesting events of the year 
IS.jO, was the Indian council, at Fort Snelling. 
(iovernor Ramsey had sent ruiniers to the differ- 
ent bands of the Ojibways and Dahkotahs, to 
meet him at the fort, for the piu'pose of en- 
deavouring to adjust their difficulties. 

On Wednesday, the twelfth of June, after 
much talking, as is customary at Indian councils, 
the two tribes agreed as they had frequently done 
before, to be friendly, anil (iovernor Ramsey 
presenting to each party an ox. the cotnicil was 
dissolved. 

On Thursday, the Ojibways visited St. Paul 
for the first time, youn.g IIole-in-the-Day being 
dressed in a coat of a captain of United States 
infantry, which lia<l been presented to him at tlie 
foi-t. On Friday, they left in the steamer Gov- 
ernor Ramsey, which had been built at St. An- 
thony, and ji'st commenced running between 



]-22 



EXPLORERS AND l'IO.\EERS OF MINNESOTA. 



that poiut and Sauk Rapids, for their homes in 
the wilderness of the Upper Mississippi. 

The summer of 1850 was the commencement 
of the navigation of tlie Minnesota River by 
steamboats. With the exception of a steamer 
tliat made a pleasure excursion as far as Shokpay, 
In 1841, no large vessels had ever disturbed the 
waters of this stream. In June, the " Anthony 
Wayne," v/hich a few weeks before had ascended 
to the Falls of St. Anthony, made a trip. On 
tlie eighteenth of July she made a second trip, 
going almost to Mabkahto. The " Nominee " 
also navigated the stream for some distance. 

Ou the twenty-second of July the officers of 
llie "Yankee," taking advantage of the high 
water, determined to navigate the stream as far 
;'.s possible. The boat ascended to near the Cot- 
louwood river. 

As the time for the general election in Septem- 
ber approached, considerable excitement was 
manifested. As there were no political issues 
before the people, parties Vv'ere formed based on 
p&rsonal preferences. Among those nominated 
for delegate to Congress, by various meetings, 
\, ere 11. II. Sibley, the former delegate to Con- 
gress, David Olmsted, at that time engaged in | 
the Indian trade, ami A.-M. Mitchell, the United 
States marshal. ilr. Olmsted withdrew his 
name before election day, and the contest was 
between those interested in Sibley and Jlitchell. 
The friends of each betrayed the greatest zeal, 
and neither pains nor money were spared to in- 
sure success. Mr. Sibley was elected by a small 
majority. For the first time in the territory, 
soldiers at the garrisons voted at !liis election, 
and there was considerable discussion as to the 
propriety of such a course. 

Miss Fredrika Bremer, the well known Swedish 
novelist, visited Minnesota in the month of 
October, and was the guest of Governor Ramsey. 

During November, the Dahkotah Tawaxitku 
Kin, or the Dahkotah Friend, a monthly paper, 
was commenced, one-half in the Dahkotah and 
one-half in the English language. Its editor was 
tlie Rev. Gideon 11. Pond, a Presbyterian mis- 
sionary, and its place of publication at Saint Paul. 
It was published for nearly two years, and, though 
it failed to attract the attention of the Indian 
mind, it conveyed to the English reader much 



correct information in relation to the habits, the 
belief, and superstitions, of the Dahkotahs. 

On the tenth of December, anew paper, owned 
and edited by Daniel A. Robertson, late United 
States marshal, of Ohio, and called the Minne- 
sota Democrat, made its appearance. 

Dm^mg the summer there had been changes in 
ihe editorial supervision of the " Chronicle and 
Register." For a brief period it was edited by 
L. A. Babcock, Esq., who was succeeded by \V. 
G. Le Due. 

About the time of the issuhig of the Demo- 
crat, C. J. Hemiiss, formerly reporter for the 
United States Gazette, Philadelpliia, became the 
editor of tiie Chronicle. 

Tlie first proclamation for a thanksgiving day 
was issued in 1850 by the governor, and the 
twenty-sixth of December was the time appomted 
and it was generally observed. 

EVENTS OF A. D. 1851. 

On Wednesday, January first, 1851, the second 
Legislative Assembly assembled in a three-story 
lirick building, since destroyed by fire, that stood 
on St. Anthony street, between Washington and 
FrankUn. D. B. Loomis was chosen Speaker of 
the Council, and M. E. Ames Speaker of the 
House. This assembly was characterized by 
more bitterness of feeling than any that has 
since convened. The precedhig delegate election 
liad been based- on personal preferences, and 
cliques and factions manifested themselves at an 
early period of the session. 

The locating of the penitentiary at Stillwater, 
and the capitol building at St. Paul gave some 
dissatisfaction. By the efforts of J. W. North, 
Esq., a bill creating the University of Mimiesota 
at or near the Falls of St. Anthony, was passed, 
and signed by the Governor. This institution, 
by the State Constitution, is now the State Uni- 
versity. 

During the session of this Legislature, the pub- 
lication of the " Chronicle and Register" ceased. 

About the middle of ]May,a war i)arty of Dah- 
kotahs disi'overed near Swan River, an Ojibway 
with a keg of wliisky. The latter escaped, with 
the loss of his keg. The war party, dtinking the 
contents, became intoxicated, and, firing upon 
some teamrters they met driving their wagons 
with goods to the Indian Agency, killed one of 



LA.yps ir/'.-s'/' OF Tin- nis^issii'i'r gkvkd. 



3 23 



them, Andrew Swiirtz, a rcsidt'iit of St. I'.-iul. 
Tlio uews waa conveyed to Fort Ripley, and a 
party of soldiers, with Hole-in-the-day as a guide, 
started in piirsiiit of the murderers, but did not 
succeed in capturing theni. Through the inilu- i 
ence of Little Six, the Daiikotah chief, whose vil- 
lage was at (and named after him) Shok- j 
pay, five of the offenders were arrested and 
placed in the guard house at Fort Suelluig. On 
Monday, June ninth, they left the fort iti a wagon, 
guarded by twenty-five dragoons, destined for 
Hauk Bapids for trial. As they dejjarted they all 
sang their death song, and the coarse soldiers 
amused ■ themselves by making signs that they 
v.ere going to be hung. On the first evening of 
the journey the five culprits encamped with the 
twenty-five dragoons. Handcutl'ed, they were 
placed in the tent, and yet at midnight they all 
escaped, only one being wounded by tlie guaril- 
What was more remarkable, the wounded man 
was the first to bring the news to St. Paul. Pro- 
ceeding to Koposia, his wound was examined by 
the missionary and physician, Dr. Williamson; 
and then, fearing an arrest, he took a canoe and 
paddled np the Minnesota. The excuses offered 
by the dragoons was, that all the guard but one 
fell asleep. 

The first paper published in Minnesota, bevoud 
the capital, was the St. Anthony Express, which 
made its appearance during the last week of 
April or May. 

The most important event of the year 18.51 
was the treaty with the Dahkotahs, by which the 
west side of the Mississippi and the valley of tlie 
Miuunesota Eiver were opened to the hardy immi- 
grant. The commissioners on the part of the 
United States were Luke Lea, Commissioner of 
Indian Affairs, and Governor Eamsey. The 
place of meeting for the upper bands was Trav- 
erse des Sioux. The commission arrived there 
on the last of June, but were obliged to wait 
many days for the assembling of the various 
bands of Dahkotahs. 

On the eighteenth of July, ail those expected 
having arrived, the Sissetons and Wahpaytou 
Dahkotahs assembled in grand council with the 
United States commissioners. After the usual 
feastings and speeches, a treaty was concluded 
on Wednesday, July twenty-third. The pipe 
having been smoked by the commissioners, Lea 



and Eamsey, it was pas^ed to the chiefs. T!io 
paper containing the treaty was then read in 
I'jUglish and translated into the Daiikotah by the 
Kev. S. R. Eiggs, Presbyterian Missionary among 
this people. This finished, the cliiefs came np 
to the secretary's table and touched the ])en; the 
white men present then witnessed the doeunient 
and nothing remained but tlie ratification of the 
United" States Senate to open that vast country 
fv)r the residence of the hardy immigrant. 

During the first weok in August, a treaty was 
also concluded beneath an oak bower, on Pilot 
Knol), Meudota, with the M'dewakaiitonwan and 
\\"a'ipaykoi)tay bands of Dahkotahs. About sixty 
of the chiefs and principal men touched the pen, 
and Jjittle Crow, who had beceu in tlie niiss.siou- 
seliool at Lac qui Parle, signed his own name. 
Before they separated Colonel Lea and Governor 
Ivimsey gave them a few words of advice on 
various subjects connected with tlicir future well- 
b.'iug, but particularly on the suliject of eibica- 
tiou and temperance. The treaty was interpret- 
ed to them by the Rev. G. H. Pond, a geutleniau 
who was conceded to be a most ccrrect speaker 
of the Dahkotah tongue. 

The day after the treaty these lower lands 
received thirty thousand dollars, which, by the 
treaty of 1837, was set apart for education; but, 
by the misrepresentations of interested half- 
breeils, the Indians were made to believe that 
it ought to be given to them to be employed as 
they pleased. 

The next week, with their sacks filled with 
money, they thronged the str.-;ets of St. Paul, 
purchasing whatever jjleas-ed thei;- fancy. 

On the seventeenth of Se|)t,cmlier, a new j^aper 
was commenced in St. Paul, under the ausjjices 
of the "Whigs," and John P. Owens became 
editor, which relation he sustained until the fall 
of 18.57. 

The election for memliers of the Legishiture 
and county officers occurred on the fourteenth of 
Oct'iber; and, for the first time, a regular Demo- 
cratic ticket was jjlaced before the people. The 
parties called themselves Democratic and Anti- 
organization, or Coalition, 

In the mouth of November Jerome Fuller ar- 
rived, an 1 took the place of Judge Goodrich as 
Chief Justice of Minnesota, who was removed; 
and, about the same time, Alexander Wilkin was 



124 



EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



appointed secretary of the territory in place of 
C. K. Smilli. 

The eigliteeutli of December, pnrsiiant to 
proclamation, was observed as a day of Thauks- 
giviag. 

EVENTS OF A. D. 1S52. 

The third Legislative Asseml:)ly ccimmencsd its 
sessions in one of the -^tiitjeefs on Tliird below 
Jackson street, which became a portion of the 
Merchants' Hotel, on the seventh of January, 
1852. 

This session, compared witli the previous, 
formed a contrast as great as tliat between a 
boisterous day in Marcli and a calm June morn- 
ing. The minds of the population were more 
deeply interested in the ratilication of the treaties 
made with the Dahkotiilis, than in political dis- 
cussions. Among other lejiislatloii of interest 
was the creation of Ile-nepin county. 

On Saturday, the fc-irteeuth of February, a 
dog-traiu arrived at S' Paul from the north, 
with the distinguished Arctic explorer. Dr. Kae. 
He had been in search of the long-missing Sir 
John Franklin, by way of the ^Mackenzie river, 
and Mas now on his way to Europe. 

On the fourteenth of May, an interesting lusus 
naturse occurred at Stillwater. On the prairies, 
beyond the elevated bluffs v\hich encircle tlie 
busuiess portion of the town, there is a lake which 
discharges its waters through a ravine, and sup- 
pli(Kl ilcKusick's mill. Owing to heavy rains, 
the hills became saturated with water, and the 
lake very full. Before daylight the citizens heard 
the " voice of many waters," and looking out, saw 
rushing down through the ravine, trees, gravel 
and diluvium. Nothing impeded its course, and 
as it issued from the ravine it spread over the 
town site, covering up barns and small tenements, 
and, continuing to the lake shore, it materially 
improved the lauding, by a deposit of many tons 
of earth. One of the editors of the day, alluding 
to the fact, quamtly remarked, that "it was a 
very extraordinary movement fif real estate." 

During the sununer, Elijah Terry, a young 
man who had left St. Paul the previous March, 
and went to Pembina, to act as teacher to the 
mixed bloods in that vicinity, was murdered un- 
der disti'essing circumstances. With a bois brule 
he had started to the woods on the morning of 



his death, to hew timber. ^V^lile there he was 
fired upon by a small party of Dahkotahs ; a ball 
broke his arm, and he was pierced vnXh an-ows. 
His scalp was wrenched from his head, and was 
afterwards seen among Sisseton Dahkotahs, near 
Big Stone Lake. 

jVbout tlie last of August, the pioneer editor 
of jMinnesota, James M. Goodhue, died. 

At the November Term of the United States 
District Court, of Ramsey county, a Dahkotali, 
named Yu-ha-zee, was tried for tlie murder of a 
German woman. "With others she was travel- 
ing above Shokpay, when a party of Indians, of 
whom the prisoner was one, met them ; and, 
gathering about the wagon, were much excited. 
The prisoner punched the woman first with iiis 
gun, and, being threatened by one of the party, 
loaded and fired, killing the woman and wound- 
ing one of the men. 

On the day of his trial he was escorted from 
Fort Snelling by a company of mounted dragoons 
in full dress. It was an impressive scene to 
witness the poor Indian half bid in his blanket, 
in a buggy with the civil otlicer, surrounded with 
all the pom)) and circumstance of war. The jury 
found him guilty. On being asked if he had 
anything to say why sentence of death should 
not be passed, he replied, through the interpreter, 
that the band to which he belonged would remit 
their annuities if he could be released. To this 
Judge Hayner, the successor of Judge Fuller, 
replied, that he had no authority to release 
him ; and, ordering him to rise, after some 
appropriate and impressive remarks, he pro- 
nounced the first sentence of death ever pro- 
noimced by a judicial officer in Minnesota. The 
prisoner trembled while the judge spoke, and 
was a piteous spectacle. By the statute of Min- 
nesota, then, one convicted of murder could not 
be executed until twelve months hadelaiisi'<l,and 
he was confined until the governor of the ter- 
orrity should by warrant order his execution. 

EVENTS OF A. D. 1S53. 

The fourth Legislative Assembly convened on 
the fifth of January, 18.53, in the two "story brick 
edifice at the corner of Third and JMinnesota 
streets. The Council chose Martin McLeod as 
presiding oflicer, and the House Dr. David Day, 



INDIAN f'lGUT IN STItEEIS OF tiT. PAUL. 



Vir, 



Speaker. Governor Ramsey's message was aii 
interesting document. 

The Baldwin school, now known asMacalester 
f'o!Ipg(\ was incorporated at this session of tlie 
legislatnre, and was opened the folk)wing June. 

On tlie ninth of April, a party of Ojibways 
killed a Dahkofah. at the village of Shokpay. A 
war party, from Kaposia, then proceeded up the 
valley of the St. Croix, and killed an Ojibway. 
On the morning of the twenty-seventh, a band 
of Ojibway warriors, naked, decked, and fiercely 
gestienlating, might have been seen in the busiest 
street of the capital, in search of their enemies. 
Just at that time a small party of women, and 
one man, who liad lost a leg in the battle of Still- 
water, arrived in a canoe from Kaposia, at the 
Jackson sti-eet landing. Perceiving the Ojib- 
ways, they retreated to the building then known 
as the " Pioneer " oftice, and the Ojibways dis- 
charging a volley through the windows, wounded 
a l)ahkotah woman who soon died. Fora short 
time, the infant capital presented a sight 
similar to that witnessed in ancient days in 
Hadley or Deerlield, the tlien frontier towns of 
Massachusetts, ilessengers were despatched to 
Fort Snelling for the dragoons, and a party of 
citizens mounted on horseback, ^^■ere quickly in 
pursuit of those wlio with so much bolcbiess had 
sought the streets of St. Paul, as a place to 
avenge their wrongs. The dragoons soon fol- 
lowed, with Indi;in guides scenting the track of 
the Ojibways, like bloodliomids. The next day 
they discovered the transgressors, near the Falls 
of St. Croix. The Ojibways mauifestmg what 
was supposed to be an insolent si>irit, the order 
was given by the lieutenant in command, to fire, 
and he whose scalp was afterwards daguerreo 



typed, and which was engiaved for Graham's 
ilagazine, wallowed in gore. 

During tlie summer, the passenger, as he stood 
on the hurricane deck of any of the steamboals, 
might have seen, on a scaffold on the bluffs in 
the rear of Kaposia, a scpiare box covered with a 
coarsely fiinged red cloth. Above it was sus- 
pended a piece of the Ojibway's scalp, whose 
death had caused the affray in the streets of St. 
Paul. Within, was the body of the woman who 
had been shot in the " Pioneer " building, while 
seeking refiige. A scalji suspended over the 
corpse is supposed to be a consulation to the soul, 
and a great protection in the journey to the spirit 
land. 

On the accession of Pierce to the presidency of 
the United States, the officers appointed under 
the Taylor and Fillmore administrations were 
removed, and the following gentlemen substitu- 
ted : Governor, W. A. Gorman, of Indiana; Sec- 
retary, J. T. Kosser, of A'irginia; Chief Justice, 
W. H. Welch, of ilinnesota ; Associates, Moses 
Sherburne, of Maine, and A. G. Chatfield, of 
AVisconsin. One of the first official acts of the 
second Governor, was the making of a treaty 
with the Wumebago Indians at Watal), lientuu 
county, for an exchange of coinitry. 

On the twenty-nintli of June, I). A. Robertson, 
who by his enthusiasm and earnest advocacy of 
its principles had done nnich to organize the 
Democratic party of Minnesota, retired from the 
eilitorial chair and was succeeded by David Olm- 
sted. 

At the election held in October, Henry JM. 
Rice and Alexander Willvin were candidates 
for deligate to Congress. The former was elect- 
ed by a decisive majority. 



126 



EXPLOEEBS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTEE XXIII. 

EVEInTS FKOjt A. D. 1854 TO TELE ADMISSION OF MmilESOTA TO TIIE UXTON. 



Fifth Legislature— Execution of Yiihnzce— Sixth Legislature— First bridge over the 
Mississippi— Arctic E.ipliiriT — ?evflnth Legislature — Indian girl killed near 
Blosmington Kerry — Eii^hth Letjislatlire — Attempt to Remove the Capital — 
Special Session of the Legislature — Convention to frame a State Constitution- 
Admission of Mimiesota to the Union, 

The fifth session of the legislature was com- 
menced iu the building just completed as the 
Cai)itol, on Januarj' fourth, 1854. The President 
of the Council was S. B. Olmstead, and the Speak- 
er of the House of Representatives was N. C. D. 
Taylor. 

Governor Gorman delivered his first annual 
message on the tenth, and as his predecessor, 
urged the importance of railwaj- communicatior.s, 
and dwelt upon the necessity of fostering the in- 
terests of education, and of the lumbermen. 

The exciting bill of the session was the act in- 
corporating the Minnesota and Northwestern 
Railroad Company, introduced by Joseph R. 
Brown. It was passed after the hour of midnight 
on the last day of the session. Contrary to the 
expectation of bis fi-iends, the Governor signed 
the biU. 

On the afternoon of December twenty-seventh, 
the first public execution in ;Minnesota, in accord- 
ance with the forms of law, took place. Yu-lia- 
zee, the Dahkotah who had been convicted in 
November, 1852, for the miu'der of a German 
woman, above Shokpay, was the individual. 
The scaffold was erected on the open space be- 
tn'een an inn called the rrankUn House and the 
rear of the late Mr. J. W. Selby's enclosure 
in St, Paul. About two o'clock, the prisoner, 
dressed in a white shroud, left the old log pris- 
on, near the court house, and entered a carriage 
v.ith the officers of the law. Being assisted up 
the steps that led to the scaffold, he made a fe-n 
remarks in his o\^ti language, and was then exe- 
cuted. Numerous ladies sent in a petition to 
the governor, asking the pardon of the Indian, 
to which that officer in declining made an appro- 
priate reply. 



EVENTS OF A. D. 1855. 

The sixth session of the legislature convened 
on the third of January, 1855. W. P. Murray 
was elected President of the Council, and James 
S. Nonis Speaker of the House. 

About the last of January, the two houses ad- 
journed one day, to attend the exercises occa- 
sioned by the opening of the first bridge of 
any kind, over the mighty Mississippi, from 
Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. It was at 
Falls of Saint Anthony, and made of wire, and 
at the time of its opening, the patent for the 
land on which the west piers were built, had not 
been issued from the Land Office, a striking evi- 
dence of the rapidity with which the city of 
Minneapolis, which now surroimds the Falls, has 
developed. 

On the twenty-ninth of March, a convention 
was held at Saint Anthony, which led to the 
formation of the Republican party of Minnesota. 
Tliis body took measures for the holding of a 
territorial convention at St. Paul, which con- 
vened on the twenty-fifth of July, and William 
R, Marshall was nominated as delegate to Con- 
gress. Shortly after the friends of Mr. Sibley 
nominated David Olmsted and Henry M. Rice, 
the former delegate was also a candidate. The 
contest was animated, and resulted in the elec- 
tion of Mr. Rice. 

Aliout noon of December twelfth, 1855, a four- 
horse vehicle was seen driving rapidly through 
St. Paul, and deep was the interest when it was 
announced that one of the Aictic exploring party, 
Jlr. James Stewart, was on his way to Canada 
with relics of the world - reno^vned and world- 
mounied Sir John Franklin. Gathering together 
the precious fragments found on Monb-eal Island 
and vicinity, the party had left the region of ice- 
bergs on the ninth of August, and after a con- 
tinued land journey from that time, had reached 



FltO^OaKl) liEMOVAL OF THE ,SJb'AT OF GOVFll \MFyT. 



12V 



Saiiit Paul on that day, en route to the lIuUswi 
Bay Company's quarters iii Canada. 

KVKKTS OF A. D. lSo6. 

Tlie seventh session of the Legislative Assem- 
bly was begun on the second of January, ISoti, 
and again the exciting question was the Minne- 
sota and Xortliwesteni Railroad Company. 

John B. Brisbiu was elected President of the 
Council, and Charles Gardner, Speaker of the 
Hojise. 

Tliis j'ear was comparatively devoid of interest. 
Tlie citizens of the territory were busily engaged 
in making claims in newly organized comities, 
and in enlarging the area of civilization. 

On the trsvelfth of Jime, several Ojibways 
entered the farm house of JMr. "Whallon, wlio re- 
sided ill Hennepin county, on the banks of the 
Minnesota, a mile below the Bloomiugton ferry. 
The wife of the farmer, a friend, and tliree child- 
ren, besides a little Dahkotah girl, who had been 
brought up in the mission-house at Kaposia, and 
so changed in mamiers that her origin was 
scarcely perceptible, were sitting in the room 
when the Indians came in. Instantly seizing 
the little Indian maiden, they threw her out of 
the door, lolled and scalped her, and fled before 
the men who were near by, in the field, could 
reach the house. 

EVENTS OF A. D. IS-J". 

The procurement of a state organization, and 
a grant of lands for railroad purposes, were the 
topics of poUtical interest diu'mg the year 1857. 

The eighth Legislative Assembly convened at 
the capitol on the seventh of January, and J. B. 
Brisbiu was elected President of the Council, and 
J. W. Fiuber, Speaker of the House. 

A bUl changing the seat of government to 
Saint Peter, on the Jliimesota River, caused 
much discussion. 

On Satvu-day, February twenty -eighth, Mr. 
Balcombe offered a resolution to report the bill 
for the removal of the seat of government, and 
should ^Ir. Rolette, chairman of the committee, 
fail, that W. AV. Wales, of said committee, report 
a copy of said bUl. 

ilr. Setzer. after the reading of the resolution, 
moved a call of the CouncO, and :Mr. Rolette was 
found to be absent. The chair ordered the ser- 
geant at aims to report Mr Rolette in his seat. 



Mr. ]?alconibo moved tiiat further proceedings 
under the call be dispensed with; which did not 
prevail. Prom that time until the next Thursday 
afternoon, March the fifth, a period of one hun- 
dred and t\venty-tln-ee hours, the Council re- 
mained in their chamber witliout recess. At that 
tiuK! a motion to adjourn prevailed. On Friday 
auollier motion was made to dispense with the 
call of tlie Council, wldch did not prevail. On 
Saturday, the Council met, tlie president dec'lared 
the call still pending. At seven and a half p. m., 
a committee of the House was announced. The 
chair ruled, that no commmiicatidu from the 
House could be received while a call of the Coun- 
cil was pending, and the committee withdrew. 
A motion was again made during the last night 
of the session, to dispense with all further pro- 
ceedings under the call, whicli prevailed, with 
one vote onlj' in the negative. 

ilr. Ludden then moved that a committee be 
appointed to wait on tlie (_io\ernor, and inquire if 
he had any further communication to make to 
the Council. 

^Ir. Lowry moved a call of the Council, which 
\^■as ordered, and the roll being called, ^Messrs. 
Rolette, Thompson and Tiilotson were absent. 

At twelve o'clock at night the president re- 
sumed the chau', and announced that tlie time 
limited by law tor tlie continuation of tlie session 
of the territorial legislature had expu'ed, and he 
therefore declared the Coiuuil adjourned and the 
seat of government remained at Saint I'aul. 

The excitement on the capital question was in- 
tense, and it was a strange scene to see members 
of the CouncU, eating and sleeping in the hall of 
legislation for days, waiting for the sergeant-at- 
arms to report an absent member hi liis seat. 

On the twenty-third of February, 18.57, an act 
passed the United States Senate, to authorize 
the people of Minnesota to form a constitution, 
preparatory to their a(huission into the Union 
on an equal footing with the origuial states. 

Governor Gorman called a special session 
of the legislatiu'e, to take into consideration 
measures that would give efticiency to the act. 
The extra session convened on April tweiity- 
sevenlli, and a message was transmitted by Sam- 
uel JNIedary, who liad been appointed governor 
in place of W . A. (Jormau, whose term of office 



]-2S 



EXPLOBERS AXD FlOyEEUH OF MINNESOTA. 



had expired. The extra session adjourned on 
the twenty-third of ^lay ; and in accordance 
witli tiie provisions of tlie enabling act of Con- 
gress, an election was held on the first Monday 
in June, for delegates to a convention which was 
to assemble at the capitol on the second Monday 
in July. The clertion resulted, as was thought, 
in giving a majority of delegates to the Eepubli- 
can party. 

At midiugiit previous to the day fixed for the 
meeting of tlio convention, the Republicans pro- 
ceeded to the capitol, because the enabling act 
had not fixed at what hour on the second ilon- 
day the convention should assemble, and fear- 
ing that the Democratic delegates might antici- 
pate them, and elect the officers of the body. 
^V little before twelve, a. ji., on Monday, the 
secretary of the territory entered the speaker's 
rostrum, and l)egan to call the body to order; 
and at the same tune a delegate, J. AV. North, 
who had in his i>ossession a written rp(iuest from 
the majority of the delegates pr.-;:.cnt, proceeded 
to do the same tiling. The secretary of the ter- 
ritory put a motion to adjourn, and the Demo- 
cratic members present voting in the afBrmative, 
they left the hall. The Kepublicans. feeling that 
they were in tlie majority, remained, and in due 
time organized, and proceeded witli the business 
specified in the enalding act, to form a constitu- 
tion, and- take all necessary steps for the estab- 
lishment of a state government, in conformity 
with the Federal Constitution, subject to the 
approval and ratification of the people of the 
proposed state. 

After several days the Democratic wing also 
orgaiuzed in the Senate chamber at the caiiitol, 
and, claiming to be the true body, also proceeded 
to form a constitution. Both parties were re- 
markably orderly and intelligent, and everything 
was marked by perfect decorum. After they had 
been in session some weeks, moderate counsels 



prevailed, and a committee of conference was 
appointed from each body, which resulted in 
both adopting the constitution framed by the 
Democratic wing, on the twenty-ninth of Aug- 
gust. According to the provision of the consti- 
tution, an election was held for state officers 
and the adoption of the constitution, on tlie 
second Tuesday, the thirteenth of October. The 
constitution was adopted by almost a unanimous 
vote. It provided that the territorial officers 
should retain their oftices until the state was ad- 
mitted into the Union, not anticipating the 
long delay which was experienced. 

The first session of the state legislatiu'e com- 
menced on the first "Wednesday of December, at 
tiie capitol, in the city of Saint Paul; and during 
the month elected Henry M. Eice a]id James 
Shields as their Kepreseutatives in the United 
States Senate. 

EVENTS OF A. D. 18.38. 

On the twenty-ninth of Jaiuiary, 1S>58, Mr. 
Douglas submitted a bill to the United States 
Senate, for the admission of Minnesota into the 
Union. On the first of February, a discussion 
arose on the bill, in which Senators Douglas, 
Wilson, Gwin, Hale, Mason, Green, Brown, and 
Crittenden participated. Brown, of Mississippi, 
was opposed to the admission of Minnesota, un- 
til the Kansas question was settled. Mr. Crit- 
tenden, as a Southern man, coidd not endorse i;ll 
that was said by the Senator from !Mississipri; 
and his words of wisdom and moderation during 
this day's discussion, were worthy of remejn- 
brance. On April the seventh, the bill passed 
the Senate with only three dissenting votes ; and 
in a short time the House of Representatives 
concurred, and on May tlie eleventh, the Presi- 
dent ajiproved, and Minnesota was fully rec- 
ognized as one of the United States of America. 



FIBST STATE LEGISLATURE. 



1'20 



OUTLINE HISTORY 



OF THE 



STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



CHAPTEK XXIV. 

PIEST STATE LEGISLATDKE STATE RAILWAY BONDS 

MIN-NESOTA DDRINQ THE CIVIL WAB-EEGIMENTS 

— THE SIOUX OnTBREAK. 

The transition of Minnesota from a territorial 
to a state organization occurred at the period when 
the whole republic was sutTering from financial em- 
barrassments. 

By an act of congress approved by the president 
on the 5th of March, 1857, lands had been granted 
to Minnesota to aid in the construction of railways. 
During an extra session of the legislature of Min- 
nesota, an act was passed in May, 1857, giving 
the congressional grant to certain corporations to 
build railroads. 

A few months after, it was discovered that the 
corporators had neither the money nor the credit 
to begin and complete these internal improve- 
ments. In the winter of 1858 the legislature again 
listened to the siren voices of the railway corpora- 
tions, until their words to some members seemed 
like "apples of gold in pictures of silver," and an 
additional act was passed submitting to the people 
an amendment to the constitution which jsrovided 
for the loan of the public credit to the land grant 
railroad companies to the amount of $5,000,000, 
upon condition that a certain amount of labor on 
the roads was performed. 

Some of the citizens saw in the proposed meas- 
ure -'a cloud no larger than a man's hand," which 
would lead to a terrific storm, and a large public 
meeting was convened at the capitol in St. Paul, 
and addressed by ex-Governor Gorman, D. A. 
Robertson, William K. Marshall and others depre- 

9 



ciating the engrafting of such a peculiar amend- 
ment into the constitution; but the people were 
poor and needy and deluded and would not lis- 
ten; their hopes and happiness seemed to depend 
upon the plighted faith of railway corporators, and 
on April the 15th, the appointed election day, 
25,023 votes were deposited for, while only 6,733 
votes were cast against the amendment. 

FIRST STATE LEQISLATUBE. 

The election of October, 1857, was carried on 
with much partisan feeling by democrats and re- 
publicans. The returns from wUdemess precincts 
were unusually large, and in the countiflg of votes 
for governor, Alexander Ramsey appeared to have 
received 17,550, and Henry H. Sibley 17,796 bal- 
lots. Governor Sibley was declared elected by a 
majority of 246, and duly recognized. The first 
legislature assembled on the 2d of December, 
1857, before the formal admission of Blinnesota 
into the Union, and on the 25th of March, 1858, 
adjourned until June the 2d, when it again met. 
The next day Governor Sibley delivered his mes- 
sage. His term of office was arduous. On the 
4th of August, 1858, he expressed his determina- 
tion not to deliver any state bonds to the railway 
companies unless they would give first mortgages, 
with priority of lien, upon their lands, roads and 
franchises, in favor of the state. One of the com- 
panies applied for a mandamus fi-om the supreme 
court of the state, to compel the issue of the 
bonds without the restrictions demanded by the 
governor. 

In November the court. Judge Flandrau dis- 
senting, directed the governor to issue state bonds 
as soon as a railway company delivered their first 



130 



OUTLINE iiisronr of the state of Minnesota. 



mortgage bonds, as provided by the amendment 
to the constitution. But, as was to be expected, 
bonds sent out under such peculiar circumstances 
were not sought after by capitalists. Moreover, 
after over two million dollars in bonds had been 
issued, not an iron rail had been laid, and only 
about two hundred and fifty miles of grading had 
been completed. 

In his last message Governor Sibley in refer- 
ence to the law in regard to state credit to railways, 
says: "I regret to be obliged to state that the 
measure has proved a failure, and has by no means 
accomphshed what was hoped from it, either in 
providing means for the issue of a safe currency 
or of aiding the companies in the completion of 
the work upon the roads." 

ACT FOB NOKMAIi SCHOOLS. 

Notwithstanding the pecuniary complications of 
the state, during Governor Sibley's administra- 
tion, the legislature did not entirely forget that 
there were some interests of more importance than 
railway construction, and on the 2d of August, 
1858, largely through the influence of the late 
John D. Ford, M. D., a public spirited citizen of 
Winona, an act was passed for the establishment 
of three training schools for teachers. 

FIRST STEAMBOAT ON THE BED BIVEE OP THE 
NORTH. 

In the month of June, 1859 an important route 
was opened between the Mississippi and the Red 
River of the North. The then enterprising firm 
of J. C. Burbank & Co., of St. Paul, having se- 
cured from the Hudson Bay Company the trans- 
jjortation of their supplies by way of the Missis- 
sippi, in place of the tedious and treacherous routes 
through Hudson's Bay or Lake Superior, they 
purchased a little steamboat on the Ked River of 
the North which had been built by Anson North- 
rup, and cjjmmenced the carrying of freight and 
passengers by land to Breckeuridge and by water 
to Pembina. 

This boat had been the first steamboat which 
moved on the Mississippi above the falls of St. 
Anthony, to which there is a reference made upon 
the 121.st page. 

Mr. Northriip, after he purchased the boat, with 
a large number of wagons carried the boat and 
machinery from Crow Wing on the Mississippi 
and on the 8th of April, 1859, reached the Red 
River not far from the site of Fargo. 

SECOND STATE LEaiSLATCKB. 

At an election held in October, 21,335 votes were 



deposited for Alexander Ramsey as governor, and 
17,532 for George L. Becker. Governor Ramsey, 
in an inaugural delivered on the second of Jan- 
uary, 1860, devoted a large space to the discus- 
sion of the difficulties arising from the issue of 
theraUroad bonds. He said: "It is extremely 
desirable to remove as speedUy as possible so vex- 
ing a question from our state politics, and not al- 
low it to remain for years to disturb our elections, 
possibly to divide our people into bond and anti- 
bond parties, and introduce, annually, into our 
legislative halls an element of discord and possi- 
bly of corruption, all to end just as similar compli- 
cations in other states have ended. The men who 
will have gradually engrossed the posession of all 
the bonds, at the cost of a few cents on the dollar, 
will knock year after year at the door of the legisla- 
ture for their payment in full, the press will be 
subsidized; the cry of repudiation will be raised; 
all the ordinary and extraordinary means of pro- 
curing legislation in doubtful cases will be freely 
resorted to, until finally the bondholders will pOe 
lip almost fabulous fortunes. * * * * It is 
assuredly true that t^je present time is, of aU 
others, alike for the present bondholder and the 
{icople of the state, the very time to arrange, ad- 
just and settle these unfortunate and deplorable 
railroad and loan comjjlications." 

The legislature of this year passed a law sub- 
mitting an amendment to the constitution which 
would prevent the issue of any more railroad bonds. 
At an election in November, 1860, it was voted on, 
and reads as follows: "The credit of the state 
shall never be given on bonds in aid of any in- 
dividual, association or corporation ; nor shall there 
be any further issue of bonds denominated Min- 
nesota state railroad bonds, under what purports 
to be an amendment to section ten, of article nine, 
of the constitution, adopted April 14, 1858, which 
is hereby expunged from the constitution, saving, 
excepting, and reserving to the state, nevertheless, 
all rights, remedies and forfeitures accruing under 
said amendment." 

FIRST WHITE PERSON EXECUTED. 

On page 126 there is a notice of the first In- 
dian hung under the laws of Minnesota. On 
March 23, 1860 the first white person was executed 
and attracted considerable attention from the fact, 
the one who sufifered the penalty of ti^a law was a 
wt>man. 

Michael Bilausky died on the 11th of March, 
1859, and upon examination, he was found to have 



THE FIliST BEOIMENT INFANTRY. 



131 



been poisoned. Anna, bis fourtli wife, was tried 
for tlie oH'ence, foimd guilty, and on tlie 3d of De- 
cember, 1859, sentenced to be hung. Tlae ojipo- 
nents to capital punishment secured the passage of 
an act, by the legislature, to meet her case, but it 
was vetoed by the governor, as unconstitutional. 
Two days before the execution, the unhappy wo- 
man asked her spiritual adviser to wi'ite to her 
parents in North Carolina, but not to state the 
cause of her death. Her scaffold was erected 
within the square of the Kamsey county jail. 

THIKD STATE LEGISLATCBE. 

The third state legislature assembled on the 8th of 
January, 1861, and adjourned on the 8th of March. 
As Minnesota was the first state which, received 
1,280 acres of land in each township, for school 
purposes. Governor Kamsey in his annual message 
occupied several pages, in an able and elaborate 
argument as to the best methods of guarding and 
selling the school lands, and of protecting the 
school fund. 

His predecessor in ofEoe, while a member of the 
convention to frame the constitution, had spoken 
in favor of dividing the school funds among the 
townships of the state, subject to the control of 
the local oflScers. 

MINNESOTA DUKING THE CIVIL WAR. 

The people of Minnesota had not been as excited 
as the citizens of the Atlantic states on the ques- 
tion which was discussed before the presidential 
election of November, 1860, and a majority had 
calmly declared their preference for Abraham Lin- 
coln, as president of the republic. 

But the blood of her quiet and intelhgent popu- 
lation was stirred on the morning of April 14, 
1861, by the intelligence in the daily newspapers 
that the day before, the insurgents of South Caro- 
lina had bombarded Fort Sumter, and that after a 
gallant resistance of thirty-four hours General 
Bobert Anderson and the few soldiers of his com- 
mand had evacuated the fort. 

Governor Eamsey was in Washington at this 
period, and called upon the president of the repub- 
lic with two other citizens from Minnesota, and 
was the first of the state governors to tender the 
services of his fellow citizens. The offer of a regi- 
ment was accepted. The first comjiany raised un- 
der the call of Blinnesota was composed of ener- 
getic young men of St. Paul, and its cajstain was 
the esteemed William H. Acker, who afterwards 
fell in battle. 

On the last Monday of April a camp for the 



First regiment was opened at Port Snelling. 
More companies having offered than were necessary 
on the 30th of May Goverpor Kamsey sent a tele- 
gram to the secretary of war, ofl'ering another 
regiment. 

THE FIRST REGIMENT. 

On the 14th of Jime the First regiment' was or- 
dered to Washington, and on the 21st it embarked 
at St. Paul on the steamboats War Eagle and 
Northern Belle, with the following officers: 

Willis A. Gorman, Colonel — Promoted to be 
brigadier general October 7, 1861, by the advice 
of Major General Winfleld Scott. 

Stephen Miller, Lt. Cvloiid — Made colonel of 7th 
regiment August, 18(52. 

William H. Dike, Major — Resigned October 22, 
1861. 

WiUiam B. Leach, Adpttant — Made captain and 
A. A. G. February 23, 1862. 

Mark W. Downie, Qmtiicrmaster — Captain 
Company B, July 16, 1861. 

Jacob H. Stewart, Surgeon — Prisoner at Bull 
Run, July 21, 1861. Paroled at Richmond, Vir- 
ginia. 

Charles W. Le Boutillier, Assisttiid Surgeon — 
Prisoner at Bull Run. Siu'geon 9th regiment. 
Died April, 1863. 

Edward D. NeiU, Chaplain — Commissioned July 
13, 1862, hospital chaplain U. S. A., resigned in 
1864, and ajipointed by President Lincoln, one 
of his secretaries. 

After a few days in Washington, the regi- 
iment was sent to Alexandria, Virginia, where 
until the 16th of July it remained. On the 
mornmg of that day it began with other 
troops of Franklin's brigade to muvetoward 
the enemy, and that night encampetl in the val- 
ley of Pohick creek, and the nest day marched 
to Sangster's station on the Orange & Alexandria 
railroad. The third day Centreville was reached. 
Before daylight on Sunday, the 21st of July, the 
soldiers of the First regiment rose for a march to 
battle. About three o'clock in the morning they 
left camp, and after passing through the hamlet of 
Centreville, halted tor General Hunter's column to 
pass. At daylight the regiment again began to 
move, and after crossing a bridge on the Warren- 
ton turnpike, turned into the woods, from which at 
about ten o'clock it emerge{| into an open coun- 
try, from which could be seen an artillery engage- 
ment on the left between the Union troops imder 
Hunter, and the insurgents commanded bv Evans. 



132 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF TUB STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



An hour after this the regiment reached a branch 
of Bull Run, and, as the men were thirsty, began 
to fill their empty caijteens. While thus occu- 
pied, and as the St. Paul company under Captain 
Wilkins was crossing the creek, an order came 
for Colonel Gorman to hurry up the regiment. 

The men now moved rapidly through the wood- 
land of a hillside, stepping over some of the dead 
of Burnside's command, and hearing the cheers 
of victory caused by the pressing back of the in- 
surgent troops. At length the regiment, passing 
Sudley church, reached a clearing in the woods, 
and halted, while other troops of Franklin's brig- 
ade passed up the Sudley church road. Next 
they passed through a narrow strip of woods and 
occupied the cultivated field from which Evans and 
Bee of the rebel army had been driven by the 
troops of Bumside, Sykes and others of Himter's 
division. 

Crossing the Sudley road, Eickett's battery un- 
limbered and began to fii'e at the enemy, whose 
batteries were between the Eobinson and Henry 
house on the south side of the Warrenton turn- 
pike, while the First Minnesota passed to the right. 
After firing about twenty minutes the battery was 
ordered to go down the Sudley road nearer the 
enemy, where it was soon disabled. The First 
Minnesota was soon met by rebel troops advancing 
under cover of the woods, who supposed the reg- 
iment was a part of the confederate army. 

Javan' B. Irvine, then a private citizen af St. 
Paul, on a visit to the regiment, now a cajitain in 
the United States army, wrote to his wife: "We 
liad just formed when we were ordered to kneel 
and fire upon the rebels who were advancing under 
the cover of the woods. We fired two volleys 
through the woods, when we were ordered to rally 
in the woods in our rear, which all did except the 
first platoon of our own company, which did not 
hear the order and stood their ground. The 
rebels soon came out from their shelter between 
us and their battery. Colonel Gorman mistook 
them for friends and told the men to cease firing 
upon them, although they had three secession 
Hags directly in front of their advancing columns. 
This threw our men into confusion, some declaring 
they are friends; others that they are enemies. I 
called to our boys to give it to them, and fired 
away myself as rapidly as possible. The rebels 
themselves mistook us for Georgia troojjs, and 
waved their hands at us to cease firing. I had 
just loaded to give them another charge, when a 



lieutenant-colonel of a Mississippi regiment rode 
out between us, waving his hand for us to stop 
firing. I rushed up to him and asked 'If he was a 
secessionist?' He said 'He was a Mississippian.' 
I presented my bayonet to his breast and com- 
manded him to surrender, which he did after some 
hesitation. I ordered him to dismount, and led 
him and his horse from the field, in the meantime 
disarming him of his sword and pistols. I led him 
off about two miles and placed him in charge of 
a lieutenant with an escort of cavalry, to be taken 
to General McDowell. He requested the officer to 
allow me to accompany him, as he desired my pro- 
tection. The officer assured him that he would 
be safe in their hands, and he rode off. I retained 
his pistol, but sent his sword with him." In an- 
other letter, dated the 25th of July, Mr. Irvine 
writes from Washington: "I have just returned 
from a visit to Lieutenant-Colonel Boone, who is 
confined in the old Capitol. I found him in a 
pleasant room on the third story, surrounded by 
several southern gentlemen, among whom was 
Senator Breckenridge. He was glad to see me, 
and ajspeared quite well after the fatigue of the 
battle of Sunday. There were with me Chaplain 
NeQl, Captains Wilkin and Colville, and Lieuten- 
ant Coates, who were introduced." 

The mistake of several regiments of the Union 
troops in supj^osing that the rebels were friendly 
regiments led to confusion and disaster, which was 
followed by panic. 

SECOND REGIMENT. 

The Second Minnesota Regiment which had 
been organized in July, 1861, left Fort Snelling 
on the eleventh of October, and proceeding to 
Louisville, was incorijorated with the Army of the 
Ohio. Its officers were: Horatio P. Van Cleve, 
Colonel. Promoted Brigader General March 21, 
1862. James George, Lt. Colonel. Promoted 
Colonel; resigned June 29, 1864. Simeon Smith, 
Major. Appointed Paymaster U. S. A., Septem- 
ber, 1861. Alexander Wilkin, Major. Colonel 
9th Minnesota, August, 1862. Reginald Bingham, 
Surgeon. Dismissed May 27, 1862. M. C. Toll- 
man, AssH Surgeon. Promoted Surgeon. Timothy 
Cressey, Chaplain. Resigned October, 10, 1863. 
Daniel D. Heaney, Adjutant. Promoted Cai^tam 
Company C. William S. Grow, Quarter Master, 
Resigned, January, 1863. 

SHARP SHOOTERS. 

A company of Sharp Shooters under Captain 
F. Peteler, proceeding to Washington, on the 11th. 



MINNESOTA DURING THE REBELLION. 



133 



of October was assigned as Co., A, '2J Regiment 
U. S. Sharp Shooters. 

THIKD BEOIMENT. 

On the 16th of November, 1861, the Third Eeg- 
iment left the State and went to Tennessee. Its 
officers were : Heni'y C. Lester, Colonel. Dismissed 
Decmber 1, 18G2. Benjamin F. Smith, Lt. Colonel. 
Resigned May 9, 1862. John A. Hadley, Major. 
Resigned May 1, 1862. R. C Olin, Adjutant.— 
Resigned. O. H, Blakely, Adjutant. Levi Butler. 
Surgeon. — Resigned September 30, 1863. Francis 
Millipan, AssH Surgeon. — Resigned April 8, 1862. 
Channcey Hobart, Chaplain. — Resigned June 2, 
1863. 

AETIIiLEBY. 

In December, the First Battery of Light Artil- 
lery left the State, and reported for duty at St. 
Louis, Missouri 

CAVALRY. 

During the fall, three companies of cavalry 
were organized, and proceeded to Benton Barracks, 
Missouri. Ultimately they were incorporated 
with the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. 

MOVEMENTS OF MINNESOTA TROOPS IN 1862. 

On Sunday the 19th of January, 1862, not far 
from Somerset and about forty miles from DanviUe, 
Kontnoky, about 7 o'clock in the morning. Col. 
Van Cleve was ordered to meet the enemy. In 
ten minutes the Second Minnesota regiment was 
in line of battle. After supporting a battery for 
some time it continued the march, and pro- 
ceeding half a mile found the enemy behind the 
fences, and a hand to hand fight of thirty minutes 
ensued, resulting in the flight of the rebels. Gen. 
Zollicoffer and Lieut. Peyton, of the insurgents 
were of the killed. 

BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING. 

On Sunday, the 6th of Ajsril occurred the battle 
of Pittsburg Landing, in Tennessee. Minnesota 
was there represented by the First Minnesota bat- 
tery, Captain Emil Munch, which was attached to 
the division of General Prentiss. Captain Munch 
was severely wounded. One of the soldiers of his 
command wrote as follows: "Sunday morning, 
just after Tjreakfast, an officer rode up to ourCais- 
tain's tent and told him to prepare for action. * 
* * * * ■^e wheeled into battery and opened 
ujDon them. * * * The first time we wheeled 
one of our drivers was killed; his name was Colby 
Stinson. Haywood's horse was shot at almost the 
same time. The second time we came into bat- 
tery, the captain was wounded in the leg, and his 



hor.se shot under him. They charged on our guns 
and on the sixth platoon howitzer, but they got 
hold of the wrong end of the gun. We then lim- 
bered up and retreated within the line of battle. 
While we were retreating they shot one of our 
horses, when we had to stop and take him out, 
which let the rebels come up rather close. When 
within about six rods they fired and wounded 
Corporal Davis, breaking his leg above the ankle." 
As the artillery driver was picked up, after be- 
ing fatally wounded, at the beginning of the fight 
he said, 'Don't stop with me. Stand to your guns 
like men,' and expired. 

FIRST REGIMENT AT YORKTOWN SIEGE. 

Early in April the First regiment as a 
part of Sedgwick's division of the Army 
of the Potomac arrived near Torktown, 
Virginia, and was stationed between the 
Warwick and York rivers, near Wynnes' mill. Dur- 
ing the night of the 30th of May, there was a con- 
tinual discharge of cannon by the enemy, but just 
before daylight the next day, which was Sunday, 
it ceased and the pickets cautiously apj)roaching 
discovered that the rebels had abandoned their 
works. The next day the regiment was encamped 
on the field where ComwalUs surrendered to Wash- 
ington. 

BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS. 

While Gorman's brigade was encamped at 
Goodly Hole oreek, Hanover county, Virginia, an 
order came about three o'clock of the afternoon of 
Saturday, the thirty-first day of May to 
to cross the Chicahominy and engage in 
the battle which had been going on for a few 
hours. In a few minutes the First Minnesota was 
on the march, by a road which had been cut 
through the swamp, and crossed the Chicahominy 
by a rude bridge of logs, with both ends com- 
pletely submerged by the stream swollen by re- 
cent rains, and rising every hour. 

About 5 o'clock in the afternoon the First Min- 
nesota as the advance of Gorman's brigade reached 
the scene of action, and soon the whole brigade 
with Kirby's battery held the enemy in check at 
that point. 

The next day they were in line of battle but not 
attacked. Upon the field ajound a country farm 
house they encamjjed. 

BATTLE OP SAVAGE STATION. 

Just' before daylight on Sunday, June the 29th, 
Sedgwick's, to which the First Minnesota belonged, 
left the position that had been held since the bat- 



134 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



tie of Fair Oaks, and had not proceeded more than 
two miles before they met the enemy in a peach 
orchard, and after a sharp conflict compelled 
them to retire. At about 5 o'clock the afternoon 
of the same day they again met the enemy at 
Savage Station, and a battle lasted till dark. Bur- 
gess, the color sergeant who brought ofl" the flag 
from the Bull Kuu battle, a man much respected, 
was killed instantly. 

On Monday, between White Oak swamp and 
Willis' church, the regiment had a skirmish, and 
Captain Colville was sligJitly wounded. Tuesday 
was the 1st of July, and the regiment was drawn 
up at the dividing line of Henrico and Charles 
City county, in sight of James river, and although 
much exposed to the enemy's batteries, was not 
actually engaged. At midnight the order was 
given to move, and on the morning of the 2d of 
July they tramped upon the wheat fields at Har- 
rison's Landing, and in a violent rain encamped. 

MOVEMENTS OP OTHER TROOPS. 

The Fourth regiment left Fort Snelling for Ben- 
ton barracks, Missouri, on the 21st of April, 1862, 
with the following officers: 

John B. Sanborn, Coloiid — Promoted brigadier 
general. 

Minor T. Thomas, Lt. Colonel — Made colonel of 
8th regiment August 24, 1862. 

A. Edward Welch, Major — Died at Nashville 
February 1, 1861. 

John M. Thompson, AdjutanX — Captain Com- 
pany E, November 20, 1862. 

Thomas B. Hunt, Qaartermaster — Made captain 
and A. Q. M. April 9, 1863. 

John H. Murphy, Surgeon — Resigned July 9, 
1863. 

Elisha W. Cross, Assistant Surgeon — Promoted 
July 9, 1863. 

Asa S. Fiske, Ohaplain — Eesigned Oct. 3, 1864. 

FIFTH REGIMENT. 

The Second Miuuesota Battery, Cajitain W. A. 
Hotchkiss, left the same day as the Fourth regi- 
ment. On the 13th of May the Fifth regiment 
departed from Fort Snelling with the following 
officers: Eudolph Borgesrode, colonel, resigned 
August 31, 1862; Lucius F. Hubbard, lieutenant- 
colonel, promoted colonel August 31, 1862, elected 
governor of Minnesota 1881; WiUiam B. Gere, 
major, promoted lieutenant-colonel; Alpheus E. 
French, adjutant, resigned March 19, 1883; W. 
B. McGrorty, quartermaster, resigned September 
15, 1864; F. B. Etheridge, surgeon, resigned Sep- 



tember 3, 1862 ; V. B. Kennedy, assistant surgeon, 
promoted surgeon; J. F. Chaffee, chaplain, re- 
signed June 23, 1862; John Ireland, chaplain, re- 
signed April, 1863. 

Before the close of May the Second, Fourth and 
Fifth regiments were in conflict with the insur- 
gents, near Corinth, Mississippi. 

BATTLE OF lUKA. 

On the 18th of Sej^tember, Colonel Sanborn, 
acting as brigade commander in the Third divis- 
ion of the Army of the Mississippi, moved his 
troops, including the Fourth Minnesota regiment, 
to a position on the Tuscumbia road, and formed 
a line of battle. 

BATTLE OP CORINTH. 

In a few days the contest began at luka, culmi- 
nated at Corinth, and the Fourth and Fifth regi- 
ments and First Minnesota battery were engaged. 

On the 3d of October, about five o'clock. Colo- 
nel Sanborn advanced his troops and received a 
severe fire from the enemy. Captain Mowers 
beckoned with his sword during the firing, as it 
he wished to make an important communication, 
but before Colonel Sanborn reached his side he 
tell, having been shot through the head. Before 
daylight on the 4th of October the Fifth regiment, 
under command of Colonel L. F. Hubbard, was 
aroused by the discharge of artillery. Later in 
the day it became engaged with the enemy, and 
drove the rebels out of the streets of Corinth. A 
private writes: "When we charged on the enemy 
General Bosecrans asked what little regiment that 
was, and on being told said 'The Fifth Minnesota 
had saved the town.' Major Coleman, General 
Stanley's assistant adjutant-general, was with us 
when he received his bullet-wound, and his last 
words were, "Tell the general that the Fifth Min- 
nesota fought nobly. God bless the Fifth.' " 

OTHER MOVEMENTS. 

A few days after the fight at Corinth the Sec- 
ond Minnesota battery. Captain Hotchkiss, did 
good service with Buell's army at Perryville, Ky. 

In the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., on the 
13th of December, the Fkst Minnesota regiment 
supported Kirbey's battery as it had done at Fair 
Oaks. 

THIRD REGIMENT HUMILIATED. 

On the morning of the 13th of July, near Mur- 
freesboro, Ky., the Third regiment was in thejjres- 
ence of the enemy. The colonel called a council 
of officers to decide whether they should fight, 
and the first vote was in the affirmative, but an- 



TUB SIOUX OUTBHEAK. 



135 



other vote being taken it was decided tosurreuder. 
Lieutenant-Colonel C. W. Griggs, Captains An- 
drews and Hoyt voted each time to fight. In 
September the regiment returned to Blinnosota, 
humiliated by the want of good judgment upou 
the part of their colonel, and was assigned to duty 
in the Indian country. 

THE SIODX OUTBEEAK. 

The year 18G2 will always be remembered as the 
period of the uprising of the Sioux, and the 
slaughter of the unsuspecting inhabitants of the 
scattered settlements in the Minnesota valley. 
Elsewhere in this work will be found a detailed ac- 
count of the savage cruelties. In this place we 
only give the narrative of the events as related by 
Alexander Kamsey, then the governor of Min- 
nesota. 

"My surprise may therefore be judged, when, on 
August 19th, while busy in my office, Mr. Wm. H. 
Shelley, one of our citizens who had been at the 
agency just before the outbreak, came in, dusty 
and exhausted with a fifteen hours' ride on horse- 
back, bearing dispatches to me of the most start- 
ling character from Agent Galbraith, dated Au- 
gust 18th, stating that the same day the Sious at 
the lower agency had risen, murdered the settlers, 
and were plundering and burning all the build- 
ings in that vicinity. As I believe no particulars 
regarding the manner in which the news were first 
conveyed to me has been pubUshed, it might be 
mentioned here. Mr. Shelley had been at Ked- 
wood agency, and other places in that vicinity, 
with the concurrence of the agent, recruiting men 
for a company, which was afterwards mustered into 
the Tenth regiment under Captain James O'Gor- 
man, formerly a clerk of Nathan Myrick, Esq., a 
trader at Redwood, and known as the Eenville 
Rangers. He (Shelley) left Redwood, he states, 
on Saturday, August 16th, with forty-five men, 
bound for Fort Snelling. Everything was quiet 
there then. It may be well to note here that one 
of the supposed causes of the outbreak was the 
fact that the Indians had been told that the gov- 
ernment needed soldiers very badly, that many 
white men had been killed, and that all those in 
that locality were to be marched south, leaving 
the state unprotected. Seeing the men leave on 
Saturday may have strengthened this belief. Stop- 
ping at Fort Ridgely that night, the EenviUe 
Rangers the next day continued their march, and 
on Monday afternoon arrived at St. Peter. Gal- 
braith was with them. Here he was overtaken by 



a messenger who had ridden down from Red- 
wood that day, hearing the news of the terrible 
occurrences of that morhiug. This messenger was 
Mr. — ■ Dickinson, who formerly kept a hotel at 
Henderson, but was living on the reservation at 
that time. He was in great distress about the 
safety of his family, and returning at once was 
killed by the Indians. 

"When Agent Galbraith received the news, Mr. 
Shelley states, no one would at first believe it, 
as suoh rumors are frequent in the Indian country. 
Mr. Dickinson assured him cjf the truth with such 
earnestness, however, that his accoimt was finally 
credited and the Renville Rangers were at once 
armed and sent back to Fort Ridgely, where they 
did good service in protecting the post. 

"Agent Galbraith at once prepared the dispatches 
to me, giving the terrible news and calling for aid. 
No one coidd be found who would volunteer to 
cari'y the message, and Mr. Shelley offered to 
come himself. He had great difficulty in getting 
a horse; but finally secured one, and started for 
St. Paul, a distance of about ninety miles, about 
dark. He had not ridden a horse for some years, 
and as may be well supposed by those who have 
had experience in amateur horseback-riding, suf- 
fered very much from soreness; but rode all night 
at as fast a gate as his horse could carry him, 
sjDreading the startling news as he went down the 
Minnesota valley. Reaching St. Paul about 9 A. 
M., much exhausted he made his way to the capitol, 
and laid before me his massage. The news soon 
sjjread through the city and created intense ex- 
citement. 

"At that time, of course, the full extent and 
threatening nature of the outbreak could not be 
determined. It seemed serious, it is true, but in 
view of the riotous conduct of the Indiana at 
Yellow Medicine a few days before, was deemed a 
repetition of the emeute, which would be simply 
local ih its character, and easily quelled by a small 
force and good management on the part of the 
authorities at the agency. 

"But these hopes, (that the outbreak was a local 
one) were soon rudely dispelled by the arrival, an 
hour or two later, of another courier, Cieorge C. 
Whitcomb, of Forest City, bearing the news of 
the murders at Acton. Mr, Whitcomb had ridden 
to Ohaska or Carver on Monday, and came down 
from there on the small steamer i\iitelo23e, reaching 
the city an hour or two after Mi\ SheUey. 

"It now became evident that the outbreak was 



136 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



more general than had at first been credited, and 
that prompt and vigorous measures would be re- 
quired for its suppression and the protection of 
the inhabitants on the frontier. I at once pro- 
ceeded to Fort Snelling and consulted with the 
authorities there (who had already received dis- 
patches from Fort Ridgely) regarding the out- 
break and the best means to be used to meet the 
danger. 

"A serious difficulty met us at the outstart. The 
only troops at Fort Snelling were the raw recruits 
who had been hastUy gathered for the five regi- 
ments. Most of them were without arms or suit- 
able clothing as yet; some not mustered in or 
properly officered, and those who had arms had 
no fised ammunition of the proper calibre. We 
were without transportation, quartermaster's or 
commissary stores, ;ind, in fact, devoid of anything 
with which to commence a campaign against two 
or three thousand Indians, well mounted and 
armed, with an abundance of ammunition and 
provisions captured at the agency, and flushed 
with the easy victories they had just won over the 
unarmed settlers. Finally four companies were 
fully organized, armed and uniformed, and late at 
night were got off on two small steamers, the An- 
telope and Pomeroy, for Shakopee, from which 
poiat they would proceed overland. It was ar- 
ranged that others should foUow as fast as they 
could be got ready. 

"This expedition was placed under the manage- 
ment of H. H. Sibley, whose long residence in the 
country of the Sioux had given him great influ' 
ence with that people, and it was hoped that the 
chiefs and older men were stiU sensible to reason, 
and that with his diplomatic abiUty he could bring 
the powers of these to check the mad and reck- 
less disposition of the "young men," and that if 
an opportunity for this failed that his knowledge 
of Indian war and tactics would enable him to 
overcome them in battle. And I think the' result 
indicated the wisdom of my choice. 

•'I at once telegraphed all the facts to President 
Lincoln, and also telegraphed to Governor Solo- 
mon, of Wisconsin, for one hundi'ed thousand cart- 
ridges, of a calibre to fit our rifles, and the requi- 
sition was kindly honored by that patriotic officer, 
and the ammunition was on its way next day. 
The governors of Iowa, Illinois and Michigan were 
also asked for arms and ammunition. 

During the day other messengers arrived from 
Fort Kidgely, St. Peter and other points on 



the upper Minnesota, with intelhgence of the 
most painful character, regarding the extent and 
ferocity of the massacre. The messages all pleaded 
earnestly for aid, and intimated that without 
speedy reinforcements or a supply of arms. Fort 
Eidgely, New Ulm, St. Peter and other points 
would undoubtedly fall into the hands of the 
savages, and thousands of peraons be butchered 
The principal danger seemed to be to the settle- 
ments in that region, as they were in the vicinity 
of the main body of Indians congregated to await 
the payments. Comers arrived from various 
points every few hours, and I spent the whole 
night answering their calls as I could. 

"Late that night, probably after midnight, Mr. 
J. Y. Branham, Sr., arrived from Forest City, after 
a forced ride on horseback of 100 miles, bearing 
the following message: 

***** **♦ 

"FoKEST CiTT, Aug. 20, 1862, 6 o'clock a. m. 

His Excellency, Alexander Ramsey, Governor, 
etc. — Sir: In advance of the news from the Min- 
nesota river, the Indians have opened on us in 
Meeker. It is warl A few propose to make a 
stand here. Send us, forthwith, some good guns 
and ammunition to match. Yours truly, 

A. C. Smith. 

Seventy-five stands of Springfield rifles and sev- 
eral thousand roimds of ball cartridges were at 
once issued to George C. Whitcomb, to be used in 
arming a company which I directed to be raised 
and enrolled to use these arms; and Gen. Sibley 
gave Mr. Whitcomb a captain's commission for 
the company. Transportation was furnished him, 
and the rifles were in Forest City by the morning 
of the 23d, a portion having been issued to a 
company at Hutchinson on the way up. A com- 
pany was organized and the arms placed in their 
hands, and I am glad to say they did good service 
in defending the towns of Forest City and Hutch- 
inson on more than one occasion, and many of the 
Indians are known to have been killed with them. 
The conduct and bravery of the courageous men 
who guarded those towns, and resisted the assaults 
of the red savages, are worthy of being commemo- 
rated on the pages of our state history." 

MOVEMENT OF MINNESOTA REGIMENTS 1863. 

On the 3d of April, 1863, the Fourth regiment 
was opposite Grand Gulf, Mississippi, and in a 
few days they entered Port Gibson, and here Col. 
Sanborn resumed the command of a brigade. On 
the llth of May the regiment was at the battle 



BATTLE OF GETTTSBURO. 



137 



of Raymond, and on the 14th participated in the 
battle of Jackson. A newspaper corrc»])ondent 
writes: "Captain L. B. Martin, of the Fonrth 
IMinnesota, A. A. G. to Colonel Sanborn, seized the 
tlag of the 59th Indiana infantry, rode rapidly be- 
yond the skirmishers, (Co. H, Fourth Minnesota, 
Lt. Geo. A. Clark) and raised it over the dome of 
tJie capitol" of Mississippi. On the 16th the regi- 
ment was in the battle of Champion Hill, and four 
days later in the siege of Vicksburg. 

FIFTH RE3IMENT. 

The Fifth regiment reached Grand Gulf on the 
7th of May and was in the battles of Raymond 
and Jackson, and at the rear of Vicksburg. 

BATTLE OF GETTrSBURG. 

The First regiment reached Gettysburg, Pa., 
on the 1st of Julyj and the next morning Han- 
cock's corps, to which it was attached, moved to a 
ridge, the right resting on Cemetery Hill, the left 
near Sugar Loaf Mountain. The line of battle 
was a semi-ellipae, and Gibbon's division, to 
which the regiment belonged occupied the 
center of the curve nearest the enemy. On the 
2d of July, about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Gen- 
eral Hancock rode up to Colonel Colvill*, and 
ordered him to charge upon the advancing foe. 
The muzzles of the opposing muskets were not far 
distant and the conflict w'as terrific. When the 
sun set Captain IMuller and Lieutenant Farrer were 
killed; Captain Periam mortally wounded; Colonel 
Colville, Lieut-Colonel Adams, Major Downie, 
Adjutant Peller, Lieutenants Sinclair, Demerest, 
DeGray and Boyd, severely wounded. 

On the 3d of July, about 10 o'clock in the morn- 
ing, the rebels opened a terrible artillery fire, 
which lasted until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and 
then the infantry was suddenly advanced, and 
there was a fearful contUct, resulting in the defe;it 
of the enemy. The loss on this day was also very 
severe. Captain Messick, in command of the 
First regiment, after the wounding of Colville, 
and Adams and Downie, was killed. Captain FarreU 
was mortally wounded, and Lieutenants Harmon, 
Heffelfinger, and May were wounded. Color-Ser- 
geant E. P. Perkins was wounded on the 2d of 
July. On the 3d of July Corporal Dehn, of the 
color guard was shot through the hand and the 
flag stafi' cut in two. Corporal H. D. O'Brien 
seized the flag with the broken staff and waving 
it over his head rushed up to the muzzles of the 
enemy's muskets and was wounded in the hand, 
but Corporal W. N. Irvine instantly grasped the 



flag and hold it up. Marshall Sherman of com- 
pany E, captured the flag of the 28th Virginia 
regiment. 

THE SECOND EEGIMENT. 

The Second regiment, under Colonel George, 
on the 19tli of September fought at Chicamauga, 
and in the first day's fight, eight were killed and 
forty-one wovmded. On the 25th of November, 
Lieutenant-Colonel Bishop in command, it moved 
against the enemy at Mission Ridge, and of the 
seven non-commissioned officers in the color guard, 
sis were killed or wounded. 

The Fourth regiment was also in the vicinity of 
Chattanooga, but did not suffer any loss. 

EVENTS OF 1864. 
The Third regiment, which after the Indian ex- 
pedition had been ordered to Little Rock, Arkan- 
sas, on the 30th of March, 1864, had an engage- 
ment near Augusta, at Fitzhugh's Woods. Seven 
men were killed and sixteen wounded. General 
C. C. Andrews, in command of the force, had his 
horse killed by a bullet. 

FIEST KEGIMENT. 

The First regiment after three year's service 
was mustered out at Fort Snelling, and on the 
28th of April, 1864, held its last dress jjarade, iu 
the presence of Governor Miller, who had once 
been their lieutenant-colonel and commander. In 
May some of its members re-enlisted as a battal- 
ion, and again joined the Army of the Potomac. 

SIXTH, SEVENTH, NINTH AND TENTH REGIMENTS. 

The Sixth regir^^nt, which had been in the ex- 
pedition against the Sioux, in Jiuie, 1864, was as- 
signed to the 16th army corj)s, as was the Seventh, 
Ninth and Tenth, and on the 13th of July, near 
Tupelo, Mississippi, the Seventh, Ninth and Tenth, 
with portions of the Fifth, were in battle. Dur- 
ing the first day's fight Surgeon Smith, of the 
Seventh, was fatally wounded through the neck. 
On the morning of the 14th the battle began in 
earnest, and the Seventh, under Colonel W. R. 
Marshall, made a successful charge. Colonel Al- 
exander Wilkin, of the Ninth, was shot, and fell 
dead from his horse. 

THE FOUKTH KEGIMENT. 

On the 15th of October the Fourth regiment 
were engaged near Altoona, Georgia. 

THE EIGHTH KEGIMENT. 

On the 7th of December the Eighth was in bat- 
tle near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and fourteen 
were killed and seventy-six wounded. 



138 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF TBE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



BATTLE OF NASHVILLE. 

During the mouth of December the Fifth, 
Seventh, Ninth and Tenth regiments did good ser- 
vice before Nashville. Colonel L. F. Hubbard, of 
the Fifth, commanding a brigade, after he had 
been knocked off his horse by a ball, rose, and on 
foot led his command over the enemy's works. 
Colonel W. B. Marshall, of the Seventh, in com- 
mand of a brigade, made a gallant charge, and 
Lieutenant-colonel S. P. Jennison, of the Tenth, 
one of the first on the enemy's parapet, received a 
severe wound. 

MINNESOTA TBOOPS IN 1865. 

In the spring of 1865 the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, 
Ninth and Tenth regiments were engaged in the 
siege of Mobile. The Second and Fourth regi- 
ments and First battery were with General Sher- 
man in his wonderful campaign, and the Eighth 
in the month of March was ordered to North Car- 
olina. The battalion, the remnant of the First, 
was with the Ai'my of the Potomac untU Lee's sur- 
render. 

Arrangements were soon perfected for disband- 
ing the Union army, and before the close of the 
summer all the Minnesota regiments that had been 
on duty were discharged. 

LiST OF MINNESOTA REGIMENTS AND TROOPS. 

First, Organized April, ISfil, Discharged May 5, 1864. 

Second " July " '" July 11. 1H05. 

Third " Oct. " " Sept. 

Fourth " Dec. " " Aug. " 

Fifth " May, 1852, " Sept. 

Sixth " Aug. " " Aug. 

Seventh " " " 

Eighth " " " " 

Ninth " 

Tenth 

Eleventh " " 1361 

ARTIXIiERY. 

First Kegiment, Heavy, May, 1861. Discharged Sept. 1865. 

BATTERIES. 

First, October, 1831. Discharged June, 1885. 
Second, Dec. " " July " 

Third, Feb. 1863 " Feb. 1860. 

CAVALRY. 

Rangers, March, 1863. Discharged Deo. 1863. 
Brackett's, Oct. 1801. " June 1866. 

2dKeg't, July, W)3. " " 

SHARPSUOOTEBS, 

Company A, organized in 1861. 
B, •' " 1862. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

STATE AFFAIRS FROM A. D. 18G2 to A. D. 1882. 

In consequence of the Sioux outbreak, Gov- 
ernor Ramsey called an extra session of the legis- 
lature, which on the 9th of September, 1862, as- 
sembled. 

As long as Indian hostilities continued, the flow 
of immigration was checked, and the agricultural 
interests suffered; but notwithstanding the dis- 
turbed condition of affairs, the St. Paul & Pacifio 
Railroad Company laid ten miles of rail, to the 
Falls of St. Anthony. 

FIFTH STATE LEGISLATURE. 

During the fall of 1862 Alexander Ramsey had 
again been elected governor, and on the 7th of 
January, 1863, delivered the annual message before 
the Fifth state legislature. During this session he 
was elected to fill the vacancy that would take 
place in the United States senate by the expira- 
tion of the term of Henry M. Rice, who had been 
a senator from the time that Minnesota was organ- 
ized as a state. After Alexander Ramsey became a 
senator, the lieutenant-governor, Henry A. Swift, 
becamp governor by constitutional provision. 

GOVERNOR STEPHEN A. MILLER 

At the election during the fall of 1863, Stephen 
A. Miller, colonel of the Seventh regiment, was 
elected governor by a majority of about seven 
thousand votes, Henry T. Welles being his com- 
petitor, and representative of the democratic party. 
During Governor Miller's administration, on the 
10th of November, 1865, two Sioux chiefs, Little 
Six and Medicine Bottle, were himg at Fort Snel- 
ling, for participation in the 1862 massacra 

GOVERNOR W. E. MARSHALL. 

In the fall of 1865 William R. Marshall, who 
had succeeded his predecessor as colonel of the 
Seventh regiment, was nominated by the republi- 
can party for governor, and Henry M. Rice by the 
democratic party. The former was elected by 
about five thousand majority. In 1867 Governor 
Marshall was again nominated for the ofEce, and 
Charles E. Flandrau was the democratic candidate, 
and he was again elected by about the same major- 
ity as before. 

GOVERNOR HOEAOB AtJSTIN. 

Horace Austin, the judge of the Sixth judicial 
district, was in 1869 the republican candidate for 
governor, and received 27,238 votes, and George 
L. Otis, the democratic candidate, 25,401 votes. 
In 1871 Governor Austin was again nominated, 



nOCKT MOUNTAIN LOCUST. 



139 



and received 45,883 votes, while 30,092 ballots 
were cast, for Winthrop Young, the democratic 
candidate. The impoitant event of his adminis- 
tration was tho veto of an act of the legislature 
giving the internal improvement lands to certain 
railway corporations. 

Toward the close of Governor Austin's adminis- 
tration, WiUiam Seeger, the state treasurer, was im- 
jjeached for a wrong use of public funds. He 
plead guilty and was disqualified from holding 
any office of honor, trust or profit in the state. 

GOVERNOR OnSHMAN K. D.WIS. 

The republicans in the fall of 1873 nominated 
Cushman K. Davis for governor, who received 
40,7il votes, while 3.5,245 ballots were thrown for 
the democratic candidate, Ara Barton. 

The summer that he was elected the locust 
made its appearance in the land, and in certain 
regions devoured every green thing. One of the 
first acts of Governor Davis was to relieve the 
farmers who had suffered from the visitation of 
locusts. The legislature of 1874 voted relief, and 
the people of the state voluntarily contributed 
clothing and provisions. 

During the administration of Governor Davis the 
principle was settled that there was nothing in the 
charter of a railroad comj)any limiting the power 
of Minnesota to regulate the charges for freight 
and travel. 

WOMEN ALLOWED TO VOTE FOR SCHOOL OFFICERS. 

At the election in November, 1875, the people 
sanctioned the following amendment to the con- 
stitution: "The legislature may, notwithstanding 
anything in this article, [Article 7, section 8] pro- 
vide by law that any woman at the age of 
twenty-one years and upwards, may vote at any 
election held for the purpose of chosingany officer 
of schools, or upon any measure relating to schools, 
and may also provide that any such woman shall 
be eligible to hold any office solely pertaining to 
the management of schools." 

GOVERNOR J. S. PILLSBDKX. 

John S. Pillsbury, the republican nominee, at 
the election of November, 1875,. received 47,073 
for governor while his democratic competitor, D. 
L. Buell obtained 35,275 votes. Governor Pillsbury 
in his inaugural message, delivered on the 7th of 
January, 1876, urged upon the legislature, as his 
predecessors had done, the importance of provid- 
ing for the payment of the state raOroad bonds. 

RAID ON NORTHFIBLD BANK. 

On the 0th of September, 187G, the quiet citi- 



zens of Minnesota were excited by a telegrapliio 
announcement that a band of outlaws from Mis- 
souri, had, at mid-day, ridden into the town of 
Northfiefd, recklessly discharging firearms, and 
proceeding to the bank, killed the acting cashier 
in an attempt to secure its funds. Two of the 
desperadoes were shot in the streets, by firm resi- 
dents, and in a brief period, parties from the 
neighboring towns were in pursuit of tho assassins. 
After a long and weary search four were sur- 
rounded in a swamp in Watonwan county, and one 
was killed, and the others cajstured. 

At the November term of the fifth district court 
held at Faribault, the criminals were arraigned, 
and under an objebtionable statute, by pleading 
guilty, received an imjirisonment for lite, instead 
of the merrited death of the gallows. 

THE BOCKY MOUNTAIN LOODST. 

As early as 1874 in some of the counties of 
Minnesota, the Kocky Mountain locust, of the 
same genus, but a different species from the Eu- 
rope and Arctic locust, driven eastward by the 
failure of the succulent grasses of the upper Mis- 
souri valleytappeared as a short, stout-legged, ds- 
vouring army, and in 1875 the myriad of eggs 
deposited were hatched out, and the insects born 
within the state, flew to new camping grounds, to 
begin their devastations. 

In the spring the locust appeared in some coun- 
ties, but by an ingenious contrivance of sheet 
iron, covered with tar, their numbers were speedily 
reduced. It was soon discovered that usually 
but one hatching of eggs took place in the same 
district, and it was evident that the crop of 1877 
would be remunerative. When the national 
Thanksgiving was observed on the 26th of No- 
vember nearly 40,000,000 bushels of wheat had 
been garnered, and many who had sown in tears, 
devoutly thanked Him who had given plenty, and 
meditated upon the words of the Hebrew Psalm- 
ist, "He maketh peace within thy borders and 
tilleth thee with the finest of the wheat." 

GOVERNOR PILLSBURT's SECOND TERM. 

At the election in November, 1877, Governor 
Pillsbury was elected a second time, receiving 
59,701, while 39,247 votes were cast forWilli.iTU L. 
Banning, the nominee of the democratic party. 
At this election the people voted to adopt two im- 
portant amendments to the constitution. 

BIENNIAL SESSION OF THE LEGISL.\TURE. 

One provided for a biennial, in place of the an- 
nual session of the legislature, in these words: 



140 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



"The legislature of the state shall consist ot a 
senate and house of representatives, who shall 
meet biennially, at the seat of government of the 
state, at such time as shall be prescribed by law, 
but no session shall exceed the term of sixty 
days." 

CHItlSTIAN INSTKUCTION EXCLUDED FKOM SCHOOLS. 

The other amendment excludes Christian and 
other religious instructions from all of the edu- 
cational institutions of Minnesota in these words: 
"But in no case, shall the moneys derived as afore- 
said, or any portion thereof, or any public moneys, 
or property be appropriated or used for the sup- 
port of schools wherein the distinctive doctrines, 
or creeds or tenets of any particular Christian or 
other religious sect, are promulgated or taught." 

IMPEACHMENT OF JUDGE PAGE. 

The personal unpopularity of Sherman Page, 
judge of the Tenth judicial district, culminated by 
the house of representatives of th§ legislature of 
1878, presenting articles, impeaching him, for con- 
duct unbecoming a judge : the senate sitting as a 
court, examined the charges, and on the 22d of 
June, he was ao quitted. 

GOVEENOB PILLSBOBY's THIED TERM. 

The republican party nominated John S. Pills- 
bury for a third term as governor, and at the elec- 
tion in November, 1879, he received 57,471 votes, 
while 42,444 were given for Edmund Rice, the rep- 
resentative of the democrats. 

With a jjersistence which won the respect of tiio 
opponents of the measure. Governor Pillsbury con- 
tinued to advocate the payment of the state rail- 
road bonds. The legislature of 1870 submitted an 
amendment to the constitution, by which the "in- 
ternal improvement lands" were to be sold and the 
proceeds to be used in cancelling the bonds, by the 
bondholders agreeing to purchase the lands at a 
certain sum per acre. The amendment was 
ado]ited by a vote of the people, but few of the 
bondliolders accepted the )5rovisions, and it failed 
to effect the proposed end. The legislature of 
1871 passed an act for a commission to make an 
equitable adjustment of the bonds, but at a special 
election in May it was rejected. 

The legislature of 1877 passed an act for calling 
ui the railroad bonds, and issueiug new bonds, 
which was submitted to the people at a special 
election on the 12th of June, and not accepted. 

The legislature of 1878 proposed a constitu- 
tional amendment offering the internal imjirove- 
ment lands in exchange for railroad bonds, and the 



people at the November election disapproved of the 
proposition. Against the proposed amendment 
45,669 votes were given, apd only 26,311 in favor. 

FIKST BIENNIAL SESSION. 

The first biennial session of the legislature con- 
vened in January, 1881, and Governor Pillsbury 
again, in his message of the 6th of January, held 
up to the view of the legislators the dishonored 
railroad bonds, and the duty of providing for their 
settlement. In his argument he said: 

"The liability having been voluntarily incurred, 
whether it was wisely created or not is foreign to 
the present question. It is certain that the obli- 
gations were fairly given for which consideration 
was fairly received; and the state having chosen 
foreclosure as her remedy, and disposed of the 
property thus acquired unconditionally as her own, 
the conclusion seems to me irresistible that she 
assumed the payment of the debt resting upon 
such property by every principle of law and 
equity. And, moreover, as the state promptly 
siezed the railroad property and franchises, ex- 
pressly to indemnify her for payment of the bonds, 
it is difficult to see what possible justification there 
can be for her refusal to make that payment." 

The legislature in March passed an act for the 
adjustment of these bonds, which being brought 
before the supreme court of the state was declared 
void. The court at the same time declared the 
amendment to the state constitution, which pro- 
hibited the settlement of these bonds, without tlie 
assent of a popular vote, to be a violation of the 
clause in the constitution of the United States of 
America proliibiting the impairment of the obliga- 
tion of contracts. This decision cleared the way 
for final action. Governor Pillsbury called an 
extra session of the legislature in October, 1881, 
which accepted the offer of the bondholders, to be 
satisfied with a partial payment, and made provis- 
ions for cancelling bonds, the existence of which 
for more than twenty years had been a humiliation 
to a large majority of the thoughtful and intelli- 
gent citizens of Minnesota, and a blot upon the 
otherwise fair name ot the commonwealth. 

GOVEENOB HUBBAED. 

Ijucius F. Hubbard, who had been colonel of 
the Fifth Regiment, was nominated by the repub- 
lican party, and elected in November, 1881, by a 
large majority over the democratic nominee, E, 
W. Johnson. He entered upon his duties in Jan- 
uary, 1882, about the time of the present chapter 
going to press. 



UlSTUUY Oi<' UTATK INSTlTiJ'noAti. 



lil 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

OAPITOI/ PENITENTIARY UNIVERSITY — HEAP AND 

DUMB INSTITUTION SCHOOL FOR BLIND AND 

IMBEOHiES INSANE ASYLUMS STATE REFORM 

SCHOOL NORMAL SCHOOLS. 

Among the public buildiugs of Miiiuesota, the 
capitol is entitled to priority of uutice. 

TBMPORABY CAPITOLS. 

Tu the absence of a capitol the first legislature 
of the territory of Minnesota convened on Mon- 
day, the 3d of September, 1819, at St. Paul, in 
a log building covered with pine boards painted 
white, two stories high, which was at the time a 
public inn, afterward known as the Central Hous.-, 
and kept by liobert Kennedy. It was situated on 
the high bank of the river. The main portion of 
the building was used for the library, secretary's 
office, council chamber and home of representa- 
tiyes' hall, while the annex wiis occupied as the 
dining-room of the hotel, with rooms for travelers 
in the story above. Both houses of the legisla- 
ture met in the dining-haU to listen to the first 
message of Governor Ramsey. 

The permanent location of the capital was not 
settled by the first legislature, and nothing could 
be done toward the erection of a capitol with the 
$20,000 appropriated by congress, as the perma- 
nent seat of government had not been designated. 
William E. Marshall, since governor, at that 
time a member of the house of rejsresentatives 
from St. Anthcmy, with others, -wished that jjoint 
to be designated as the oaj)ital. 

Twenty yeara after, in some remarks before thj 
Old Settlers' Association of Hennepin county, Ex- 
Governor Marshall alluded to this desire. He 
said: "The original act [of congress] made 
St. Paul the temporary capital, but provided that 
the legislature might determine the permanent 
capital. A bUl was introduced by the St. Paul 
delegation to fix the permanent capital there. I 
opposed it, endeavoring to have St. Anthony made 
the seat of government. We succeeded in defeat- 
ing the bill which sought to make St. Paul the 
permanent capital, but we could not get througli 
the bill fixing it at St. Anthony. So the question 
remained open in regard to the permanent capital 
until the next session in 1851, when a compromiio 
was effected by which the capitol was to be at St. 
Paul, the State University at St. Anthony, and 



the Penitentiary at Stillwater. At an early day, 
as well as now, caricatures and burlesques were 
in vogue. Young William Randall, of St. Paul, 
now deceased, who had some talent in the graphic 
line, drew a picture of the efforts at capitol re- 
moval. It was a building on wh(>pls, witli rojies 
attached, at which I was pictured tugging, while 
Brimson, Jackson, and the other St. Paul mem- 
bers, were holding and checking the wheels, to 
prevent my moving it, with humorous speeches 
proceeding from the mouths of the parties to the 
contest." 

The second territorial legislature assembled on 
the 2d of January, 1871, in a brick building three 
stories in height, which stood on Third street in 
St. Paul, on a portion of the site now occupied by 
the Metropolitan Hotel, and before the session 
closed it was enacted that St. Paul should be the 
permanent capital, and commissioners were ap- 
pointed to expend the congressional appropriation 
for a capitol. 

When the Third legislature assembled, in Jan- 
uary, 1852, it was still necussary to occupy a 
hired building known as Goodrich's block, which 
stood on Third street just below the entrance of 
the Merchants' Hotel. In 1853, the capitol not 
being finished, the fourth legislature was obliged 
to meet in a two-story brick building at the corner 
of Third and Minnesota streets, aiid directly in the 
rear of the wooden edifice where the first legisla- 
ture in 1849 had met. 

THE CAPITOL. 

After it was decided, in 1851, that St. Paul was 
to be the capital of the territory, Charles Bazille 
gave the square bounded by Tenth, Eleventh, 
Wabasha, and Cedar streets for the capitol. 
A plan was adopted by the building commission- 
ers, and the contract was taken by .Joseph Daniels, 
a builder, who now resides in Washington as a 
lawyer and claim agent. The building was of 
brick, and at first had a front portico, supported 
by four Ionic columns. It was two stories above 
the basement, 139 feet long and nearly 54 feet in 
width, with an extension in the rear 44x52 feet. 
In July, 1853, it was so far completed as to allow 
the governor to occupy the executive office. 

SPEECHES OF EX-PEESIDENT FILLMOUE AND GEORGE 
BANCROFT. 

Before the war it was used not only by the legis- 
lature, and for the offices of state, but was granted 



142 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE tiTATE OF MINNESOTA. 



for important meetings. On the 8th of June a 
large excursion party, under the auspices of the 
builders of the Chicago & Kook Island railway, 
arrived at St. Paul from the latter point, in five 
large steamboats, and among the passengers were 
some of the most distinguished scholars, statesmen 
and divines of the republic. At night the popu- 
lation of St. Paul filled the capitol, and the more 
sedate listened in the senate chamber to the stir- 
ring speeches of Ex-President FiUmore, and the 
historian, George Bancroft, who had been secre- 
tary of the navy, and minister plenipotentiary to 
Great Britain, while at a later period of the night 
the youthful joortion of the throng danced in the 
reom then used by the supi'eme court. 

The "Pioneer" of the next day thus alludes to 
the occasion : " The ball in honor of the guests 
of the excursion came off, in fine style. At an 
early hour, the assembly having been called to or- 
der, by the Hon. H. H. Sibley, a welcoming speech 
was delivered by Governor Gorman, and replies 
were made by Ex-President Fillmore and the 
learned historian Bancroft. ****** 
The dancing then commenced and was kept up till 
a late hour, when the party broke up, the guests 
returning to the steamers, and our town's people 
to their homes, all delighted with the rare enter- 
tainment." 

HON. W. H. SEWABD's SPEECH. 

On the 8th of September, 18(j0, the capitol was 
visited by Hon. William H. Seward. At mid-day 
he met by invitation the members of the Histori- 
cal Society in their rooms at the Capitol, and an 
address of welcome was made by the Et. Bev. 
Bishop Anderson, of Rupert's Land, to which he 
made a brief response. 

In the afternoon, crowds assembled in the 
grounds to hsten to an expected speech, and every 
window of the capitol was occupied with eager 
faces. Standing upon the front steps, he ad- 
dressed the audience in the language of a patriot 
and a statesman, and among his eloquent utter- 
ances, was the following prediction. 

" Every step of my progress since I reached the 
northern Misissippi has been attended by a groat 
and agreeable surprise. I had, early, read the 
works in which the geographers had described the 
scenes upon which I was entering, and I liad 
studied them in tlie finest productions of art, but 
still the grandeur and hixiiriance of this region 



had not been conceived. Those sentinel walls that 
look down upon the Mississippi, seen as I beheld 
them, in their abundant verdure, just when the 
earhest tinge of the fall gave luxuriance to the 
forests, made me think how much of taste and 
genius had been wasted in celebrating the high- 
lands of Scotland, before the civilized man had 
reached the banks of the Mississijjpi; and the 
beautiful Lake Pepin, seen at sunset, when the 
autumnal green of the hills was lost in the deep 
blue, and the genial atmosphere reflected the rays 
of the sun, and the skies above seemed to move 
down and spread their gorgeous drapery on the 
scene, was a piece of upholstery, such as none 
l)ut the hand of nature could have made, and it 
was but the vestibule of the capitol of the state 
of Minnesota. ***** ***** 
* * * Here is the place, the central place 
where the agriculture of the richest region of 
North America must pour its tribute. On the 
east, all along the shore of Lake Superior, and 
west, stretching in one broad plain, in a belt quite 
across the continent, is a country where State after 
State is to arise, and where the productions for the 
support of hunlanity, in old and crowded States, 
must be brouglit forth. 

"Tliis is then a commanding field, but it is as 
commanding va. regard to the destiny of this coun- 
try and of this continent, as it is, in regard to the 
commercial future, for power is not permanently 
to reside on the eastern slope of the Alleghany 
Mountains, nor in the sea-ports. Sea-ports have 
always been overrun and controlled by the people 
of the interior, and the jiower that shall communi- 
cate and express the will of men on this continent 
is to be located in the Mississippi valley and at the 
sources of the Mississippi and S;dnt Lawrence. 

"In our day, studying, perhaps what might 
seem to others trifling or visionary, I had cast 
about for the future and ultimate central seat of 
power of North American people. I had looked 
at Quebec, New Orleans, Washington, Cincinnati, 
St. Ijouis, and San Francisco, and it had been the 
result of my last conjecture, that the seat of power 
in North America could be found in the valley of 
Mexico, and that the glories of the Aztec capital 
would be surrendered, at its becoming at last the 
capital of the United States of Ameri-a, but I 
have corrected that view. I now believe that the 
ultimate seat of government in this great Conti- 
nent, will be found somewhere within the circle or 



EISTOliT OF STATE INSTITUTIONS. 



143 



radius uot very far from the spot where I now 
stand." 

FLAG PEESENTATION. 

In a few montlis after tliis speech, Mr. Seward 
was chosen by President Lincoln, inaugurated 
March i, 1861, as secretary of state, and the nest 
great crowd in front of the capitol was collected 
by the presentation of a flag by the ladies of St. 
Paul to the First Minnesota regiment which had 
been raised for the suppression of the slave-holders 
rebellion. On May the 25th, 1861, the regiment 
came down from their rendezvous at Fort Snelling, 
and marched to the capital grounds. The wife of 
Governor Ramsey, with the Hag in hand, appeared 
on the front steps, surrounded by a committee of 
ladies, and presenting it to Colonel Gorman, made 
a brief address in which she said : " From this 
capitol, to the most remote frontier cottage, no 
heart but shall send up a prayer for your safety; 
no eye but shall follow with affection the flutter- 
ings' of your banner, and no one but shall feel 
pride, when you crown the banner as you will 
crown it, with glory." 

As the State increased in population it was nec- 
essary to alter and enlarge the building, and in 
1873, a wing was added fronting on Exchange 
street, and the cupola was improved. The legis- ,- 
lature of 1878 provided for the erection of another 
wing, at an expense of .$14,000, fronting on Waba- 
sha street. The building, by successive additions, 
wiis in length 204 feet, and in width 150 feet, and 
the top of the dome was more than 100 feet from 
the ground. 

THE OAriTOL IN FLAMES. 

On the morning of the 1st of March, 1881, it 
was destroyed by fire. About 9 o'clock in the 
the evening two gentlemen, who lived opposite, 
discovered the capitol was on fire, and immedia- 
tely, by the telegraph, an alarm notified the firemen 
of the city, and the occupants of the capitol. 

The flames rapidly covered the cupola and licked 
the flag flying from the staff on top. One of the 
reporters of the Pioneer Press, who was in the 
senate chamber at the time, graphically describes 
the scene within. 

He writes: "The senate was at work on third 
reading of house bills; Lieutenant Governor Gil- 
man in his seat, and Secretary Jennison reading 
something about restraining cattle in Rice county ; 
Uie senators were lying back listening carelessly, 



when the door opened and Hon. Michael Doran 
announced that the building was on fire. All eyes 
wore at once turned in that dii'cction, and the 
flash of the flames was visible from the top of the 
gallery, as well as from the hall, which 
is on a level with the floor of the senate. The panic 
that ensued had a different effect upon the differ- 
ent persons, and those occupying places nearest the 
entrance, pushing open the door, and rushing pell 
mell through the blinding smoke. Two or three 
ladies happened to be in the vicinity of the doors, 
and happily escaped uninjured. But the oiJenmg 
■of the door produced a draft which drew into the 
senate chamber clouds of smoke, the fire in the 
meantime having made its appearance over the 
center and rear of the gallery. All this occurred 
so suddenly that senators standing near the re- 
porter's table and the secretary's desk, which were 
on the opposite side of the chamber from the en- 
trance, stood as if paralyzed, gazing in mute as- 
tonishment at the smoke that passed in through 
the open doors, at the flames over the gallery, and 
the rushing crowd that blocked the door-ways. 
The senate suddenly and formally adjourned. 
President Oilman, however stood in his place, 
gavel in hand, and as he rapped his desk, loud and 
often he yelled: "Shut that door! Shut that 
door!" 

"The cry was taken up by Colonel Crooks and 
other senators, and the order was finally obeyed, 
after which, the smoke clearing away, the senators 
were enabled to collect their senses and decide 
what was best to be done. President Oilman, 
still standing up in his place, calm and collected 
as if nothing unusual had happened, was encour- 
aging the senators to keep cool. Colonel Crooks 
was giving orders as if a battle was raging around 
him. 

"Other senators were giving such advice as oc- 
curred to them, but unfortunately no advice was 
pertinent except to keep cool and that was all. 
Some were importuning the secretary and his as- 
sistants .to save the records, and General Jeunis<in, 
his hands full of papers, was waiting a chance to 
walk out with them. But that chance looked re- 
mote, indeed, for there, locked in the senate cham- 
ber, were at least fifty men walking around, some 
looking at each other in a dazed sort of a way; 
others at the windows looking out at the snow-cov- 
ered yard, now Ulumiaated from the flames, that 
were heard roaring and crackling overhead. 



lU 



OUTLINE HIST0B7 OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



From some windows men were yelling to the lim- 
ited crowd below: "Get some ladders! Send for 
ladders!" Other windows were occupied. About 
this time terror actually siezed the members, when 
Senator Buck remarked that the fire was raging 
overhead, and at the same moment burning brands 
began to drop through the large ventilators upon 
the desks and floor beneath. 

"Then, for a moment, it seemed as if all hopes of 
escape were cut off. ****;(! 
But happily the flames having made their way 
through the dome, a draught was created strong 
enough to clear the halls of smoke. The dome< 
was almost directly over the entrance of the senate 
chamber, and burning brands and timbers had 
fallen down through the glass ceiUng in front of 
the door, rendering escape in that dii'ector im- 
possible. 

''But a small window leading from the cloak room 
of the senate chamber to the first landing of the 
main stairway furnished an avenue of escape, and 
through this little opening every man in the sen- 
ate chamber managed to get out. 

"The windows were about ten feet high, but Mr. 
Michael Doran and several other gentlemen stood 
at the bottom, and nobly rendered assistance to 
those who came tumbling out, some headlong, 
some sideways and some feet foremost. 

" As the rej^orter of the Pioneer-Press came out 
and landed ou his feet, he paused for a moment to 
survey the scene overhead, where the flames were 
lashing themselves into fury as they played under- 
neath the dome; and saw the flag-staff burning, 
and coals dropping down like fiery hail. 

"It took but a few minutes for the senators to get 
out, after which they assembled on the outside, 
and they had no sooner gained the street than the 
ceiling of the senate cliamber fell in, and in ten 
minutes that whole wing was a mass of flames." 

Similar scenes took place in the hall of the 
house of representatives. A young lawyer, v/\i\\ 
a friend, as soon as the fire was noticed, ran into 
the law library and began to throw books out of 
the windows, but in a few minutes the density of 
the smoke and the approach of the flames com- 
pelled them to desist, and a large portion of the 
library was burned. The portraits of Generals 
Sherman and Thomas which were hung over the 
stairway were saved. The books of the Histori- 
cal Society, in the basement, were removed, but 
were considerably damaged. In three hours the 



bare walls alone remained of the capitol which 
for nearly thirty years had been familiar to the 
law-makers and public men of Minnesota. 

Steps were immediately taken to remove the 
debris end build a new capitol, upon the old site. 
The foundation walls have been laid, and in the 
course of a year the superstructure will be com- 
pleted. 

THE PENITENTIAET. 

Before the penitentiary was built, those charged 
or convicted of crime were placed in charge of the 
commandants of Fort Snelling or Eipley, and kept 
at useful employment under military supervision.^ 
At the same time it was decided to erect a capitol 
at St. Paul.it was also determined that the territorial 
prison should be built at or within half a mile of 
Stillwater. A small lot was secured in 1851 in 
what was called the Battle ravine, in consequence of 
the conflict between the Sioux and Chippeways de- 
scribed on the 103d page. Within a stone wall was 
erected offices of the prison, with an annex con- 
taining six cells. A warden's house was built 
on the outside of the wall. In 1853, an addition 
of six cells was made and on the 5th of March, 
1853, F. R. Delano entered upon his duties as 
warden. His reports to the legislature show that 
for several years there was little use for the cells. 
The prison was opened for criminals on the 1st of 
September,1853,aud until January, 1858 there had 
been received only five convicts, and forty-one 
county and thirty city prisoners awaiting trial. 
The use of the prison by the counties and city as 
a temporary place of confinement led to some 
misunderstanding between the warden and Wash- 
ington county, and the grand jury of that county 
in November, 1857, complained that the warden 
was careless in discharge of his duties. The jury, 
among other complaints sent the following ironi- 
cal statement: "It was also found in such exami- 
nation that one Maria Roffiu, committed on charge 
of selling spirituous hquors to the Indians within 
the territory of the United States escaped in the 
words of the record, 'by leaving the prison' and it 
is a matter of astonishment to this grand jury 
that she so magnanimously consented to leave the 
penitentiary behind her." 

Francis O. J. Smith acted as warden for a brief 
jieriod after Delano, and then H. N. Setzer. In 
1859, the number of cells had increased to sixteen, 
and among the inmates was a hitherto respectable 



UISTORY OF STATE INSTITUTIONS. 



U5 



citizen sentenced for fifteen years for rol.ibing a 
post-office. 

In 1860 John S. Proctor became warden, and 
after eight years of efficient service, was succooded 
by Joshua L. Taylor. By successive additions 
in 1869 nearly ten acres were enclosed by prison 
walls, and during this year extensive shops were 
built. The State iu 1870 erected a costly prison 
at an expense of about $80,000, which, besides a 
chapel and necessary offices, contained two hun- 
dred and ninety-nine cells. 

A. 0. Webljer succeeded Taylor as Warden in 
March, 1870, and the following Octobnr, Henry 
A. Jackman took his place, and continued in office 
until August, 1871, when the present incumbent, 
J. A. Reed, was appointed. 

It has been the policy of the State to hire the 
convicts to labor for contractors, in workshops 
within the walls. At present the inmates are 
largely engaged in the making of agricultural 
machines for the firm of Seymour, Sabin k Co. 

THE UNIVERSITY OP MINNESOTA. 

The Territorial Legislature of 18.51, passed an 
act establishing the University of IMinnesota at or 
near the Falls of St. Antliouy, and memorialized 
Congress for a grant of lands for the Institution. 
Soon after, Congress ordered seventy-two sections 
of laud to be selected and reserved for the use of 
said University. 

As the Regents Iiad no funds, Franklin Steele 
gave the site now the public square, on Second 
Street in the East Division, opposite the Minnesota 
Medical College. Mr. Steele and others at their 
own expense erected a wooden building thereon, 
for a Preparatory Department, and the Rev. E. W. 
Merrill was engaged as Principal. At the close 
of the year 1853, the Regents reported that there 
was ninety- four students in attendance, but that 
the site selected being too near the Falls, they had 
purchased of Joshua L. Taylor and Paul B. George 
about twenty-five acres, a mile eastward, on 
the heigth overlooking the Falls of St. Anthony. 

Governor Gorman, in his message in 185i to 
the Legislature said : "The University of Minne- 
sota exists as yet only in name, but the time has 
come when a substantial reality may and should 
be created." But the Regents ccuild not find any 
patent which would compress a myth into reality, 
for not an acre of the land grant of Congress was 
available. The Governor iu his message therefore 
added: "It would not embarrass our resources, 
10 



in my jtulgment, if a small loan was ellectcil to 
erect a buililing, and cstablisli one or two profi^s- 
sorships, and a preparatory department, sucli loan 
to be based upon the townships of land appropri- 
ated for the sole use of the University." 

While it was pleasing to loc: 1 pride to have p 
building in prospect which could be seen fro;;i 
afar, the friends of education shook their heads, 
and declared the prospect of borrowing money to 
build a University building before the common 
school system was organized was visionary, and 
would be unsuccessful. The idea, however, con- 
tinued to be agitated, and the Regents at length 
were authorized by the Legislature of 1856, to 
issue lionds in the name of the Univer.sity, under 
its corporate seal, for fifteen thousand dollars, to 
be secured by the mortgage of the University 
building which had been erected on the new site, 
and forty thousand dollars more were authorized 
to be issued by the Legislature of 1858, to be 
secured by a lien on the lands devoted for a Ter- 
ritorial University. With the aid of these loans a 
costly and inconvenient stone edifice was con- 
structed, but when finished there was no demand 
for it, and no means for the payment of interest or 
professors. 

In the fall of 1858, in the hope that the Uni- 
versity might be saved from its desj^erate condi- 
tion, the Regents elected the Rev. Edward D. 
Neill as Chancellor. He accepted the position 
without any salary being j^ledged, and insisted 
that a University must necessarily be of slow de- 
velopment, and must succeed, not precede, the 
common schools, and contended that five years 
might elapse before anything could be done for a 
University which would be tangible and visible. 
He also expressed the belief that in time, with 
strict watchfulness, the heavy load of debt could 
be hfted. 

The Legislature of 1860 abolished the old board 
of Regents of the Territorial University by pass- 
ing an act for a Stat-e University, which had been 
prepared V)y the Chancellor, and met the approval 
of Chancellor Tappan, of Michigan University. 
Its first section declared "that the object of the 
State University established by the Constitution of 
the State, at or near the Falls of St. Anthony, 
shall bo to provide the best and most efficient 
means of imparting to the youth of the State an 
education more advanced than that given in the 
public schools, and a thorough knowledge of the 



146 



OUTLINE HISTORY OP TEE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



branches of literature, the arts and sciences, with 
their various applications." 

This charter also provided for the appointment 
of five Begents, to be appointed by the Governor, 
and confirmed by the Senate, in place of the 
twelve who had before been elected by the Legis- 
lature. The Legislature of 1860 also enacted that 
the Chancellor shoijld be ex-officio State Superin- 
tendent of Public Instruction. 

The fijst meeting of the Regents of the State 
University was held on the fifth of April, 1860, 
and stejjs were taken to secure the then useless edi- 
fice from further dilapidation. The Chancellor 
urged at this meeting that a large portion of the 
territorial land grant would be absorbed in pay- 
ment of the moneys used in the erection of 
a building in advance of the times, and that 
the only way to secure the existence of a State 
University was by asking Congress for an addi- 
tional two townships, or seventy-two sections of 
land, which he contended could be done under the 
phraseology of the enabling act, which said: "That 
seventy-two sections of land shall be set apart and 
reserved for the use and support of a State Univer- 
sity to be selected by the Governor of said State,^' 
etc. 

The Regents requested the Governor to suggest 
to the authorities that it was not the intention of 
Congress to turn over the debts and prospectively 
encumbered lands of an old and badly managed 
Territorial institution, but to give the State that 
was to be, a grant for a State University, free 
from all connection with the Territorial organiza- 
tion. The Governor communicated these views 
to the authorities at Washington, but it was not 
till after years of patient waiting that the land was 
obtained by an act of Congress. 

At the breaking out of the civil war in 18G1, 
the Chancellor became Chaplain of the First Regi- 
ment of Blinnesota Volunteers, and went to the 
seat of war, and the University affairs continued to 
grow worse, and the University building was a 
by-word and hissing among the passers by. Din- 
ing the year 1863, some of the citizens of St. An- 
thony determined to make another effort to extri- 
cate the institution from its difficulties, and the 
legislature of 1861 passed an act abolishing the 
board of Regents, and creating three persons sole 
regents, with power to liquidate the debts of the 
institution. The Regents under this law were 
John S. Pillsbury and O. C. Merriman, of St. An- 
thony, and John Nicols, of St. Paul. 



The increased demand for jiine lands, of which 
the University owned many acres, and the sound 
discretion of these gentlemen co-operated in pro- 
curing happy results. In two years Governor 
Marshall, in his message to the legislature, was 
able to say: "The very able and successful man- 
agement of the affairs of the institution, under the 
pieseut board of Regents, relieving it of over one 
hundred thousand dollars of debt, and saving over 
thirty thousand acres of land that was at one time 
supposed to be lost, entitles Messrs. Pillsbury, 
Merriman, and Nicols to the lasting gratitude of 
the State." 

The legislature of 1867 appropriated $5,000 for 
a preparatory and Normal department, and the 
Regents this year chose as principal of the school, 
the Rev. W. W. Washburn, a graduate of the Uni- 
versity of Michigan, and Gabriel Campbell, of the 
same institution, and Ira Moore as assistants. The 
legislature of 1868 passed an act to reorganize the 
University, and to establish an Agricultural Col- 
lege therein. 

Departing from the policy of the University of 
Michigan, it established what the Regents wished,a 
department of Elementary instruction. It also pro- 
vided for a College of Science, Literature and the 
Arts; a CoUege of Agriculture and Meclianids with 
Military Tactics; a college of Law, and a College 
of Medicine. 

The provision of the act of 1860, for the appoint- 
ment of Regents was retained, and the number to 
be confirmed by the Senate, was increased from 
five to seven. 

The new board of Regents was organized in 
March, 1868. John S. Pillsbury, of St. Anthony, 
President; O. C. Merriman, of St. Anthony, Sec- 
retary, and John Nicols, of St. Paul, Treasurer. 

At a meeting of the Regents in August, 1869, 
arrangements were made for collegiate work by 
electing as President and Professor of mathematics 
William W. Folwell. 

President FolweU was bom in 18.35, in Seneca 
county. New York, and graduated with distinction 
in 1827, at Hobart College in Geneva, New York. 
For two years he was a tutor at Hobart, and then 
went to Europe. Upon his return the civil war was 
raging, and he entered the 50th New York Volun- 
teers. After the army was disbanded he engaged 
in business in Ohio, but at the time of his election 
to the presidency of the University, was Professor 
of mathematics, astronomy, and German at Ken- 
yon College. 



n I STORY OF STATE INSTITUTIONS. 



147 



THK FACDLTr. 

The present faculty of the institution is as fol- 
lows: 

William W. Folwell, instructor, political science. 

Jabez Brooks, D. D., professor, Gi'eek, and in 
charge of Latin. 

Newton H. Wiuchell, professor, State geologist, 
0. N. Hewitt, M. D., professor. Public Health. 

John G. Moore, jJrofessor, German. 

Moses Marstou, Ph. D., professor, English lit- 
erature. 

C. W. Hall, professor, geology and biology. 

John G. Hutchinson, assistant professor, Greek 
and mathematics. 

John S. Clark, assistant professor, Latin. 

Matilda J. Campbell, instructor, German and 
English. 

Maria L. Sanford, professor, rhetoric, and elocu- 
tion. 

William A. Pike, 0. E., professor, engineering 
and physics. 

John F. Downey, professor, mathematics and 
astronomy. 

James A. Dodge, Ph. D., professor, chemistry. 

Alexander T. Ormimd, professor, mental and 
moral philosophy and history. 

Charles W. Benton, professor, French. 

Edward D. Porter, professor, agriculture. 

William H. Leib, instructor, vocal music. 

William F. Decker, instructor, shop work and 
drawing. 

Edgar C. Brown, U. S. A., professor, military 
science. 

James Bowen, instructor, practical horticulture. 

THE CAMPUS AND BriLDINGS. 

The campus of the university since it was orig- 
inally acquired, has been somewhat enlarged, and 
now consists of about fifty acres in extent, undu- 
lating in surface, and well wooded with native 
trees. The buildings are thus far but two in 
number, the jolan of the original building, which 
in outline was not imlike the insane asylum build- 
ing at St. Peter, having been changed by the 
erection in 1876, of a large four-story structure 
built of stone and surmounted by a tower. This 
building is 18G feet in length and ninety in 
breadth, exclusive of porches, having three stories 
above the basement in the old part- The walls 
are of blue limestone and the roof of tin. The 
rooms, fifty-tliree in number, as well as all the 
corridors are heated by an eilicient steam appara- I 



tus, and are tlioroughly ventilated. Water is sup- 
plied from the city mains, and there is a stand- 
pipe running from tlie basement through the roof 
with hose attached on all tlie floors for protection 
against fire. The assembly hall, in the third 
story, is 87x55 feet, 24 feet high, and will seat 
with comfort 700 people, and 1,200 can be accom- 
modated. 

THE AGRIOULTUUAL BUILDING 

is the first of the special buildings for the separ- 
ate colleges, and was built in 1876. It is of 
brick, on a basement of blue stone, 146x54 feet. 
The central portion is two stories in height. The 
south wing, 46x25 feet, is a plant house of double 
sash and glass. The north wing contains the 
chemical laboratory. There are class rooms for 
chemistry, physics and agriculture, and private 
laboratories for the professors. A large room in 
the second story is occupied by the museum of 
technology and agriculture, and the basement is 
filled up with a carpenter shop, a room with vises 
and tools at which eight can work, and another 
room fitted with eight forges and a blower — the 
commencement of the facilities for practical in- 
struction. 

DEAF AND DUMB IN.STITUTION. 

Of all the public institutions of Minnesota, no 
one has had a more pleasing history, and more 
symmetrical development tlum the Institution for 
the education of the deaf and dumb and the blind 
at Faribault. 

The legislatur-e of 1858, passed an act for the 
establishment of "The Minnesota State Institute 
for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb," within 
two miles of Faribault, in Rice county, upon con- 
dition that the town or county, should within one 
year from the passage of the law give forty acres 
of land for its use. The condition was comjilied 
with, but the financial condition of the country 
and the breaking out of the civil war, with other 
causes retarded the progress of the Institution for 
five years. 

The legislature of 1863 made the first appro- 
priation of fifteen hundred doUars for the opening 
of the Institution. Mr. R. A. Mott, of Faribault, 
who has to this time been an elScient director, at 
the request of the other two directors, visited the 
East for teachers, and secured Prof. Eanney and 
wife of Columbus, Ohio. A store on Fiont Street 
was then rented, and adapted for the temporary 



148 



OUTLINE BISTORT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



use of the Institution, which opened on the 9th of 
September, 1863, with five pupils, which soon in- 
creased to ten. 

On February 13th, 1864, the State appropriated 
about four thousand dollars for the suppert of the 
Institution, and the directors expended about one 
thousand dollars in the erection of small additional 
building, eighteen by twenty feet in dimensions, 
as a boys' dormitory. 

After laboring faithfully for three years and se- 
curing the respect of his associates, on July 1st, 
1866, Prof. Kinney resigned on account of iU health. 

The directors the next month elected as Super- 
intendent Jonathan L. Noyes, A. M. On the 7th 
of September Professor Noyes arrived at Faribault 
with Miss A. L. Steele as an assistant teacher and 
Henrietta Watson as matron. 

NOETH WING OF EDIFICE COMPLETED. 

Upon the 17th of March, 1868, the Institution 
was removed to a wing of the new building upon 
a site of fifty-two acres beautifully situated upon 
the brow of the hills east of Faribault. The edi- 
fice of tlie French louvre style, and was designed 
by Monroe Sheire, a St. Paul architect, and cost 
about fifty-three thousand dollars, and water was 
introduced from springs in the vicinity. 

WOEK SHOPS. 

In 1869, the Superintendent was cheered by the 
completion of the first work shop, and soon eight 
mutes under the direction of a mute foreman be- 
gan to make flour barrels, and in less than a year 
had sent out more than one thousand, and in 1873 
4,054 barrels were made. 

SOUTH WINO BEGAN. 

The completed wing was not intended to accom- 
modate more than sixty pupils and soon there was 
a demand for more room. During the year 1869 
the foundation of the south wing was completed, 
and on the 10th of Sejotember 1873 the building 
was occu]iied by boys, the other wing being used 
for the girls. By the time the building was ready 
students were waiting to occupy. 

MAIN BUILDING COMPLETED. 



In 1879 the design was completed by the finith- 
ing of the centre building. The whole edifice is 
thus described by the architect, Monroe Sheire: 
"The plan of the building is rectangular, and con- 
sists of a central portion one hundred feet north 



and south, and one hundred and eight feet east 
and west, exclusive of piazzas, and two wings, one 
on the north, and the other on the south side, 
each of these being eighty by forty-five. This 
makes the extreme length two hundred and sixty 
feet, and the width one hundred and eight feet. 
The entire building is four stories above the base- 
ment." 

The exterior walls are built of blue Hme stone 
from this vicinity, and the style Franco Koman- 
esque. Over the center is a graceful cupola, and 
the top of the same is one hundred and fifty feet 
above the ground. 

The entire cost to the State of all the improve- 
ments was about $175,000, and the building wiU 
accommodate about two hundred pupils. The 
rooms are lighted by gas from the Faribault Gas 
Works. 

INDDSTEIAL SCHOOLS. 

The first shop opened was for making barrels. 
To this cooper shop has been added a shoe shop, a 
tailor shop and a printing ofiice. 

MAGAZINE. 

The pupils established in March, 1876, a little 
paper called the Gopher. It was printed on a 
small press, and second-hand type was used. 

In June, 1877, it was more than doubled in 
size, and changed its name to "The Mutes' Com- 
panion." Printed with good type, and filled with 
pleasant articles it still exists, and adds to the in- 
terest in the institution. 

EDUCATION OP THE BLIND. 

In 1863 a law was passed by the legislature re- 
quiring blind children to be educated under the su". 
pervision of the Deaf and Dumb Institution. 
Early in July, 1866, a school for the blind was 
opened in a separate building, rented for the pur- 
1)030, under the care of Miss H. N. Tucker. Dur- 
ing the first term there were three pupils. In May, 
ISGS, the bUnd pupils were brought into the deal 
and dumb institution, but the experiment of in ■ 
struoting these two classes together was not satis- 
factory, and in 1874 the blind were removed to 
the old Faribault House, half a mile south of 
the Deaf and Dumb Institution, which had been 
fitted up for their accommodation, and where 
a large new brick building, for the use of the 
blind, has since been erected. In 1875, Profes- 
sor James J. Dow was made principal of the 
school. 



HISTORY OF STATE INSTITUTIONS. 



149 



SCHOOL FOR THE FEEBLE MINDED. 

From time to time, iu his report to tlio Logiala- 
ture, Superiutendeut Noyes alluded to the faet that 
some children appeared deaf and dumb beeanso of 
their feeble mental development, and in 1879, tlie 
state appropriated $5,000 for a school for imbecile 
children. 

The institution was started in July of that year 
by Dr. Henry M. Knight, now deceased, then 
Superintendent and founder of the Connecticut 
school of the same description, who was on a visit 
to Faribault. He superintended the school until 
the arrival, in September, of his son, Dr. George 
H. Knight, who had been trained under his father. 

For the use of the school the Fairview House was 
rented, and fourteen feeble children were sent 
from the Insane Asylum at St. Peter. In eigh- 
teen months the number had increased to twenty - 
five. 

The site of the new building for the school is 
about forty rods south of the BHnd School. Tlie 
dimensions are 41x80 feet, with a tower projection 
20x18 feet. It is ,of limestone, and three stories 
above the basement, covered with an iron hip-roof, 
and cost about S2.5,000. 

SUPEBINTENDENT J. L. NOYES. 

The growth of the Minnesota institution for the 
education of the deaf and dumb and the blind, 
has been so symmetrical, and indicative of one 
moulding mind, that a sketch of the institution 
would be incomplete without some notice of the 
Superintendent, who has guided it for the last 
sixteen years. 

Onthel3th(.f June, 1827, Jonathan Lovejoy 
Noyes was born in Windham, Rockingham county, 
New Hampshire. At the age of fourteen years he 
was sent to Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachu- 
setts, not only one of the oldest, but among 
tlie best schools in the United States. At Andover 
he had the advantage of the instruction of the 
thorough Greek scholar, Dr. Samuel H. Taylor, 
the eminent author, Lyman H. Coleman, D. D., 
afterwards Professor of Latin in Lafayette Col- 
lege, Pennsylvania, and William H. Wells, whose 
English grammar has been used in many insti- 
tutions. 

After completing his preparatory stiidies, in 
1848, he entered Yale College, and in four years 
received the diploma of Bachelor of Arts. j\.fter 
graduation he received an apijointment in the 



Pennsylvania Institution of the Deaf and Dumb, on 
BroadStreet, l'hilad(>lphia, and found instructing 
deaf mutes was a pleasant occupation. After six 
years of important work in Philadelphia, he was 
employed two years iu a similar institution at 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then received an ap- 
pointment in the well known American Asylum so 
long presided over by Thomas H. Gallandet, at 
Hartford, Connecticut. While laboring here he 
was invited to take charge of the "Minnesota In- 
stitution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb 
and the ]Slind," and in September, 1866, he ar- 
rived at Faribault. With wisdom and patience, 
gentleness and energy, and an unfaltering trust in 
a superintending Providence, he has there contin- 
ued his work with the approbation of his fellow 
citizens, and the affection of tlie pupils of the 
institution. 

At the time that he was relieved of the care of 
the blind and imbecile, the directors entered upon 
their minutes the following testimonial: 

'^Resolved, That upon the retirement of Prof. J. 
L. Noyes from the suporiutendency of the depart- 
ments of the blind and imbecile, the board of 
Directors, of the Minnesota Institution for the 
Deaf and Dumb, and Blind and Idiots, and Imbe- 
ciles, desire to testify to his deep interest in these 
several departments; his efficient and timely ser- 
vices in their establishment; and his\vise direction 
of their early progress, until they have become 
full-fledged and independent departments of our 
noble State charitable institutions. 

"For his cordial and courteous co-operation with 
the directors in their work, and for his timely 
counsel and advice, never withheld when needed, 
the board by this testimonial, render to him their 
hearty recognition and warm acknowledgement." 

On the 21st of July, 1862, Professor Noyes mar- 
ried Eliza H. Wadsworth, of Hartford, Connecti- 
cut, a descendent of the Colonel Wadsworth, who 
in the old colony time, hid the charter of Connecti- 
cut in an oak, which for generations has been 
known in history as the "Charter Oak." They 
have biit one child, a daughter. 

INSANE HOSPITAL AT ST. PETEB. 

Until the year 1866, the insane of Minnesota 
were sent to the Iowa Asylum for treatment, but 
in January of that year the Legislature passed an 
act appointing Wm. R. Marshall, John M. Berry, 
Thomas Wilson, Charles Mclli ath, and S. J. R. 
l\Icr\Iillan to select a proper place for the IMinne- 



150 



OUTLINE EISTOMT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



sota Hospital for the Insane. The vicinity of St. 
Peter was chosen, the citizens presenting to the 
State two hundred and ten acres one mile south of 
the city, and on the Minnesota Kiver, directly op- 
posite to Kasota. 

In October, 1866, temporary buildings were 
erected, and the Trustees elected Samuel E. 
Shantz, of Utica, N. Y., as the Superintendent. 
A plan submitted by Samuel Sloan, a Philadelphia 
architect, consisting of a central building, with 
sections and wings for the accommodation of at 
least five hundred jiatients, in 1867, was adopted, 
and in 1876 the great structure was comj^leted. 

It is built of Kasota limestone, the walls lined 
with brick, and the roof covered with slates. The 
central building is four stories in height, sur- 
mounted with a fine cupola, and therein are the 
chapel and oifioes. Each wing is three stories 
high, with nine separate lialls. 

The exjjenses of construction of the Asylum, 
with the outbuildings, has been more than half a 
million of dollars. Dr. Shantz having died, Cyrus 
K. Bartlett, M. D., of Northampton, Massachu- 
setts, was appointed Sujierintedeut. 

In January, 1880, in the old temporary build- 
ings and in the Asylum jiroj^er there were six hun- 
dred and sixty patients. On the 15th of Novem- 
ber, 1880, about half past eight in the evening, 
the Superintendent and assistants were shocked by 
the announcement that the north wing was on 
fire. It began in the nortjiwest corner of the 
basement, and is supposed to have been kindled by 
a patient employed about the kitchen who was not 
violent. The flames raj^idly ascended to the dif- 
ferent stories, through the holes for the hot air 
pipes, and the oijenings for the dumb waiters. 

The wing at the time contained two hundred 
and seventy patients, and as they were liberated 
by their nurses and told to make their escape, ex- 
hibited various emotions. Some clapjjed their 
bauds with glee, others trembled with fear. 
Many, barefooted and with bare heads, rushed for 
the neighboring hiUs and sat on the cold snow. 
A few remained inside. One patient was noticed 
in a window of the third story, with his knees 
drawn up to his chin, and his face in liis hands, a 
cool and interested looker on, and with an exjjres- 
sion of cynical contempt tor the flames as they ap- 
proached his seat. When a tongue of fire would 
shoot toward him, he would lower his head, and 
after it jiassed would resume his position with more 
than the indifference of a stoic. At last the brick 



work beneath him gave way with a loud crash, 
and as he was jJrecipitated into the cauldron of fire 
soon to be burned to ashes, his maniacal laugh was 
heard above the roar of the flames. 

The remains of eighteen patients were found in 
the ruins, and seven died in a few days after the 
flrer in consequence of injiu'ies and exposure. 

Immediate steps were taken by the Governor to 
repair the damages by the fire. 

INSANE HOSPITAL AT ROCHESTER. 

In 1878, the Legislature enacted a law by 
which an inebriate asylum commenced at Boches- 
ter could be used for an Insane Asylum. With the 
appropriation, alterations and additions were 
made, Dr. J. E. Bowers elected Superintendent, 
and on the 1st of January, 1879, it was opened for 
patients. 

Twenty thonsaud dollars have since been appro- 
priated for a wing for female patients. 

STATE EEFORM SOHOOL, 

During the year 1865, I. V. D. Heard, Esq., a 
lawyer of Saint Paul, and at that time City At- 
torney sent a communication to one of the daily 
papers urging the importance of separating child 
ren arrested for petty crimes, from the depraved 
adults found in the station house or county jail, 
and also called the attention of the City Council 
to the need for a Reform School. 

The next Legislature, in 1866, under the influ- 
ence created by the discussion passed a law creat- 
ing a House of Refuge, and appropriated |5,000 for 
its use on condition that the city of Saint Paul 
would give the same amount. 

In November, 1867, the managers purchased 
thirty acres with a stone farm house and barn 
thereon, for §10,000, situated in Rose townshijj, in 
Saint Anthony near Sueiliug Avenue, in the west- 
ern suburbs of Saint Paul. 

In 1868 the House of Refuge was ready to re- 
ceive wayward youths, and this year the Legis- 
lature changed the name to the Minnesota State 
Reform School, and accepted it as a state institu- 
tion. The Rev. J. G. Eiheldaffer D. D., who had 
for years been pastor of one of the Saint Paul 
Presbyterian churches was elected superintendent 

In 1869 the main building of light colored 
brick, 40x60 feet was erected, and ocouj^ied in 
December. 

In February, 1879, the laundry, a separate 
building was burned, and an appropriation of the 



SKETCHES OF PUBLIC MEN. 



151 



Legislature was made soon after of lirj.OOO for 
the rebuilding of the laundry and the erection of 
a work shop. This shop is 50x100 and three 
stories high. The boys besides receiving a good 
English fdueafion, are taught to be tailors, tinners, 
carpenters and gardeners. Tlic sale of bouijuets 
from the green house, of sleds and toys, and of 
tin ware has been one of the sources of revenue. 

Doctor Hiheldaflfer continues as superintendent 
and by his judicious management has prepared 
many of the inmates to lead useful and honorable 
lives, after their discharge from the Institution. 

STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 

By the influence of Lieut. Gov. Holcomb and 
others the first State Legislature in 1858 passed 
an Act by which three Normal schools might be 
erected, but made no proper provision for their 
support. 

WINONA NORMAL SCHOOL. 

Dr. Ford, a graduate of Dartmouth college, 
and a respectable physician in Winona, with sev- 
eral residents of the same place secured to the 
amount of f;5,512 sub.scriptions for the estalilish- 
ment of a Normal School at that point, and a 
small apjiropriatiou was secured in 1880 from the 
Legislature. 

John Ogden, af Ohio, was elected Principal, and 
in September, 1860, the school was opened in a 
temporary building. Soon after the civil war be- 
gan the school was susjDended, and Mr. Ogden 
entered tlie army. 

In 1864 the Legislature made an appropriation 
of $3,000, and and WiUiam F. Phelps, who had 
been in charge of the New Jersey Normal School 
at Trenton, was chosen principal. In 1865 the 
State appropriated S5,000 annually for the school 
and the citizens of Winona gave over $20,000 to- 
ward the securing of a site and the erection of a 
permanent edifice. 

One of the best and most ornamental education- 
al buOdings in the Northwest was commenced and 
in September, 1869, was so far finished as to ac- 
commodate pupils. To complete it nearly $150,- 
000 was given by the State. 

In 1876 Prof. W. F. Phelps resigned and was 
Bxicceeded by Charles A. Morey who in May, 
1879 retired. The present princijjal is Irwin 
Shepard. 

MANKATO NORMAL SCHOOL. 

In 1806, lyiankato having offered a site for a 



second Normal School, the Legislature give. "^5,000 
for its support. George M. Gage was elected 
Principal and on the Ist of September, 18G8 the 
school was opeiied, It occupied the basement of 
the Methodist church for a few weeks, and then 
moved into a room over a store at the corner of 
Front and Main streets. In April 1870, the State 
building was first occupied. 

Prof. Gage resgncd in June, 1872, and his suc- 
cessor was Miss J. A. Seais who remained one year. 
In July 1873, the Kev. D. 0. John was elected 
principal, and in the spring of 1880, he retired. 

The present Principal is Professor Edward Sear- 
ing, formerly State Superintendent of Pul)Iic In- 
struction in Wisconsin, a line Latin scholar, and 
editor of an edition of Virgil. 

ST. CLOUD NORMAL SCHOOL. 

In 1869, the citizens of St. Cloud gave $5,000 
for the establishment in that city of the third 
Normal School, and a building was fitted up for 
its use. The legislature in 1869, appropriated 
•33,000 for current expenses. In 1870, a new build- 
ing was begun, the legislature having appi'opriated 
.•J10,000, and in 1873, $30,000; this building in 
1875 was first occupied. In 1875, the Rev. D. L. 
Kiehle was elected Principal, Prof. Ira Moore, the 
first Principal having resigned. In 1881, Prof. 
Kielile was appointed State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, and Jerome AUen, late of New 
York, was elected his successor. 



CHAPTER XXVIL 



MENNESOTA GOVERNORS UNITED STATES SENATORS 

MEMBERS 01? UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRE- 
SENTATIVES. 

GOVERNOR RAMSEV A. D. 1849 TO A. D. 1853. 

Alexander Ramsey, the first Governor of the 
Territory of Minnesota, was born on the 8th of 
September, 1815, near Harrisburg, in Dauphin 
county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather was a 
descendent of one of the many colonists who came 
from the north of Ireland before the war of the 
Revolution, and his father about the time of the 
first treaty of peace with Great Britain, was born in 
York county, Pennsylvania. His mother Elizabeth 
Kelkcr, was of German descent, a woman of en- 
ergy, industry and religious principle. 

His father dying, when the subject of this sketch 



152 



OUTLINE HISTORT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



was ten years of age, he went into the store of his 
maternal unole in Harrisburg, and remained two 
years. Then he was employed as a copyist in tlie 
office of Register of Deeds. For several years he 
was engaged in such business as would give su]> 
port. Thoughtful, persevering and studious, at 
the age of eighteen he was able to enter Lafayette 
College, at Easton, Pennsylvania. After he left 
College he entered a lawyer's office in Harrisburg, 
and subsequently attended lectures at the Law 
Sohool at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. 

At the age of twenty-four, in 1839, he was ad- 
mitted to the bar of Dauphin county. His execu- 
tive ability was immediately noticed, and the next 
year he took an active part in the political cam- 
paign, advocating the claims of William H. Harri- 
son, and he was complimented by being made 
Secretary of the Pennsylvania Presidential Elec- 
tors. After the electoral vote was delivered in 
Washington, in a few weeks, in January 1841, he 
was elected chief clerk of the House of Represen- 
tatives of Pennsylvania. Here his ability in dis- 
patching business, and his great discretion made 
a most favorable impression, and in 1843, the 
Whigs of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill 
counties nominated him, as their candidate for 
Congress. Pojjular among the young men of 
Harrisburg, that city which had hitherto given a 
democratic majority, voted for the Whig ticket 
which he represented, and the whole district gave 
him a majority of votes. At the expiration of his 
term, in 1845 he was again elected to Congress. 

Strong in his political preferences, without man- 
ifesting political rancor, and of large perceptive 
power, he was in 1848 chosen by the Whig party 
Pensylvania, as the secretary of the Central Com- 
mittee, and he directed the movements in his na- 
tive State, which led to the electoral votes being 
thrown for General Zachary Taylor for President. 

On the 4th of Blarch, 1849, President Taylor 
took the oath of office, and in less than a month he 
signed the commission of Alexander Ramsey as 
Governor of the Territory of Minnesota, which 
had been created by a law ajiproved the day before 
his inauguration. 

By the way of Butfalo, and from thence by 
lake to Chicago, and from thence to Galena, where 
betook a steanilioat. he traveled to Minnesota and 
arrived at St. Paul early in the morning of the 
27th of ]\Iay, with his wife, children and nurse, 
Init went with the boat up to Mendota, where lie 
■v;is cordially met hy tlie Territorial delegate, 



Hon. H. H. Sibley, and with his family was his 
guest for several weeks. He then came to St, 
Paul, occupied a small housj on Tnird street near 
the corner of Robert. 

On the 1st of June he issued his first proclama- 
mation declaring the organization of the Territorial 
government, and on the 11th, he issued another 
creating judicial districts and providing for the 
election of {nembers of a legislature to assemble 
in September. To his duties as Governor was 
added the superintendency of Indian affairs and 
during the first summer he held frequent confer- 
ences with the Indians, and his first report to the 
Commissioner of Indian Aifairs is still valuable 
for its information relative to the Indian tribes at 
that time hunting in the valleys of the Minnesota 
and the Mississippi. 

During the Governor's term of office he visited 
the Indians at their villages, and made himself 
famiUar. with their needs, and in the summer of 
1851, made treaties with the Sioux by which the 
country between the Mississippi Rivers, north of the 
State of Iowa, was opened for occupation by the 
whites. His term of office as Governor expired in 
April, 1853, and in 1855 his fellow townsmen 
elected him Mayor of St. Paul. In 1857, after 
Minnesota had adopted a State Constitution, the 
Republican party nominated Alexander Ramsey 
for Governor, and the Democrats nominated Henry 
II. Sibley. The election in October was close 
and exciting, and Mr. Sibley was at length de- 
clared Governor by a majority of about two hun- 
dred votes. The Republicans were dissatisfied 
with the result, and contended that more Demo- 
cratic votes were thrown in the Otter Tail Lake 
region than there were citizens residing in the 
northern district. 

In 1859, Mr. Ramsey was again nominated by 
the Republicans for Governor, and elected by four 
thousand majority. Before the expiration of his 
term of office, the RepubUc was darkened by civil 
war. Governor Ramsey haiDpened to be in Wash- 
ington when the news of the firing upon Fort 
Sumter was received, and was among the fii'st of 
the State Governors to call upon the President 
and tender a regiment of volunteers in defense of 
the Republic. Returning to the State, he dis- 
plaved energy and wisdom in the organization of 
regiments. 

In the fall of 1861, he was again nominated and 
elected as Governor, but before the expiration of 
this term, on July 10th, 1863, he was elected by 



SKETCIIKS OF PUISLIC MEN. 



153 



the Legislature, United States Senator. Upon en- 
tering the Semite, he was placed on the Commit- 
tees on Naval Aflairs, Post-offices, Patents, Pacific 
Kailroad, and Chairman of the Committee on Kev- 
olutiouary Pensions and Eevolutionary Claims. 
He was also one of the Committee appointed by 
Congress to accompany the remains of President 
Lincoln to Springfield Cemetery, Illinois. 

The Legislature of 1869 re-elected him for the 
term ending in March, 1875. In 1880, he was a])- 
pointed Secretary of War by President Hayes, and 
tor a time also acted as Secretary of the Navy. 

He was married iu 1815 to Anna Earl, daughter 
of Michael H. Jenks, a member of Congress from 
Bucks county. He lias bad three children; his 
two sons died in early youth; his daughter 
Marion, the wife of Charles Eliot Furness, resides 
with her family, with her jjarents in St. Paid. 

GOVEKNOR GOKMAN A. D. 1853 TO A. D. 1857. 

At the expiration of Governor Ramsey's term 
of office. President Pierce appointed Willis Arnold 
Gorman as his successor. Gevernor Gorman was 
the only son of David L. Gorman and born in 
January, 1866 near Flemingsburgh, Kentucky- 
After receiving a good academic education he went 
to Bloomington, Indiana, and in 1836 graduated 
in the law department of the State University. 
He imediately entered upon the practice of law 
with few friends and no money, in Bloomington, 
and in a year was called upon to defend a man 
charged with murder, and obtained his acquittal. 

That one so young should have engaged in 
such a case excited the attention of the public, and 
tw ) years afterwards was elected a member of the 
Indiana legislature. His pojmlarity was so great 
that he was re-elected a number of times. When 
war was declared against Mexico he enlisted as a 
private in a company of volunteers, which with 
others at New Albany was mustered into the ser- 
vice for one year, as the Third Regiment of 
Indiana Volunteers, with James H. Lane, after- 
w ards U. S. Senator for Kansas, as Colonel, while 
he was commissioned as Major. It is said that 
under the orders of General Taylor with a de- 
tachment of riflemen he opened the battle of 
Buena Vista. In this engagement his horse was 
shot and fell into a deep ravine carrying the 
Major with, him and severely bruising him. 

In August, 1817, he returned to Indiana and by 
his enthusiasm helped to raise the Fourth Regi- 
ment and was elected its Colonel, and went bads 



to tlie seat of war, and was present in several bat- 
tles, and when peace was declared returned with 
the reputation of being a dashing officer. 

Resuming the practice of law, in the fall of 1848 
he was elected to Congress and served two terms, 
his last expiring on the 4th of March, 1853, the 
day when his fellow officer in the Mexican War, 
Gen. Franklin Pierce took the oath of office as 
President of the United States. With a commis- 
sion bearing the signature of President Pierce he 
arrived in Saint Paul, in May, 1853, as the second 
Territorial Governor of Minnesota. 

His term of Governor expired in the spring of 
1857, and he was elected a member of the Com- 
mittee to frame a State Constitution, which on the 
second Monday in July of that year, convened at 
the Capitol. After the committee adjourned he 
again entered ujson the practice of law but when 
the news of the firing of Fort Sumter reached 
Splint Paul he realized that the nation's hfe 
was endangered, and that there w(5uld be a civU 
war. He offered his services to Governor Ram- 
soy and when the First Regiment of Minnesota 
volunteers was organized he was commissioned as 
Colonel. He entered with ardor upon his work of 
drilling the raw troops in camp at Fort Snelling, 
and the privates soon caught his enthusiasm. 

No officer ever had more pride in his regiment 
and his soldiers were faithful to his orders. His 
regiment was the advance regiment of Franklin's 
Brigade, iu Heintzelnian's Division at the first Bat- 
tle of Bull Run, and there made a reputation 
which it increased at every battle, especially at 
Gettysburg. Upon the recommendation of Gen- 
eral Wiufield Scott who had known him in Mex- 
ico after the battle of Bull Run he was appointed 
Brigadier General by President Lincoln, 

After three years of service as Brigadier General 
he was mustered out and returning to St. Paid 
resumed his profession. From that time he held 
several positions under the city government. He 
died on the afternoon of the 25th of May, 1876. 

GOVERNOK SIBLEY, A. D. 1858 tO A. D. 1860. 

No one is more intimately asssociated with the 
development of the Northwest than Henry Hast- 
ings Sibley, the first Governor of Minnesota under 
the State constitution. 

By the treaty of Peace of 1783, Great Britain 
recognizjd the independence of the United States 
of America, and the land east of the Mississippi, 



154 



OUTLINE BISTORT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



and northwest of the Ohio river was open to set- 
tlement by American citizens. 

In 1786, while Congress was in session in New 
York City, Dr. Manasseh Cutler, a graduate of 
Yale, a Puritan divine of a considerable scientific 
attainments, visited that place, and had frequent 
conferences with Dane of Blassachusetts, and Jef- 
ferson, of Virginia, relative to the colonization of 
the Oliio valley, and he secured certain provisions 
in the celebrated "ordinance of 1787," among 
others, the grant of land in each township for the 
support of common schools, and also two 
townships for the use of a University. 

Under the auspices of Dr. Cutler, and a few 
others, the first colony, in December, 1787, left 
Massachusetts, and after a wearisome journey, on 
April 7, 1788, reached Marietta, at the mouth of 
the Muskingum River. 

Among the families of this settlement was the 
maternal grandfatlier of Governor Sibley, Colonel 
Ebenezer Sproat, a gallant officer of Rhode Island, 
in the war of the Rebellion, and a friend of Kos- 
ciusko. • 

Governor Sibley's mother, Sarah Sproat, was 
sent to school to the then celebrated Moravian 
Seminary at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and subse- 
quently finished her education at Philadelphia. 
In 1797 she returned to her wilderness home and 
her father pui-chased for her pleasure a piano, said 
to have been the first transported over the Alle- 
ghany Mountains. Soon after this Solomon Sibley, 
a young lawyer, a native of Sutton, Massachusetts, 
visited Marietta, and become acquainted and at- 
tached to Sarah Sproat, and in 1802, they were 
married. The next year Mrs. Sibley went to De- 
troit where her husband had settled, and she com- 
menced housekeeping opposite where the Biddle 
House is situated in that city. In 1799, Gover- 
nor Sibley's father was a representative from the 
region now known as Michigan, in the first Ter- 
ritorial Legislature of Northwest, which met at 
Cincinnati. From 1820 to 1823 he was delegate 
to Congress from Michigan, and in 1824 he became 
judge of the supreme court, and in 1836 resigned. 
Respected by all, on the 4th of April he died. 

His son, Henry Hastings Sibley, was born in 
February, 1811, in the city of Detroit. At the age 
of seventeen, relinquishing the study of law, he 
became a clerk at Sault St. Marie and then was 
employed by Robert Stuart, of the American Fur 
Company at Mackinaw. In 1834 he was placed in 
charge of the Indian trade above Lake Pepin with 



his new quarters at the mouth of the Minnesota 
River. 

In 1836, he built the first stone residence ia 
Minnesota, without the military reservation, at 
Mendota, and here he was given to hospitality. 
The missionary of the cross, and the man of sci- 
ence, the officer of the army, and the tourist from 
a foreign land, were received with a friendliness 
that caused them to forget while under his roof 
that they were strangers in a strange land. 

In 1843, he was married to Sarah J. Steele, the 
sister of Franklin Steele, at Fort Snelling. 

On August 6th, 1846, Congress authorized the 
people of Wisconsin to organize a State govern- 
ment with the St. Croix River as a part of its west- 
em boundary, thus leaving that portion of Wis- 
consin territory between the St. Croix and Missis- 
sippi Rivers st 11 under the direct supervison of 
Congress, and the Hon. M. L. Martin, the dele- 
gate of Wisconsin territory in Congress, intro- 
duced a bill to organize the territory of Minnesota 
including portions of Wisconsin and Iowa. 

It was not until the 29th of May, 1848, how- 
ever, that Wisconsin territory east of the Saint 
Croix, was reorganized as a State. On the 30th 
of October, Mr. Sibley, who was a resident of Iowa 
territory, was elected delegate to Congress, and 
after encountering many difficulties, was at length 
admitted to a seat. 

On the 3d of March, 1849, a law was approved 
by the President for the organization of Minne- 
sota, teritory, and in the faU of that year he was 
elected the first delegate of the new Territory, as 
his father had been at an early period elected a 
delegate from the then new Michigan territory. In 
1851, he was elected for another term of two 
years. 

In 1857, he was a member of the convention to 
frame a State constitution for Minnesota, and was 
elected presiding officer by the democrats. By 
the same party he was nominated for Governor and 
eleetel by a sm ill majority over the republican 
candidate, Alexander Rm sey. 

Minnesota was admitted as a State on the 11th 
of May, 1858, and on the 28th Governor Sibley 
deUvered his inaugural message. 

After a residence of twenty-eight years at Men- 
dota, in 1862, he became a resident of Saint Paul. 
At the beginning of the Sioux outbreak, C-ivemor 
Ramsey appointed him Colonel, and placed him 
at the head of the forces employed against the In- 
dians. On the 23d of September, 1862, he fought 



SKlcrvJIES OF PUBLIC MEN. 



155 



the severe and decisive battle of Wood Lake. In 
March, 1863, he was confirmed by the senate as 
Brigadier General, and on the 29th of November, 
1865, he was appointed Brevet Major General for 
efficient and meritorious services. 

Since the war he has taken an active interest in 
every enterprise formed for the advancement of 
Minnesota, and for the benefit of St. Paul, the city 
of his residence. His sympathetic nature leads 
him to open his ear, and also his purse to those in 
distress, and among his chief mourners when he 
leaves this world will be the many poor he has be- 
friended, and the faint-hearted who took courage 
from his words of kindness. His beloved wife, in 
May, 1869, departed this life, leaving four chil- 
dren, two daughters and two sons. 

GOVEBXOR EAMSET, JAIfUARY 1860 TO APRIL 1863. 

Alexander Ramsey, the first Territorial Gov- 
ernor, was elected the second State Governor, as 
has already been mentioned on another page. Be- 
fore his last term of office exjjired he was elected 
United States Senator by the Legislature, and 
Lieutenant Governor Swift became Governor, for 
the unexpired term. 

GOVEBNOB SWIFT, APRIL, 18G3 TO JANUARY, 1864. 

Henry A. Swift was the son of a physician. Dr. 
.John Swift, and on the 23d of March, 1823, was 
born at Kavenna, Ohio. In 1842, he graduated at 
Western Reserve College, at Hudson, in the same 
State, and in 1815 was admitted to the practice of 
tlie law. During the winter of 1846-7, he was an 
assistant clerk of the lower house of the Ohio 
Legislature, and his quiet manner and methodic 
method of business made a favorable imjjression. 
The next year he was elected the Chief Clerk, and 
continued in office for two years. For two or 
three years he was Secretary of the Portage Farm- 
ers' Insurance Company. In April, 1853, he 
came to St. Paul, and engaged in merchandise and 
other occupations, and in 1856, became one of the 
founders of St. Peter. At the election of 1861, he 
was elected a State Senator for two years. In 
March, 1863, by the resignation of Lieutenant 
Governor Donnelly, who had been elected to the 
United States House of Representatives, he was 
chosen temporary President of the Senate, and 
when Governor Ramsey, in April, 1863, left the 
gubernatorial chair, for a seat in the United States 
Senate he became the acting Governor. When he 
ceased to act as Governor, he was again elected to 



the State Senate, and served during the years 
1864 and 1865, and was then appointed by the 
President, Register of the Land Office at St. Peter. 
On the 25th of February, 1869 he died. 

GOVEENOR MILLER — A. D. 18(34 TO A. D. 1866. 

Stephen A. Miller was the grandson of a Ger- 
man immigrant who about the year 1785 settled 
in Pennsylvania. His parents were David and 
Rosanna MUler, and on the 7th of J.anuary, 1816, 
he was born in what is now Perry county in that 
State. 

He was like many of our best citizens, obliged 
to bear the yoke in his yonth. At one time he 
was a canal boy and when quite a youth was in 
charge of a canal boat. Fond of reading he ac- 
quired much information, and of pleasing address 
he made friends, so that in 1837 he became a for- 
warding and commission merchant in Harrisburg. 
He always felt an interest in public affairs, and 
was an efficient speaker at political meetings. In 
1849 he was elected Prothonatary of Dauphin 
county. Pa., and from 1853 to 1855 was editor of 
the Harrisburg Telegraph; then Governor Pol- 
lock, of Pennsylvania, ajjpointed him Flour In- 
spector for PhOadelpbia, which office he held until 
1858, when he removed to Minnesota on account of 
his health, and opened a store at Saint Cloud. 

In 1861, Governor Ramsey who had known him 
in Pennsylvania, appointed him Lieutenant Colo 
nel of the First Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers, 
and was jsresent with his regiment on July 21st of 
that year in the eventful battle of Bull Run. 
Gorman in his report of the return of the First 
Minnesota Piegiment on that occasion wrote: "Be- 
fore leaving the field, a portion of the right wing, 
owing to the configuration of the ground and in- 
tervening woods, became detached, under the com- 
mand of Lt. Col. Miller whose gallantry was con- 
spicuiHis throughout the entire battle, and who 
contended every inch of the ground with his for- 
ces thrown out as sldrmishers in the woods, and 
succeeded in occupying the original ground on 
the right, after the repulse of a body of cavalry." 

After this engagement, his friend Simon Cam- 
eron, the Secretary of War, tendered him a posi- 
tion in the regular army which he declined. 

Although in ill health he continued with the 
regiment, and was present at Fair Oaks and Mal- 
vern Hill. 

In September, 1862, he was made Colonel of the 
Seventh Regiment, and proceeded against the 



15G 



OUTLINE niSTORT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



Sioux Indians who had massacred so many set- 
tlers in the Upper Minnesota Valley, and in De- 
cember he was the Colonel commanding at Man- 
kato, and under his supervision, thirty -eight 
Siox, condemned for participation in the killing 
of white persons, on the 26th of February, 1863, 
were executed by hanging from gallows, upon one 
scaffold, at the same time. This year he was made 
Brigadier General, and also nominated by the re- 
pubUcans for Governor, to which oflBce he was 
elected for two years, and in January, 1864, en- 
entered upon its duties. 

In 1873, he was elected to the Legislature for 
a district in the southwestern portion of the State, 
and in 1876, was a Presidential elector, and bore 
the electoral vote to Washington. 

During the latter years of his life he was em- 
ployed as a land agent by the St. Paul & Sioux 
City Kailroad Company. In 1881 he died. He 
was married in 1839 to Margaret Funk, and they 
had three sons, and a daughter who died in early 
childhood. His son Wesley, a Lieutenant in the 
United States Army, fell in battle at Gettysburg; 
his second son was a Commissary of Subsistence, 
but is now a private; and his youngest son is in 
the service of a Pennsylvania railroad. 

GOVEENOB MAKSHAI;, A. D. 1866 to A. D. 1870. 

William Kainey Marshall is the son of Joseph 
Marshall, a farmer and native of Bourbon county, 
Kentucky, whose wife was Abigail Shaw, of Penn- 
sylvania. He was born on the 17th of October, 
182.5, in Boone county, Missouri. His boyhood 
was passed in Quincy, Illinois, and before he at- 
tained to manhood he went to the lead mine dis- 
trict of Wisconsin, and engaged in mining and 
surveying. 

In Sejjtember, 1847, when twenty-two years of 
age, he came to the Falls of St. Croix, and in a 
few months visited the Falls of St. Anthony, staked 
out a claim and returned. In the spring of 1848, 
he was elected to the Wisconpin legislature, but 
his seat was contested on the ground that he 
lived beyond the boundaries of the state of Wis- 
consin. In 1849, he again visited the Falls of St. 
Anthony, perfected his claim, opened a store, and 
represented that district in the lower house of the 
first Territorial legislature. In 1851, he came to 
St. Paul and established an iron and heavy hard- 
ware business. 

In 1852, he hold the office of County Surveyor, 
and the next year, with his brother Joseph and 



N. P. Langford, he went into the banking busi- 
ness. In January, 1861, he became the editor of 
the Daily Press, which succeeded the Daily Times. 

In August, 1862, he was commissioned Lieut. 
Colonel of the Seventh Minnesota Regiment of In- 
fantry and proceeded to meet the Sioux who had 
been engaged in the massacre of the settlers of 
the Minnesota valley. In a few weeks, on the 23d 
of Seistember, 1862, he was in the battle of Wood 
Lake, and led a charge of five companies of his 
own regiment, and two of the Sixth, which routed 
the Sioux, sheltered in a ravine. 

In November, 1863, he became Colonel of the 
Seventh Regiment. After the campaign in the 
Indian country the regiment was ordered south, 
and he gallantly led his command, on the 14th of 
July, 1864, at the battle near Tupelo, Mississippi. 
In the conflict before Nashville, in December, he 
acted as a Brigade commander, and in April, 1865, 
he was present at the surrender of Mobile. 

In 1865, he was nominated by the Republican 
party, and elected Governor of Minnesota, and in 
1867, he was again nominated and elected. He 
entered upon his duties as Governor, in January, 
1866, and retired in 1870, after four years of 
service. 

In 1870, he became vice-president of the bank 
which was known as the Marine National, which 
has ceased to exist, and was engaged in other en- 
terprises. 

In 1874, he was appointed one of the board of 
Railroad Commissioners, and in 1875, by a change 
of the law, he was elected Railroad Commissioner, 
anduntd January, 1882, discharged its duties. 

He has always been ready to help in any move- 
ment which would tend to promote the happiness 
and intelHgence of humanity. 

On the 22d of March, 1854, he was married to 
Abby Langford, of Utioa, and has had one child, 
a son. 

GOVERNOR AUSTIN A. D. 1870 TO A. D. 1874. 

Horace Austin, about the year 1831, was bom 
in Connecticut. His father was a blacksmith, and 
for a time he was engaged in the same occupation. 
Determined to be something in the world, for sev- 
eral years, during the winter, he taught school. 
He then entered the oflBce of a well known law 
firm at Augusta, Maine, and in 1854 came west. 
For a brief period he had charge of a school at 
the Falls of Saint Anthony. 

In 1856, he became a resident of St. Peter, on 



SKETCHES OF PUBLIC MEN. 



157 



the Minnesota Kiver. In 1863, in the expedition 
against the Sioux Indians, he served as captain in 
the volunteer cavalry. In 1869, he was elected 
Governor, and in 1871 he was re-elected. Soon 
after the termination of his second gubernatorial 
term, he was appointed Auditor of the United 
States Treasury at Washington. He has since 
been a United States Laud Officer in Dakota ter- 
ritory, but at present is residing at Fergus Falls, 
Minnesota. 

GOVERNOR DAVIS A. D. 1874 TO A. D. 1876. 

Cushman Kellog Davis, the son of Horatio M. 
and Clarissa F. Davis, on the ICth of June, 1838, 
was born at Henderson, .Jefferson county. New 
York. When he was a babe biit a few months old, 
his father moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin, and 
opened a farm. At Waukesha, Carroll College 
had been commenced, and in this institution Gov- 
ernor Davis was partly educated, but in 18.57 grad- 
uated at the University of Michigan. 

He read law at Waukesha with Alexander Ran- 
dall, who was Governor of Wisconsin, and at a 
later period Postmaster General of the United 
States, and in 1859 was admitted to the bar. 

In 1862, he was commissioned as first lieuten- 
ant of the 28th Wisconsin Infantry, and in time 
became the adjutant general of Brigadier General 
Willis A. Gorman, ex-Governor of Minnesota, but 
in 1864, owing to ill health he left the army. 

Coming to Saint Paul in August, 1864, he en- 
tered upon the practice of his profession, and 
formed a partnership with ex-Governor Gorman. 
Gifted with a vigorous mind, a fine voice, and an 
impressive sj^eaker, he soon took high rank in his 
profession. 

In 1867, he was elected to the lower house of 
the legislatirre, and the next year was commisioned 
United States District Attorney, which position 
he occupied for five years. 

In 1863, he was nominated by the republicans, 
and elected Governor. Entering upon the duties 
of the office in 1874, he served two years. 

Since his retirement he has had a large legal 
practice, and is frequently asked to lecture u{)on 
literary subjects, always interesting the audience. 

GOVERNOR PILLSBURY — A. D. 1876 TO 1882. 

John Sargent Pillsbury is of Puritan ancestry. 
He IS the son of John and Susan Pillsbury, and 
on the 29th of July, 1828, was bom at Sutton, 



New Hampshire, where his father and grandfather 
lived. 

Like the sons of many Now Hampshire farmers, 
he was obliged, at an early age, to work for a sup- 
port. He commenced to learn house painting, but 
at the age of sixteen was a boy in a country store. 
When he was twenty-oue years of age, ho formed 
a partnership with Walter Harriman, subsi'quoutly 
Governor of New HamiJshire. After two years he 
removed to Concord, and for four ye:irs was a tailor 
and dealer in cloths. In 1853, he came to Michigan, 
and in 1855, visited Minnesota, and was so pleased 
that lie settled at St. Anthony, now the East Divi- 
sion of the city of Minneapolis, and ojjened a 
hardware store. Soon a fire destroyed his store 
and stock upon which there was no insurance, but 
by perseverance and hopefulness, he in time re- 
covered from the loss, with the increased con (idenct 
of his fellow men. For six years he was an efficient 
member of the St. Anthony council. 

In 1863, he was one of three appointed sole Re- 
gents of the University of Minnesota, with powei 
to liquidate a large indebtedness which had been 
unwisely created in Territorial days. By his 
carefulness, after two or three years the debt was 
canceleil, and a large partion of the land granted 
to the University saved. 

In 1863, he was elected a State Senator, and 
served for seven terms. In 1875, lie was nomi- 
nated by the republicans and elected Governor; 
in 1877, he was again elected, and in 1879 for the 
third time he was chosen, the only person who has 
served three successive terms as the Governor of 
Minnesota. 

By his courage and persistence he succeeded in 
obtaining the settlement of the railroad bonds 
which had been issued under the seal of the State, 
and had for years been ignored, and thus injured 
the credit of the State. 

In 1872, with his nephew he engaged in the 
manufacture of flour, and the firm owns several 
mills. Lately they have erected a mill in the 
East Division, one of the best and largest in the 
world. 

GOVERNOR HUBBARD, A. D. 1882. 

Lucius Frederick Hubbard was born on the 26th 
of January, 1836, at Troy, New York. His father, 
Charles Frederick, at the time of his death was 
Sheriff of Rensselaer county. At the age of six- 
teen. Governor Hubbard left the North GranviUe 
Academy, New York, and went to Poultney, Ver- 



158 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



mont, to learn the tinner's trade, and after a short 
period ha moved to Chicago, where he worked for 
four years. 

In 1857, he came to Minnesota, and established 
a paper called the "Republican," which he con- 
ducted until 186], when in December of that year 
he enlisted as a private in the Fifth Minnesota 
Regiment, and by his efficiency so commended 
himself that in less than one year he became its 
Colonel. At the battle of Nashville, after he had 
been knocked oflf his horse by a ball, he rose, and 
on foot led his command over the enemy's works. 
"For gallant and meritorious service in the battle 
of NashviUe, Tennessee, on the 15th and 16th of 
December, 1861," he received the brevet rank of 
Brigadier General. 

After the war he returned to Red Wing, and has 
been engaged in the grain and flour business. He 
was State Senator ft-om 1871 to 1875, and in 1881 
was elected Governor. He married in May, 1868, 
Amelia Thomas, of Red Wing, and has three 
children. 

mibnbsota's kepkbsentatives in congkess of the 
united states of america. 

From March, 1819, to May, 1858, Minnesota 
was a Territory, and entitled to send to the con- 
gress of the United States, one delegate, with the 
privilege of representing the interests of his con- 
stituents, but not allowed to vote. 

TEKBITOEIAI, DELEGATES. 

Before the recognition of Minnesota as a sepa- 
rate Ten-itory, Henry H. Sibley sat in Congress, 
from January, 1819, as a delegate of the portion 
Wisconsin territory which was beyond the boun- 
daries of the state of Wisconsin, in 1848 admit- 
ted to the Union. In September, 1850 he was 
elected delegate by the citizens of Minnesota ter- 
ritory, to Congress. 

Henry M. Rice succeeded Mr. Sibley as delegate, 
and took his seat in the thirty -third congress, which 
convened on December 5th 1853, at Washington. He 
was re-elected to the thirty-fourth Congress, which 
as^;embled on the 3d of March, 1857. During his 
term of office Congress passed an act extending 
the pre-emption laws over the unsurveyed lands of 
Minnesota, and Mr. Rice obtained valuable land 
grants for the construction of railroads. 

William W. Kingsbury was the last Territorial 
delegate. He took his seat in the thirty-fifth con- 
gress, which convened on the 7th of ] )ecember. 



1857, and the next May his seat was vacated by 
Minnesota becoming a State. 

UNITED STATES SENATOES. 

Henry M. Rice, who had been for four years 
delegate to the House of Representatives, was on 
the 19th of December, 1857, elected one of two 
United States Senators. During his term the civil 
war began, and he rendered efficient service to the 
Union and the State he represented. He is still 
living, an honored citizen in St. Paul. 

James Shields, elected at the same time as Mr. 
Rice, to the United States Senate, drew the short 
term of two years. 

Morton S. Wilkinson was chosen by a joint con- 
vention of the Legislature, on December 15th, 
1359, to succed General Shields. During the re- 
bellion of the Slave States he was a firm supporter 
of the Union. 

Alexander Ramsey was elected by the Legisla- 
ture, on the 14th of January, 1863, as the suc- 
cessor of Henry M. Rice. The Legislature of 
1869 re elected Mr. Ramsey for a second term of 
six years, ending March 1875. For a full notice 
see the 138th page. 

Daniel S. Norton was, on January 10th, 1865, 
elected to the United States Senate as the suc- 
cessor of Mr. Wilkinson. Mr. Norton, who had 
been in feeble health for years, died in June, 1870. 

O. P. Stearns was elected on January 17th, 1871, 
for the few weeks of the unexpired term of Mr. 
Norton. 

William Windom, so long a member of the 
United States House of Representatives, was 
elected United States Senator for a term of six 
years, ending March Ith, 1877, and was re-elected 
for a second term ending March 4th, 1883, but re- 
signed, having been appointed Secretary of the 
Treasury by President Garfield. 

A. J. Edgerton, of Kasson, was appointed by 
the Governor to fill the vacancy. President Gar- 
field having been assassinated, and Mr. Edgerton 
having been appointed Chief Justice of Dakota 
territory, Mr. Windom, at a special session of the 
Legislature in October, 1881, was re-elected 
United States Senator. 

S. J. R. MoTMiUan, of St. Paul, on the 19th of 
February, 1875, was elected United States Sen- 
ator for the term expiring March 4th, 1881, _nnd 
has since been re-elected for a second term, which, 
in JIarch. 1887, will expire. 



SKETCHES OF PUBLIC MEN. 



159 



REPRESENTATIVES IN THE U. S. HOUSE OF KEPUE- 

SENTATIVES. 

William W. Phelps was one of the first mem- 
bers of the UuiteJ States House of Representatives 
from Minnesota. Born in Michigan in 1826, he 
graduated in 1846, at its State University. lu 
1854, he came to Minnesota as Register of the 
Land Office at Red Wing, and in 1857, was elected 
a representative to Congress. 

James M. Cavanaugh was of Irish parentage, 
and came from Massachusetts. He was elected to 
the same Congress as Mr. Phelps, and subsequently 
removed to Colorado, where he died. 

William Windom was born on May 10th, 1827,in 
Belmont,county,Ohio. He was admitted to the bar 
in 1850, and was, in 1853, elected Prosecuting At- 
torney for Knox county, Ohio. The next year he 
came to Minnesota, and has represented the State 
in Congress ever since. 

Cyrus Aldrich,of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, 
was elected a member of the Thirty-sixth Con- 
gress, which convened December 5th, 1859, and 
was re-elected to the Thirty-seventh Congress. 

Ignatius Donnelly was born in Philadelpliia in 
1831. Graduated at the High School of that city, 
and in 1853 was admitted to the bar. In 1857, 
he came to Minnesota, and in 1859 was elected 
Lt. Governor, and re-elected in 1861. He be- 
came a representative of Minnesota in the United 
States Congress which convened on December 7th, 
1863, and was re-elected to the Thirty-ninth Con- 
gress which convened on December -Ith, 1865. He 
was also elected to the Fortieth congress, which 
convened in December, 1867. Since 1873 he has 
been an active State Senator from Dakota county, 
in which he has been a resident, and Harper 
Brothers have recently published a book f-rom his 
pen of wide research called "Atlantis." 

Eugene M. Wilson, of Minneap>olis, was elected 
to the the Forty-first Congress, which assembled 
in December, 1869. He was born December 25th, 
1833, at Morgantown, Virginia, and graduated at 
Jefferson College, Pennsylvania. From 1857 to 
1861, he was United States District Attorney 
for Minnesota. During the civil war he was cap- 
tain in the First Blinnesota Cavalry. 

Mr. Wilson's father, grandfather, and maternal 
grandfather were members of Congress. 

M. S. Wilkinson, of whom mention has been 
made as U. S. Senator, was elected in 1868 a rep- 



resentative to the congress which convened in De- 
cember, 1869, and served one term. 

!Mark H. Dunnell of Owatonna, in the fall of 
1870, was elected from the First District to fill 
the seat in the House of Representatives so long 
occupied by Wm. Windom. 

Mr. Dunnell, in July, 1823, was born at Bux- 
ton, Maine. Ho graduated at the college estab- 
lished at WaterviUe, in that State, in 1849. From 
1855 to 1859 he was State Superintendent of 
schools, and in 1860 commenced the practice of 
law. For a short period he was Colonel of the 
5th Maine regiment but resigned in 1862, and 
was appointed U. S. Consul at Vera Cruz, Mexi- 
co. In 1805, ho came to Minnesota, and was 
State Superintendent of Pal)lio Instruction from 
April, 1867 to August, 1870. Mr. Dunnell still 
represents his district. 

John T. Averill was elected in November, 1870, 
from the Second District, to succeed Eugene M. 
Wilson. 

Mr. Averill was born at Alma, Maine, and com- 
pleted his studies at the Maine Wesleyan Univer- 
sity. He was a member of the Minnesota Senate 
in 1858 and 1859, and during the rebellion was 
Lieut. Colonel of the 6th Minnesota regiment. 
He is a member of the enterprising firm of paper 
manufacturers, Averill, Russell and Carpenter. 
In the fall of 1872 he was re-elected as a member 
of the Forty-second Congress, which convened in 
December, 1873. 

Horace B. Strait was elected to Forty-third and 
Forty-fourth Congress, and is stUl a representative. 

William S. King, of Minneapolis, was bom De- 
cember 16, 1828, at Malone, New York. He has 
been one of the most active citizens of Minnesota 
in developing its commercial and agriculutral in- 
terests. For several years he was Postmaster of 
the United States House of Representatives, and 
was elected to the Forty-fourth Congress, which 
convened in 1875. 

Jacob H. Stewart, M. D., was elected to the 
Forty-fifth Congress, which convened in Decem- 
ber, 1877. He was born January 15th, 1829, in 
Columbia county, New York, and in 1851, grad- 
uated at the University of New York. For sev- 
eral years he practiced medicine at PeekskiU, New 
York, and in 1S55, removed to St. Paul. In 1859, 
he was elected to the State Senate, and was Chair- 
man of the Railroad Committee. In 1864, he was 
Mayor of St. Paul. He was Surgeon of the First 



160 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF TEE STATE OF MINNESOTA 



Jlinuesota, and taken prisoner at the first battle of 
Bull Euu. From 1809 to 1873, he was again 
Blayor of St. Paul, and is at the present titae 
United States Surveyor General of the Minnesota 
laud office. 

Henry Poehler was the successor of Horace B. 
Strait for the term ending March 4, 1881, when 
Mr. Strait was again e'ccLed. 

William Drew Washburn on the 14th of Jan- 
uary, 1831, was born at Livermore, Maine, and in 
1854, graduated at Bowdoin College. In 1857, he 
came to Minnesota, and in 1861, was appointed by 
the President, Surveyor General of U. S. Lands, 
for this region. He has been one of the most 
active among the business men of Minneapolis. 
In November, 1878, he wa? elected to represent 
the 3d district in the U. S. House of Eepresenta- 
tives, and in 1880, re-elected. He is a brother of 
C. C, late Governor of Wisconsin, and of E. B., 
the Minister Plenipotentiiry of U. S. of America, 
to Fiance, and resident in Paris during the late 
Franco-German war. 

RECAPITULATION TERRITORIAL GOVERNORS OF 

MINNESOTA. 

Alexander Earn <py 1SW^1S53 

Willis A. Gormnii 1853-1857 

Samuel Medary 1857 

STATE GOVEUNORS. 

Henry H. Sibley 1858-1860 

Alexander Eams^-y 1860-1863 

H. A. Swift, Acting Gov 1863-1864 

Stephen Miller 1864-1866 

W.E. Marshall 1866-1870 

Horace Austin 1870-1874 



C. K. Davis 1874-1876 

John S. Pillsbury 1876-1882 

L. F. Hubbard 1882 

TERRITORIAL DELEQ VTE.i TO CONGRESS. 

Henry H. Sibley 1849-1853 

Henry M. Eice 1853-1857 

W. W. Kingsbury 1857-1858 

UNITED STATES SENATORS. 

Henry M. Eice 1857-1863 

James Shields 1857-1859 

M. S. Wilkinson 1859-1865 

Alexander Eamsey 1863-1875 

Daniel S. Norton 1865-1870 

O. P. Stearns 1871 

Wilham Windom 1871 

A. J. Edgertou 1881 

S. J. E. McMillan 1875 

MEMBERS UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTA- 
TIVES. 

W. W. Phelps 1857-1859 

J. M. Cavanaugh 1857-1859 

William Windom 1859-1871 

Cyrus Aldrich 1859-1863 

Ignatius Donnelly 1863-1869 

Eugene M. Wilson 1869-1871 

M. S. Wilkinson 1869-1771 

M. H. Dunnell 1871 

J. T. Averill 1871-1875 

H. B. Strait , . 1875-1879 

1881 

Henry Poehler 1879-1S81 

W.8. King 1875-1877 

J. H. Stewart 1877-1879 

W. D. Washburn 1879 



STATE KnUCATIOX. 



Ifil 



STATE EDUCATION. 



BY CUAULE8 8. BHVANT. A. M. 



CHAPTER XXVIIT. 

EDDCATION — DEFINITION OF THE WOBD -CHURCH 

AND STATE SEPAKATED COLONIAL PERIOD 

HOWAKD COLLEOE — WILLIAM PENn's GKK\T LAW 
WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEUE STATE EDUCA- 
TION UNDER THE CONFEDERATION — AID GIVEN TO 
STATES IN THE NORTHWEST. 

As a word, education is of wide a|)plication and 
may convey hut an indefinite idea. Broadly, it 
means to draw out, to lead forth, to train np, to 
foster, to enable the individual to properly use the 
faculties, mental or corporal, with which he is en- 
dowed; and to use them iu a way that will accom- 
plish the desired result in all relations and in any 
department of industry, whether in the domain of 
intellectual research, or confined to the fields of 
physical labor. 

State Education points at once to a definite field 
of investigation; an organization which is to have 
extensive direction and control of the subject matter 
embraced in the terms chosen. It at once excludes 
the conclusion that any other species of education 
than secular education is intended. It excludes all 
other kinds of education not included in this term, 
without the slightest reflection upon parochial, sec- 
tarian, denominational or individual schools; inde- 
pendent or corporate educational organizations. 
State Education, then, may embrace whatever is 
required by the State, in the due execution of its 
mission in the protection of indi^^dual rights and 
the proper advancement of the citizen in material 
prosperity; in short whatever may contribute in 
;my way to the honor, dignity, and fair fame of a 
State; whose sovereign will directs, and, to a very 
great extent, controls the destiny of its subjects. 

11 



A reason may be given for this special depart- 
ment of education, without ignoring any others 
arising from the necessity of civil government, and 
its necessary separation from ecclesiastical control. 
It must be oljserved by every reasoning mind, that 
iu the advancement and growth of social elements 
from savagery through families and tribes to civil- 
ization, and the better forms of government, that 
in the increasing growth multiplied industries 
continually lead to a resistless demand for devision 
of labor, both intellectual and physical. This 
division must eventually lead, in every form of 
government, to a separation of what may be termed 
Church and State; and, of course, in such division 
every separate organization must control the ele- 
ments necessary to sustain its own perpetuity; foi- 
otherwise its identity would be lost, and it woulil 
cease to have any recognized existence. 

In these divisions of labor, severally organized 
for different and entirely distinct objects, mutual 
benefits must result, not from any invasion of the 
separate rights of the one or the other, by hostile 
aggression, but by reason of the greatest harmony 
of elements, and hence greater perfection iu the 
labors of each, when limited to the promotion of 
each separate and peculiar work. In the division, 
one would be directed towards the temporal, the 
other toward the spiritual advancement of man, in 
any and all relations which he sustains, not only 
to his fellow men, but to the material or immaterial 
universe. These departments of labor are suffic- 
iently broad, although intimately related, to requke 
the best directed energies of each, to properly cul- 
tivate their separate fields. And an evidence of 
the real harmony existing between these orgauiza- 



162 



STATE EDUCATION. 



tions, the Church and State, relative to the present 
investigation, is found in the admitted fact that 
education, both temporal and spiritual, secular and 
sectarian, was a principal of the original organiza- 
tion, and not in conflict with its highest duty, or its 
most vigorous growth. In the division of the 
original organization, that department of educa- 
tion, which was only spiritual, was retained with 
its necessary adjuncts, while that which was only 
temporal was relegated to a new organization, the 
temporal organization, the State. The separate 
elements are still of the same quality, although 
wielded by two instead of one organization. In 
this respect educaticm may be compared to the 
diamond, which when broken and subdivided into 
most minute particles, each separate particle re- 
tains not only the form and number of facets, but 
the brilliaucy of the original diamond. So in the 
case before us, though education has suffered 
division, and has been appropriated by different 
organisms, it is nevertheless the same in nature, 
and retains the same quahty and luster of the 
parent original. 

The laws of growth in these separate organiza- 
tions, the Church composed of every creed, and 
the State in every form of government, must de- 
termine the extent to which their special educa- 
tion shall be carried. If it shall be determined 
by the chiirch, that her teachers, leaders, and fol- 
lowers in any stage of its growth, shall )je limited 
iu their acquisitions to the simple elements of 
knowledge, reading, writing, and arithmetic, it may 
be determined that the State should limit educa- 
tion to the same simple elements. But as the 
Church, conscious of its immature growth, has 
never restricted her leaders, teachers, or followers, 
to these simple elements of knowledge; neither 
has the State seen fit to limit, nor can it ever limit 
education to any standard short of the extreme 
limits of its growth, the fullest development of 
its resources, and the demands of its citizens. 
State Education and Church Education are alike 
in their infancy, and no one is able to prescribe 
limits to tlie one or the other. The separation of 
Church and State, in matters of government only, 
is yet of very narrow limits, and is of very recent 
origin. And the separation of Church and State, 
in matters of educati(jn, has not yet clearly dawneil 
upon the minds of the accredited leaders of these! 
clearly distinct organizations. 

It is rational, however, to conclude, that among 



reasonable men, it would be quite as easy to de- 
termine the final triumph of State Education, as 
to determine the fmal success of the Christian 
faith over Buddhism, or the final triumph of man 
in the subjugation of the earth to his control. 
The decree has gone forth, that man shall subdue 
the earth; so that, guided by the higher law, Ed- 
ucation, under the direction or protection of the 
State, must prove a final success, for only by 
organic, scientific, and human instrumentality can 
the purpose of the Creator be jxissibly accom- 
plished on earth. 

If we have found greater perfection in quality, 
and better adaptation of methods in the work done 
by these organizations since the separation, we 
must conclude that the triumphs of each will be 
in proportion to the completeness of the separa- 
tion; and that the countries the least shackled by 
entangling alliances in this regard, must, other 
things being equal, lead the ■ van, both in the ad- 
vancement of science and in the triumphs of an 
enlightened faith. And we can, by a very slight 
comparison of the present with the past, deter- 
mine for oiu'selves, that the scientific curriculum of 
State schools has been greatly widened and en- 
riched, and its methods better adapted to proposed 
ends. We can as easily ascertain the important 
fact that those countries are in advance, where the 
two great organizations. Church and State, are 
least in conflict. We know also, that from the 
nature of the human movement westward, that 
the best defined conditions of these organizations 
shoidd be found in the van of this movement. On 
this continent, then, the highest development of 
these organizations should be found, at least, when 
time shall have matured its natural results in the 
growth and polish of our institutions. Even now, 
iu our infancy, what country on earth can show 
ecpial results in either the growth of general 
knowledge, the advance of education, or the tri- 
umphs of Christian labor at home and abroad ? 
These are the legitimate fruits of the wonderful 
energy given to the mind of man in the separate 
labors of these organizations, on the principle of 
the division of labor, and consequently better di- 
rected energies in every department of industry. 
This movement is onward, across the continent, 
and thence around the globe. Its force is irrosist- 
able, and all efforts to reunite these happily di- 
\ided powers, aud to return to the culture of past 
times, aud the governments aud laws of past ages, 



COLONIAL PERIOD. 



1(53 



must be as unavailing as an attempt to reverse 
tlie laws of nature. In their separation and 
friendly rivalry, exists the hope of man's temporal 
and sjjiritual elt>vation. 

State Education is natural in its application. 
In the begidning God created the heavens and the 
earth, and every organism after its own kind. 
Now, in pursuance of this well known law of na- 
ture, that everything created is made after its own 
order and its own likeness, it follows that the new 
comers on this continent brought with them the 
germ of national and spiritual life. If we are 
right in this interpretation of the laws of life re- 
lating to living organisms, we shall expect to find 
its proper manifestation in the early institutions 
they created for their own sjiecial purposes imme- 
diately after their arrival here. We look into 
their history, and we find that by authority of the 
General Court of Massachusetts, in 1636, sixteen 
years after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, 
Harvard College was established, as an existing 
identity, that in 1638, it was endowed by John 
Harvard, and named after him. But the Common 
School was not overlooked. At a public meeting 
in Boston, April 13th lG3(i, it was "generally 
agreed that one Philemon Pormout be entreated 
to become schoolmaster tor teaching and nourter- 
ing children." 

After the date above, matters of education ran 
through the civil auth(irity, and is forcibly ex- 
pressed in the acts of 1642 and 1647, jiassed by 
the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Col- 
ony. By the act of 1642, the select men of every 
town are required to have vigilant eye over their 
brothers and neighbors, to see, first, that none of 
them shall suffer so much barbarism in any of 
their families, as not to endeavor to teach, by them- 
selves or others, their children and apprentices so 
much learning as shall enable them i^ertectly to 
read the English tongue, and knowledge of the 
Capital laws, under penalty of twenty shillings 
lor each offence. By the act of 1647, support of 
schools was made compulsory, and their blessings 
universal. By this law "every town containing 
fifty house-holders was required to appoint a 
teacher, to teach all children as shall resort to him 
to write and read;" and every town containing one 
hivndred families or house-holders was required to 
"set up grammar schools, the master thereof being 
able to instruct youths so far as they may be fitted 
for the Dniversitv." 



In New Amsterdam, among the Reformed Prot- 
estant Butch, the conception of a school system 
guaranteed aud protected by the State, seems to 
have been entertained by the colonists from Hoi- 
laud, although cu'cumstances hindered its practi- 
cal development. The same general statement is 
true of the mixed settlements along the Delaware; 
Menonites, Catholics, Dutch, and Swedes, in con- 
nection with their churches, established little 
schools in their early settlements. In 1G82, the 
legislative assembly met at Chester. William 
Penn made provision for the education of youth 
of ihe province, and enacted, that the Governor 
and provincial Council should erect and order all 
public schools. One section of Penn's "Great 
law" is in the woi'ds following: 

"Be it enacted by authority aforesaid, that all 
jjersons within the province and territories thereof, 
having children, and all the guardians and trus- 
tees of orphans, shall cause such to be instructed 
in reading and writing, so that they may be able 
to read the scriptures aud to write by tlie time that 
they attain the age of 12 years, aud that they then 
be taught some usefiil trade or skill, that the poor 
may work to live, and the rich, if they become 
poor, may not want; of which every county shall 
take care. And in case such parents, guardians, 
or overseers shall be found deficient in this respect, 
every such parent, guardian, or overseer, shall pay 
for every such child five pounds, except there 
should appear incapacity of body or understanding 
to hinder it." 

And this "Great law" of WiUiam Penn, of 1682, 
will not sutler in comparison with the English 
statute on State Education, passed in 1870, and 
amended in 1877, one hundi'ed and ninety-five 
years later. In this respect, America is two hun- 
dred years in advance of Great Britain in State 
education. But our present limits will not allow 
us to compare American and English State school 
systems. 

In 1693, the assembly of Pennsylvania passed a 
second school law providing for the education of 
youth in every county . These elementary 
schools were free for boys and girls. In 1755, 
Pennsylvania College was endowed, and became a 
University in 1779. 

In Virginia, William and Mary College was 
famous even in colonial times. It was supported 
by direct State aid. In 1726, a tax was levied on 
liquors for its benefit by the House of Burgesses; 



164 



STATE hiDUCATION. 



in 1759, a tax on peJdIew was given this college 
by law, and from various revenues it was, in 1776, 
tlie richest college in North America. 

These extracts from the early history of State 
Education in pre-Colonial and Colonial times give 
abundant evidence of the nature of the organisms 
planted in American soil by the Pilgrim Fathers 
and their successors, as well as other early settlers 
ou our Atlantic coast. The inner life has kept 
pace with the re(|uirements of the external organ- 
izations, as the body assumes still greater and 
more national proportions. The inner life grew 
with the exterior demands. 

On the 9th of July, 1787, it was proclaimed to 
the world, that ou the 15th of November, 1778, in 
the second year of the independence of America, 
the several colonies of New Hampshire, Massa- 
chusetts Bay, Bhode Island, Providence Planta- 
tions, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn- 
sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia had entered 
into a Confederate Union. 

This Confederate Union, thus organized as a 
Government, was able to receive grants of land 
and to hold the same for such purposes as it saw 
proper. To the new government cessions were 
made by several of the States, from 1781 to 1802, 
of which the Virginia grant was the most im- 
portant. 

The Confederate Government, on the 13th of 
■luly, 1787, and within less than four years after 
the reception of the Virginia Laud Grant, known 
as the Northwest Territory, passed the ever memo- 
rable ordinance of 1787. Tliis was the first real 
estate to which the Confederation had acquired 
the absolute title in its own right. The legal 
government had its origin September 17th, 1787, 
while the ordinance for the government of the 
Northwest Territory was passed two months and 
four days before. Article Third of the renowned 
ordinance reads as follows: 

"Religion, morality, and knowledge being nec- 
essary to good government and the happiness ol 
mankind, schools and the means of education shall 
forever be encouraged." 

What is the territory embraced by this authori- 
tative enunciation of the Confederate Government? 
The extent of the land embraced is almost if not 
quite ecpial to the area of the original thirteen colo- 
nies. Out of this munificent possession added to the 
infant American Union, have since been carved, by 



the authority of the United States government, the 
princely states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michi- 
gan, Wisconsin, and in part Minnesota. In this 
vast region at least, the Government has said that 
education "shall be forever encouraged." En- 
couraged how and by whom? Encouraged by 
the Government, by the legal State, by the su- 
preme power of the land. This announcement of 
governmental aid to State schools was no idle 
boast, made for the encouragement of a delusive 
hope, but the enunciation of a great truth, in- 
spired by the spirit of a higher life, now kindled 
in this new American temple, in which the Creator 
intended man should worship him according to the 
dictates of an enlightened conscience, "where none 
should molest or make him afraid." 

The early Confederation passed away, but the 
spirit that animated the organism was immortal, 
and immediately manifested itself iu the new. Gov- 
ernment, under our present constitution. On the 
17th of September, 1787, two months and four 
days from the date of the ordinance erecting the 
Northwest Territory was adopted, the new Con- 
stitution was inaugurated. The first State gov- 
ernment erected in the new territory was the state 
of Ohio, in 1802. The enabling act, passed by 
Congress on this accession of the first new State, 
a part of the new acquisition, contains this sub- 
stantial evidence that State aid was faithfully 
remembered and readily offered to the cause of 
education : 

Sec. 3: "That the following proposition be and 
the same is hereby oilered to the convention of the 
eastern States of said territory, when formed, for 
their free acce])tance or rejection, which it accejjted 
by tlie convention shall be obligatory upon the 
United States: 

" That section number sixteen in every town- 
ship, and where such section has been scjld, granted 
or dis2)oned of, olhei' lauds equivalent thereto, and 
most contiguous to the same, shall be granted to 
the inhabitants of such township for the use of 
schools." 

The proposition of course was duly accepted by 
the vote of the people in the adoiotion of theii 
constitution prior to their admission to the Union, 
and on March 3d, 1803, Congress granted to Ohio^ 
in addition to section sixteen, an additional grant 
of one complete townshij) for the purpose of estab- 
lishing any higher institutions of learning. This 
was the beginning of substantial national recngni- 



AID TO STATES IN THE NOIiTUWEST TEIiRlTOIlY. 



1C5 



tion of St;ite aid to schools by grants of land out of 
the uatioiuil domaiu, but the government aid di<l 
not end in this first effort. The next State, Indi- 
ana, admitted in 1816, was granted the same sec- 
tion, number sixteen in eaeh townsliip; and in 
addition thereto, two townships of land wore ex- 
pressly granted for a seminary of learning. In the 
admission of Illinois, in 1818, the section numbered 
sixteen in each township, and two entire townships 
in addition thereto, for a seminary of learning and 
the title thereto vested in the legislature. In the 
admission of Michigan in 18.3G, the same section 
sixteen, and seventy-two sections in addition there- 
to, were set apart to said State for the purpose of 
a State University. In the admission of Wis- 
consin, in 1818, the same provision was made as 
was made to the other States previously formed 
out of the new territory. This was the com- 
mencement. 

These five States completed the list of States 
which could exist in the territory northwest of the 
Ohio Eiver. Minnesota, the next State, in part 
lying east of the Mississippi, and in part west, 
takes its territory from two different sources; that 
east of the Father of Waters, from Virginia, which 
was embraced in the Northwest Territory, and that 
lying west of the same from the " Louisiana Pur- 
chase," bought of France by treaty of April 30, 
1803, including also the territory west of the Mis- 
sippi, which Napoleon had previously acquired 
from Spain. The greater portion of Minnesota, 
therefore lies outside the first territorial acquisi- 
tion of the Government of the United States; and 
yet the living spirit that inspired tlie early grants 
out of the first acquisition, had lost nothing of its 
fervor in the grant made to the New Northwest. 
When the Territory of Minnesota was organized, 
Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, then a Senator in Con- 
gress from the state of Illinois, noI:)ly advocated 
the claims of Minnesota to an increased amount of 
Government aid for the support of schools, extend- 
ing from the Coinmon school to the University. 
By Mr. Douglas' very able, disinterested and gen- 
erous assistance and support in Congress, aided by 
Hon. H. M. Rice, then Delegate from Minnesota, 



our enabling act was made still more liberal in 
relation to State Education, than that of any State 
or Territory yet admitted or organized in the 
amount of lauds granted to schools generally. 

Section eighteen of the enabling act, passed on 
the 3d of March, 1849, is as follows: 

"And be it further enacted, That when the lands 
in said Territory shall be surveyed under the direc- 
tion of the Government of the United States, pre- 
paratory to bringing the same into market, sec- 
tions numbered sixteen and thirty-six in each town- 
ship in said Territory, shall be, and the same are 
hereby reserved for the purpose of being ajiplied 
to schools in said Territory, and in the States and 
Territories hereafter to be created out of the same." 

As the additions to the family of States increase 
westward, the national domain is still more freely 
contributed to the use of schools; and the charac- 
ter of the education demanded by the people 
made more and more definite. In 18.51, while 
Oregon and Minnesota were yet territories of the 
United States, Congress passed the following act: 

" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of 
Representatives of America, in Congress assembled : 
That the Governors and legislative assemblies of 
the territories of Oregon and Blinnesota, be, and 
they are hereby aiithorized to make such laws and 
needful regulations as they shall deem most expe- 
dient to protect from injury and waste, sections 
numbered sixteen and thirty-six in said Territories 
reserved in each township for the supjiortof schools 
therein. 

(2.) "And be it further enacted, That the Secre- 
tary of the Interior be, and he is hereliy authorized 
and directed to set apart and reserve from sale, out 
of any of the public lands within the territory of 
Minnesota, to which the Indian title has been or 
may be extinguished, and not otherwise appropri- 
ated, a quantity of land not exceeding two entire 
townships, for the use and support of a University 
in said Territory, and for no other purpose what- 
ever, to be located by legal suliUivisious of not 
loss than one entire section." 

[Approved February 19, 18.51. J 



166 



STATE EDUCATION. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

STATE EDUOATTON IN MINNESOTA BOARD OF RE- 
GENTS — UNIVERSITY GitANT — AID OP CONGRESS IN 
1862 VALUE OF SOHOOLHOUSES — LOCAL TAXA- 
TION IN DIFFERENT STATES — STATE SCHOOL SYS- 
TEM KNOWS NO SECT IGNORANCE INHERITED, 

THE COMMON FOE OF MARKIND — CONCLUSION. 

When Minnesota was prepared by her popula- 
tion for application to Congress for admission as 
a State, Congress, in an act authorizing her to 
form a State government, makes the following 
provision for schools : 

( 1 ) "That sections numbered sixteen and thirty- 
six in every township of public lands in said State, 
and where either of said sections, or any part 
thereof, has been sold or otherwise disposed of, 
other lands e(juivaleut thereto, and as contiguous 
as may be, shall be granted to said State for the 
use of schools. 

(2) "That seventy-two sections of land shall 
be set apart and reserved for the use and support 
of a State University to be selected by the Gov- 
ernor of said State, subject to the approval of the 
commissioner at the general land office, and be 
appropriated and applied in such manner as the 
legislature of said State may prescribe for the 
purposes aforesaid, but for no other purpose." 
[Passed February 26, 1857.] 

But that there might be no misapprehension 
that the American Government not only had the 
inclination to aid in the proper education of the 
citizen, but that in cases requiring direct control, 
the government would not hesitate to exercise its 
authority, in matters of education as well as in 
any and all other questions affecting its sover- 
eignty. To this end, on the second of July, 1862, 
Congress passed the "act donating public lands to 
the several States and Territories which may pro- 
vide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the 
mechanic arts." 

"Be it enacted, &c., that there be granted to the 
several States for the purposes hereinafter men- 
tioned, an amount of public land to be appor- 
tioned to eacli State (except States in rebellion), a 
quantity equal to thirty thousand acres for each 
senator and representative in Congress to which 
the States are respectively entitled by the appor- 
tionment under the census of 1860." 

Section four of said act is in substance as fol- 
lows: 

"That all monc-ys derived from the sale of these 



lauds, directly or indirectly, shall be invested in 
stocks yielding not less than five per cent, upon 
the par value of such stocks. That the money so 
invested shall constitute a perpetual fund, the cap- 
ital of which shall remain forever undiminished, 
and the interest thereof shall be inviolably appro- 
priated by each State which may claim the benefit 
of the act to the endowment, support, and main- 
tenance of at least one college, where the leading 
object shall be, without excluding other scientific 
and classical studies, and including military tac- 
tics, to teach such branches of learning as are re- 
lated to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in 
such manner as the legislatures of the States may 
respectively ]5rescribe, in order to promote the 
liberal and practical education of the industrial 
classes in the several pursuits and jirofessions of 
life. 

Section five, second clause of said act, provides 
"That no portion of said fund, nor the interest 
thereon, shall be applied, directly or indirectly, 
under any pretence whatever, to the purchase, 
erection, preservation, or repair of any building or 
buUdings." 

Section five, third clause, "That any State 
which may take and claim the benefit of the pro- 
visions of this act shall provide, within five years, 
at least not less than one college, as described iu 
the fourth section of this act, or the grant to such 
State shall cease; and the said State shall be 
bound to pay the United States the amount re- 
ceived of any lands previously sold." 

Section five, fourth clause, "An annual report 
shall be made regarding the progress of eadh col- 
lege, recording any improvements and experi- 
ments made, with their costs and results, and such 
other matters, including State industrial and eco- 
nomical statistics, aa may be supposed useful; one 
copy of which shall be transmitted by mail free, 
by each, to all the other colleges which may be 
endowed under the provisions of this act, and also 
one copy to the Secretary of the Interior." 

Under this act Minnesota is entitled to select 
150,000 acres to aid in teaching the branches in 
the act named in the State University, making tlie 
endowment fund of the Government to the state 
of Minnesota for edtKjational purposes as follows: 

1. For common schools, in acres > 3,000,000 

2. For State University, four townships 208,360 



Tot.il apportionment 3,208,300 



AID OF CONGRESS IN 1862. 



107 



All th(-so lands have not been selcctod. Unilor 
the agricidturiil collogo grant, only 91,4.'5'.) .icres 
have been selected, and only 72,708 acriw under 
the two University grants, leaving only 1()7,14:7 
acres realized for University pnrposes, ont oE the 
208,360, a possible loss of 41,203 acres. 

The pennnnont school fund derived from the 
national domain by the state of Minnesota, at a 
reasonable estimate of the value of the lands se- 
cured out of those granted to her, cannot vary 
far from the results below, considering the prices 
already obtained: 

1. Common school lands in acres, 
3,000,000, vahied at $18,000,000 

2. University grants, in all, in acres, 

223,000, valued at 1,115,000 



Amount in acres, 3,223,000 $19,115,000 

Out of this permanent school fund may be real- 
ized an annual fund, when lands are all sold: 

1. For common schools .?1,000,000 

2. University instruction 60,000 

These several grants, ample as they seem to be, 
are, however, not a tithe of the means required 
from the State itself for the free education of the 
children of the State. We shall see further on 
what the State has already done in her free school 
system. 

Minnesota, a State 'first distinguished by an 
extra grant of government land, has something to 
unite it to great national iuterest. Its position in 
the sisterhood of States gives it a i)romineuce that 
none other can occuj^y. A State lying on both 
sides of the great Father of waters, in a conti- 
nental valley midway between two vast oceans, 
encircling the Western Hemisphere, with a soil of 
superior fertility, a climate unequalled for health, 
and bright with skies the most inspiring, such a 
State, it may be said, must ever hold a prominent 
position in the Great American Union. 

In the acts of the early settlements on the At- 
lantic coast, in the Colonial Government, and the 
National Congress, we have the evidence of a 
determined intention "that schools and the means 
of education shall forever be encouraged" by the 
people who have the destinies of the Western 
Hemisphere in their hands. That the external 
organism of the system capable of accomplishing 
this heavy task, and of carrying forward this re- 
sponsible duty, rests with the people themselves. 



and is as extensive as the government they have 
established for the protection of their rights and 
the growth of their physical industries, and the 
free development of their intellectual powers. 
The people, <irganized as a Nation, in assuming 
this duty, have in advance proclaimed to the 
world that "Keligion, Morality, and Knowledge" 
are alike essential "to good government." And in 
organizing a government free from sectarian con- 
trol or alliance, America made an advance hitherto 
unknown, both in its temporal and spiritual power; 
for hitherto the work of the one had hindered the 
others, and the labors and unities of the two were 
inconsistent with the proper functions of either. 
The triumjjh, tlierefore, of either, for the control 
of both, was certain ruin, while separation of each, 
the one from the other, was the true life of both. 
Such a victory, therefore, was never before known 
on earth, as the entire separation, and yet the 
friendly rivalry of Church and.State, fii'st inaugu- 
rated in the free States of America. This idea was 
crystalized and at once stamped on the fore-front 
of the Nation's life in the aphorism, "Keligion, 
morality, and knowledge are alike essential to 
good government." And the deduction from this 
national aphorism necessarily follows: "That 
schools and the means of education should forever 
be encouraged." We assume, then, without fur- 
ther illustration drawn from the acts of the Nation, 
that the means of education have not and will not 
be withheld. We have seen two great acquisitions, 
the Northwest Territory, and the Louisiana Pur- 
chase, parceled out in greater and greater pro- 
fusion for educational uses, till the climax is 
reached in the Mississippi Valley, the future great 
center of national power. At the head of this 
valley sits as regnant queen the state of Minne- 
sota, endowed with the means of education unsur- 
passed by any of her compeers in the sisterhood 
of States. Let us now inquire, as pertinent to 
this discussion, 

WHAT H.\S MINNESOTA DONE FOE STATE EDUCATION ? 

The answer is in part made up from her con- 
stitution and the laws enacted in pursuance 
thereof: First, then, article VIII. of her consti- 
tution reads thus: 

Section 1. The stability of a republican form of 
government depending mainly upon the intelli- 
gence of the people, it shall be the duty of the 
Legislature to establish a general and unifoim 
system of public schools. 



168 



STATE EDUCATION. 



Section 2. The proceeds of such lands as are, 
or hereafter may be granted by the United States, 
for the use of schools in each township in this 
State, shall remain a perj)etual school fund to the 
State. =s * * * The principal of all funds 
arising from sales or otlier disposition of lands or 
other property, granted or entrusted to this State, 
shall forever be preserved inviolate and undimin- 
ished ; and the income arising from the lease or sale 
of said school land shall be distriluited to the dif- 
ferent townships throughout the State in propor- 
tion to the number of scholars in each township, 
between the ages of five and twenty-one years; 
and shall be faitlifully applied to the specific object 
of the original grant or appropriation." 

Section 3. The legislature shall make such pro- 
vision by taxation or otherwise, as, with the in- 
come arising from the school fund, will secure a 
thorough and efficient system of public schools in 
each townshijJ in the State. 

But in no case shall the moneys derived as afore- 
said, or any portion thereof, or any jjublic moneys 
or property, be ajipropriated or used for the sup- 
port of schools wherein the destinctive doctrines, 
creeds, or tenets of any particular Christian or 
other religious sect are promulgated or taught." 

THE DNIVEESITY. 

"Section 4. The location of the University of 
Minnesota, as istablishrd by existing laws, [Sept. 
1851] is hereby contiruied, and said institution is 
hereby declared to be tie University of Minnesota. 
All the rights, inmaunitios, franchises, and endow- 
ments heretofore granted or conferred, are hereby 
perpetuated unto the f aid University, and all lands 
which may be granted hereafter by Congress, or 
other donations for said University purposes, shall 
rest in the institution referred to in this section. 

The State constitution is in full harmony with 
the National government in the distinctive outlines 
laid down in the extracts above made. And the 
Territorial and State governments, within these 
limits, have consecutively appropriated by legis- 
lation, sufficient to carry forward the State school 
system. In the Territorial act, establishing the 
University, the people of the State announced in 
advance of the establishment of a State govern- 
ment, " that the proceeds of the laud that may 
hereafter be granted by the United States to the 
Territory for the support of the University, shall 
bo and remain a perpetual fund, to be called "the 



University Fund," the interest of which shall be 
appropriated to the support of a University, and 
no sectarian instruction shall be allowed in such 
University! " This organization of the University 
was confirmed by the State constitution, and the 
congressional laud grants severally passed to that 
corporation, and the use of the funds arising there- 
from were subjected to the restrictions named. So 
that both the common school and University were 
dedicated to State school purposes, and expressly 
excluded from sectarian control or sectarian in- 
struction. 

In this respect the State organization corres- 
ponds with the demands oC the general govern- 
ment; and has organized the school system reach- 
ing from the common school to the university, so 
that it may be said, the State student may, if he 
choose, in the state of Minnesota pass from grade 
to grade, through common school, high school, and 
State University free of charge for tuition. With- 
out referring specially to the progressive legisla- 
tive enactments, the united system may be referred 
to as made up of units of different orders, and suc- 
cessively in its ascending grades, governed by 
separate boards, rising in the scale of importance 
from the local trustee, directors, and treasurer, in 
common school, to the higher board of education, 
of six members io the independent school district, 
and more or less than that number in districts and 
large cities under special charter, until we reach 
the climax in the dignified Board of Regents; a 
board created by law and known as the Begents of 
the State University. This honorable body con- 
sists of seven men nominated by the Governor and 
confirmed by the senate of the State legislature, 
each holding his office for three years; and besides 
these there are three ex-officio members, consisting 
of the President of the State University, the 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Gov- 
ernor of the State. This body of ton men are in 
reality the legal head of the State University, and 
indirectly the effective head of the State school 
system of Minnesota, and are themselves subject 
only to the control of the State Legislature. 
These various officers, throughout this series, are 
severally trustees of legal duties which cannot be 
delegated. They fall under the legal maxim 
"that a trustee cannot make a trustor." These 
are the legal bodies to whom the several series of 
employes and servitors owe obedience. Tliese 
various trustees determine the course of study 



MINNESOTA STATE SYSTEM. 



169 



and tlie rules of transfer from grade to jrrade until 
the last grade is reached at the head of the State 
system, or the scholar has perhaps completed a 
post-graduate course in a polytechnic school, in- 
augurated by the State for greater perfection, it 
may be in chemistry, agriculture, the mechanic 
arts, or other specialty, required by the State or 
national government. 

This system, let it be imderstood, differs from 
all private, parochial, denominational, or sectarian 
schools. The State organism and all the sectarian 
elements of the church are, in this department of 
labor, entirely distinct. The State protects and 
encourages, but does not control either the schools 
or the faith of the church. The church supports 
and approves, but does not yield its tenets or its 
creed to the curriculum of the schools of the State. 
The State and the Church are in this respect en- 
tirely distinct and different organizations. State 
education, however, and the education of the ad- 
herents of the church are in harmony throughout 
a great portion of the State curriculum. Indeed, 
there seems to be no reason why the greater por- 
tion of denominational teaching, so far as the same 
is in harmony with the schools of the State, should 
not be relegated to the State, that the church 
throughout all its sectarian element might be the 
better able to direct its energiefa and economize 
its benevolence in the cultivation of its own fields 
of chosen labor. But, however this may be, and 
wherever these two organizations choose to divide 
their labors, they are still harmonious even in their 
rivalry. 

The organism as a State system has, in Minne- 
sota, so matured that through all the grades to the 
University, the steps are defined and the gradients 
passed without any conflict of authority. The 
only check to the regiilar order of ascend- 
ing grades was first met in the State Uni- 
versity. These schools, in older countries, had at 
one time an independent position, and in their 
origin had their own scholars of all grades, from 
the prejiaratory department to the Seuior Class in 
the finished course; but in our State system, when 
the common schools became graded, and the High 
School had grown up as a part of the organism of 
a completed system, the University naturally took 
its place at the head of the State system, having 
the same relation to the High School as the High 
School has to the Common School. There was no 
longer any reason why the same rule should not 



apply in the transfer from the High School to the 
University, that applied in the transfer from the 
Common School to the High School, and to this 
conclusion the people of the State have already 
fully arrived. The rules of the board of Regents 
of the State University now allow students, with 
tlie Principal's certificate of qualification, to enter 
the Freshman class, on examination in sub-Fresh- 
man studies only. But even this is not satisfac- 
tory to the friends of the State school system. 
They deiuand for High School graduates an en- 
trance into the University, when the grade below 
is passed, on the examination of the school below 
for graduation therein. If, on the one hand, the 
High schools of the State, under the law for the 
encouragement of higher education, are required 
to prepare students so that they shall be qualified 
to enter some one of the classes of the University, 
on the other hand the University should be re- 
quired to admit the students thus qualified with- 
out further examination. The rule should work 
in either direction. The rights of students under 
the law are as sacred, and should be as inalienable, 
as the rights of teachers or faculties in State in- 
stitutions. The day of unlimited, irresponsible 
discretion, a relic of absolute autocracy, a des- 
potic jjower, has no place iu systems of free 
schools under constitutional and statutory limita- 
tions, and these presidents and faculties who con- 
tinue to exercise this power in the absence of 
right, should be reminded by Boards of Regents 
at the head of American State systems that their 
resignation would be acceptable. They belong to 
an antiquated system, outgrown by the age iu 
which we live. 

The spirit of the people of our State was fully 
intimated in the legislature of 1881, in the House 
bill introduced as an amendment to the law of 
1878-79, for the encouragement of higher educa- 
tion, but finally laid aside for the law then in 
force, slightly amended, and quite in harminjy 
with the H( iu.se bill. Sections two and five 
.^lluded to read as follows: 

"Any public, graded or high school in any city 
or incorporated village or township organized into 
a district under the S(.-called township system, 
which shall have regular classes and courses of 
study, articulating with some course of study, op- 
tional or required, in the State University, and 
shall raise annually for the expense of said school 
double the amount of State aid allowed by this 



170 



STATE EDUCATION. 



act. and shall admit students of either sex into the 
higher classes thereof from any part of the State, 
witliout charge for tuition, shall receive State aid, 
as specified in section four of this act. Provided, 
that non-resident pupils shall in all cases be qual- 
ified to enter the highest department of said 
schodl at the entrance examination for resident 
pupils." 

"The High School Board shall have power, and 
it is hereby made their duty to provide uniform 
questions to test the qualifications of the scholars 
of said graded or high schools for entrance and 
graduation, and especially conduct the examina- 
tions of scholars in said schools, when desired and 
notified, and award diplomas to graduates who 
shall ui^on examination be found to have completed 
any course of study, either optional or re([uired, 
entitling the holder to enter any class in the Uni- 
versity of Minnesota named therein, any time 
within one year from the date thereof, without 
further examination; said diploma to be executed 
by the several members of the High School 
Board." 

THE RELATED SYSTEM. 

We have now seen the position of the University 
in our system of public schools. In its position 
only at the head of the series it differs from the 
grades below. The rights of the scholar follow 
him throughout the series. When he has com- 
pleted and received the certificate or diploma in 
tlie prescribed course in the High School, articu- 
lating with any course, optional or required, in the 
University, he has the same right, unconditioned, 
to pass to the higher class in that course, as he 
had to pass on examination, from one class to the 
other in any of the grades beiow. So it follows, 
that the University faculty or teacher who as- 
sumes the right to reject, condition, or re-examine 
such student, would exercise an abuse of power, 
unwarranted in law, arbitrary in spirit, and not 
republican in character. This rule is better and 
better understood in all State Universities, as free 
State educational organisms are more crystalizod 
into forms, analogous to our State and national 
governments. The arbitrary will of the interme- 
diate, or head master, no longer prevails. His will 
niust yield to more certain legal rights, as the 
learner passes on, under prescribed rules, from in- 
fancy to manhood through all the grades of school 
life. And no legislation framed on any other 



theory of educational promotion in republican 
States can stand against this American conscious- 
ness of equality existing between all the members 
of the body politic. In this consciousness is em- 
braced the inalienable rights of the child or the 
youth to an education free in all our public 
schools. In Minnesota it is guaranteed in the 
constitution that the legislature shall make such 
provisions, by taxation or otherwise, as, with the 
income arising from the school fund, will secure a 
thorough and efficient system of public schools in 
each township in the State. Who shall say that 
the peojjle have no right to secure such thorough 
and efficient system, even should that "thorough 
and efficient system" extend to direct taxation for 
a course extending to graduation from a Univer- 
sity':' Should such a course exceed the constitu- 
tional limitation of a thorough and efficient sys- 
tem of public schools? 

INTERPEETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. 

The people, through the medium of the law- 
making power, have given on three several occa- 
sions, in 1878, 1879, and 1881, an intimation of 
the scope and measuring of our State constitutitm 
on educational extension to higher education than 
the common school. In the first section of the act 
of 1881, the legislature created a High School 
Board, consisting of the Governor of the State, 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the 
President of the University of Minnesota, who are 
charged with certain duties and granted certain 
powers contained in the act. And this High 
School Board are recjuired to grant State aid to 
the amount of $400 during the school year to any 
public graded school, in any city or incorporated 
village, or township organized into a district, 
which shall give preparatory instruction, extend- 
ing to and articulating with the University course 
in some one of its classes, and shall admit stu- 
dents of either sex, from any part of the State, 
without charge for tuition. Provided only tliat 
non-resident pupils shall be qualified to enter 
some one of the organized classes of such graded 
or high school. To carry out this act, giving 
State aid directly out of the State treasury to a 
course of education reaching upward from the 
common school, through the high sch<i'>l to the 
University, the legislatiu-e appropriated the entire 
sum of .'520,000. In this manner we have the in- 
terpretation of the people of Minnesota as to the 



RESULTS OF THE liELATET) SYSTEM. 



171 



lueaniiig of "a thorough and effioieiit systeiu of 
public schools, operative alike iu each township in 
the State." And this interpretation of our legis- 
latui'e is iu harmony with the several acts of Con- 
gress, and particularly the act of July the second, 
1SC2, granting lands to the several States of the 
Union, known as the Agricultural College Graiil. 
The States receiving said lands are rcq\iircd, in 
their colleges or universities, to -teach such 
branches of learning as are related to Agriculture 
and the Mechanic arts, without excluding other 
scientific and classical studies, and including mil- 
itary tactics, in such manner as the legislatures of 
the States may respectively prescribe, in order to 
promote the liberal and practical education of the 
industrial classes in the several pursuits and pro- 
fessions of life." 

And the Legislature of Minnesota has already 
established in its University, optional or required 
courses of study fully meeting the limitations in 
the congressional act of 1862. In its elementary 
department it has three courses, known as classi- 
cal, scientific, and modern. In the College of 
Science, Literature, and the Arts, the courses of 
study are an extension of those of the elementary 
departments, and lead directly to the degrees of 
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bach- 
elor of Literature. In the College of Jlechanic 
Arts the several courses of studies are principally 
limited to Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engi- 
neering, and Architecture. In the College of Ag- 
riculture are: (1) The regular University course, 
leading to the degree of Bachelor of AgrieiUturc. 
(2) The elementary course, in part coinciding with 
the Scientific course of the Elementary Depart- 
ment. (3) A Farmers' Lecture course. (4) Three 
special courses for the year 1880-81. Law and 
Medicine have not yet been opened iu the State 
University for want of means to carry forward 
these departments, now so much needed. 

Our State constitution has therefore been prac- 
tically interpreted by the people, by a test that 
cannot be misconstrued. They have fortified 
their opinion by the payment of the necessary tax 
to insure the success of a thorough and efficieijt 
system of public schools throughout the State. 
This proof of the people's interest in these schools 
ajjpears in the amounts paid for expenses and in- 
struction. From the school fund the State of 
Minnesota received, in 1879, tlie full sum of 
§232,187.43 The State paid out the same yerir. 



the snm of .1394,737.71. The dilTerence is .fl()2,- 
5.50.28, which was paid out by the State more than 
was derived from tlie government endowment fund. 
And it is not at all likely that the endowment fund, 
generous as it is, will ever produce an amount 
o'cjual t<i the cost of instrucliou. The ratio of the 
increase of scholars it is believed vi'ill always be in 
advance of the endowment fund. The cost of in- 
structiou cannot fall much I)elov/ an average, for 
all grades of scholars, of eight dollars per annum 
to each pupil. Our pi-o.ii^nt 180,000 scholars en- 
rolled would, at this rate require .'|fl,440,000, and 
in ten years and long before the sale of the school 
lands- of the State shall have been made, this 180,- 
000 will have increased a hundred per cent., 
amounting to 3()0,000 scholars. These, at .S8.00 
per scholar for tuition, would equal $2,880,000 
per annum, while the interest from the school 
fund in the same time cannot exceed .$2,000,000, 
even should the land average the price of ^(i.OO 
per acre, and the interest realized be always equal 
to "6 per cent. 

SOME OF THE HESULTS 

In these infant steps taken by our State, we can 
discern the tendency of our organism towards a 
completed State system, as an element of a still 
wider union embracing the nation. To know 
what is yet to be done in this direction we must 
know what has already been done. We have, in 
the twenty years of our State history, built 3,693 
sclioolhouses, varying in cost from $400 to $90,- 
000; total value of all, .$3,156,210; three Normal 
school buildings at a cost of (1872) §215,231.52; 
a State University at an expenditure for buildings 
alone of $70,000, and an allowance by a late act 
of the legislature of an additional $100,000, in 
three yearly appropriations, for additional build- 
ings to be erected, iu all $170,000, allowed by the 
State for the University. Add these to the cost of 
common school structures, and we have already 
expended in school buildings over $4,800,000 for 
the simjjle purpose of housing the infant organ- 
ism, our common school system here planted. 
We have seen a movement in cities like St. Paul, 
Minneajiolis, Stillwater, and Winona, towards the 
local organization of a completed system of home 
schools, carrying instruction free to the University 
course, with a total enrollment of 13,500 scholars 
and 265 teachers, daily seated in buOdiugs, all in 
the modem style of school architecture and school 



na 



STATE EDUCATION. 



furniture, costing to these cities the sum o£ S850,- 
000 for buildings, and for instruction the sum of 
$118,000 annually. 

We have, in addition to these schools in the 
cities named, other home and fitting schools, to 
whom have been paid $100 each, under the law 
for the "Encouragement of Higher Education," 
passed in 1878, and amended in 1879, as follows: 
Anoka, Austin, Blue Earth City, Chatfield, Cannon 
Palls, Crookston, Duluth, Detroit, Eyota, Fari- 
bault, Garden City, Gleucoe, Howard Lake, Hast- 
ings, Henderson, Kasson, Litchfield, Lane&boro, 
Le Sueur, Lake City, Monticello, Moorhead, Man- 
kato, Northfield, Owatnnna, Osseo, Plainview, Eed 
Wing, Eushford, Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Peter, 
Sauk Centre, Spring Valley, Wells, Waterville, 
Waseca, Wabasha. Wilmar, Winnebago City, Zum- 
brota, and Mantorville. 

These forty-two State aid schools have paid in 
all tor buildings and furniture the gross sum of 
$042,700; some of these buildings are superior in 
all that constitutes superiority in school architect- 
ure. The Kochester buildings and grounds cost 
the sum of $90,000. Several others, such as the 
Au.stin, Owatonna, Faribault, Hastings, Ked Wing, 
Eushford, St. Cloud, and St. Peter schoolhouses, 
exceed in value the sum of .'J'iS.OOO; and others of 
these buildings are estimated at SG,000, S8,000, 
$10,000, and $15,000. In all they have an enroll- 
ment of scholars in attendance on classes graded up 
to the University course, numbering 13,000, under 
301 teachers, at an annual salary amounting in all 
to $123,569, and having in their A, B, C, I) classes 
1704 scholars, of whom 126 were prepared to 
enter the sub-freshman class of the State Univer- 
sity in 1880, and the number entering these grades 
in the year 1879-80 was 934, of whom 400 were 
non-residents of the districts. And in all these 
forty-two home schools of the people, the fitting 
schools of the State University, one uniform course 
of study, articulating with some course in the 
University, was observed. As many other courses 
as the local boards desired were also carried on in 
'these schools. This, in short, is a part of what 
we have done. 

The organic elements that regularly combine to 
form governments, are similar to those organic ele- 
ments that combine to form systems of mental 
culture. The jjrimitivc type of government is the 
family. This is tlie lowest organic form. If no 
improvement is ever made upou tliis primitive ele- 



ment, by other combinations of an artificial na- 
ture, human governments would never rise higher 
than the family. If society is to advance, this 
organism widens into the clan, and in like manner 
the clan into the village, and the village into the 
more dignified province, and the province into the 
State. All these artificial conditions above tha 
family are the evidences of growth in pursuance 
of the laws of artificial life. In like manner the 
growth of intellectual organisms proceeds from 
the family instruction to the commoa school. 
Here the artificial organism would cease to ad- 
vance, and would remain stationary, as the clan in 
the organism of government, unless the common 
school should pass on to the wider and still higher 
unit of a graded system reaching upward to the 
high school. Now this was the condition of the 
common school in America during the Colonial 
state, and even down to the national organization. 
Soon after this period, the iutellectual life of the 
nation began to be aroused, and within the last 
fifty years the State common school has culmi- 
nated iathe higher organism of the high school, 
and it is of very recent date that the high school 
has reached up to and articuLitod in any State 
with the State University. On this continent, both 
government and State schools started into life, 
freed from the domination of institutions grown 
effete from age and loss of vital energy. Here, 
both entered into wider combinations, reaching 
higher results than the ages of the past. And 
yet, in educational organization we are far below 
the st.andard of perfection we shall attain in the 
rapidly advancing future. Not until our eystem 
of education has attained a national character as 
complete in its related articulation as the civil or- 
ganization of towns, counties, and States in the 
national Union, can our educational institutions do 
the work required of this age. And in Minnesota, 
one of the leading States in connected school or- 
ganic relations, we have, as yet, some 4,000 com- 
mon school districts, with an enrollment of some 
100,000 scholars of differeYit ages, from five to 
twenty -one years; no higher in the scale than the 
common school, prior to the first high school on 
the American continent. These chaotic elements, 
outside of the system of graded schools now aided 
by the State, must be reduced to the same organ- 
ized graded system as those that now articulate in 
- their course with the State University. 

Our complete organization as a State svsteni for 



1)1 VISION OF LABOR A CAUSE OF GUOM'TU. 



173 



cJiiOiitional purposes, eijual tii tlio deraamls of the 
State, and required by the spirit of the age, will 
not be consummnted uutil our four thousand 
school districts shall reap the full benefits of a 
graded system reaching to the high school course^ 
articulating with some course in the State Uni- 
versity and a course in commen with every other 
high school in the State. The system thus or- 
ganized might be required to report to the Board 
of Regents, as the legal head of the organization 
of the State Scliool system, not only the numerical 
statistics, but the number and standing of the 
classes in each of the high schools in the several 
studies of the uniform course, established by the 
Board of Eegents, under the direction of the State 
Legislature. To this system must finally belong 
the certificate of stamling and graduation, en- 
titling the holder to enter the designated class in 
any grade of the State schools named therein, 
whether High School or University. But this 
system is not and can never be a skeleton merely, 
made up of lifeless materials, as au anatomical 
specimen in the oflice of the student of the 
practice of the healing art. Within this organism 
there must preside the living teacher, bringing 
into this organic structure, not the debris of the 
effete systems of the past, not the mental exuvia 
of dwarfed intellectual powers of this or any for- 
mer age, but the teacher inspired by nature to 
feel and aj^preciate her methods, and ever moved 
by her divine afflatus. 

Every living organism has its own laws of 
growth; and the one we have under consideration 
may, in its most important feature, be compared to 
the growth of the forest tree. In its earlier years 
the forest tree strikes its roots deep into the earth 
and matures its growing rootlets, the sujjport of 
its future trunk, to stand against the storms and 
winds to which it is at all times exposed. When 
fully rooted in the groimd, with a trunk matured 
by the growth of years, it puts forth its infant 
branches and leaflets, suited to its immature but 
maturing nature; finally it gives evidence of stal- 
wart powers, and now its widespreading top tow- 
ers aloft among its compeers rearing its head high 
among the loftiest denizens of the woods. In like 
manner is the growth of the maturing State school 
organism. In the common school, the foundation 
is laid f(jr the rising structure, but here are no 
branches, no fruitage. It seems in its earliest in- 
fancy to put forth no branches, but is 8imi)ly tak- 



ing hold of the elements below on which its inner 
life and growth depend. As the system rises, the 
underlaying laws of life come forth in the princi- 
ples of invention, manufacituring, engraving, and 
designing, enriching every branch of intellectual 
and professional industry, and beautifying every 
field of human culture. These varied results are 
all in the law of growth in the organism of State 
schools carried on above the common schools to 
the University course. The higher the course the 
more beneficial the results to the industries of the 
world, whether those industries are intellectual or 
purely physical, cater only to the demands of 
wealth, or tend to subserve the modi st demands of 
the humblest citizen. 

The only criticism that can reach the question 
now under consideration, is whether the graded 
organization tends to produce the results to which 
we have referred. The law relating to the division 
of labor has especially operated in the graded sys- 
tem of State schools. Under its operation, it is 
claimed, by good judges, that eight years of 
school life, from five to twenty-one, has been saved 
to the pupils of the present generation, over those 
of the ungraded schools ante- dating the last fifty 
years. By the operation of this law, in one gen- 
eration, the saving of time, on the enrollments of 
State schools in the graded systems of the north- 
ern States of the American Union, would be 
enormous. For the State of Minnesota alone, on 
the enrollment of 180,000, the aggregate years of 
time saved would exceed a million! The time 
saved on the enrollment of the schools of the dif- 
ferent States, under the operation of this law 
would exceed over twenty million years! 

To the division of labor is due the wonderful 
facility with which modern business associations 
have laid their hands upon every branch of indus- 
trial pursuits, and bestowed upon the world the 
comforts of life. Introduced into our system of 
education it produces results as astonishing as the 
advent of the Spinning Jenny in the manufacture of 
cloth. As the raw material from the cotton field 
of the planter, passing, by gradation, through the 
unskilled hands of the ordinary laborer to the 
more perfect process of improved machinery, se- 
cure additional value in a constantly increasing 
ratio; so the graded system of intellectual culture, 
from the Primary to the High school, and thence 
to the University, adds increased lustre and value 
to the mental development in a ratio commen- 



17i 



STATE EDUCATION. 



surate with the increased skill of the meutal ope- 
rator. 

The law of growth in State schools was clearly 
anuoiinceJ by Horace Mauu, when he applied to 
this system the law governing hydraulics, that no 
stream could rise above its fountain. The com- 
mon school could not produce a scholarship above 
its own curriculum. The high school was a grade 
above, and as important in the State system as 
the elevated fountain head of the living stream. 
This law of growth makes the system at once the 
moat natural, the most economical, and certainly 
the most popular. These several elements might 
be illustrated, but the reader can easily imagine 
them at his leisure. As to the last, however, suffer 
an illustration. In Minnesota, for the school year 
ending August 21st, 1880, according to the report 
of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, there 
were enrolled, one hundred and eighty thousand, 
two hundred and lifty-eight scholars in the State 
schools, while all others, embracing kindergartens, 
private schools, parochial schools, of all sects and 
all denominations, had an attendance at the same 
time of only two thousanil four hundred and 
twcuty-eight; and to meet all possible omissions, 
if we allow double this number, there is Ijss than 
three per cent, of the enrollment in the State 
school. This ratio will be found to hold good, at 
least throughout all the Northern States of the 
American Union. These State schools, then, are 
not unpojralar in comparison with the schools of a 
private and opposite character. Nor is it owing 
altogether to the important fact, that State schools 
are free, that they are more poj^ul.ar than schools 
of au opposite character; for these State schools 
are a tax upon the property of the people, and yet 
a tax most cheerfully borne, in consequence of 
their superior excellence and importance. 

The State school, if not already, can be so 
graded that each scholar can have the advantage 
of superior special instruction far better adapted 
to the studies through which he desires to jiass, 
than similar instruction can be had in ungraded 
schools of any character whatever. In this re- 
spect the State system is without a rival. It has 
the power to introduce such changes as may meet 
all the demands of the State and ail the claims of 
the learner. 

The State school knows no sect, no party, no 
privileged class, and no special favorites; the high, 
the low, the rich, and the poor, the home and for- 



eign-born, black or white, are all equal at this 
altar. The child of the ruler and the ruled are 
here equal. The son of the Governor, the wood- 
sawyer, and the hod-carrier, here meet on one 
level, and alike contend for ranks, and alike expect 
the honors due to superior merit, the reward of 
intellectual culture. But, aside from the republi- 
can character of the State school system, the sys- 
tem is a State necessity. Without the required 
State culture under its control, the State must 
cease to exist as an organism for the promotion of 
human happiness or the protection of human 
rights, and its people, though once cultured and 
refmed, must certainly return to barbarism and 
savage life. There can be no compromise in the 
warfare against inherited ignorance. Under all 
governments the statute of limitations closes over 
the subject at twenty-one years; so that during 
the minority of the race must this warfare be 
waged by the government without truce. No 
peace can ever be proclaimed in this war, until the 
child shall inherit the matured wisdom, instead of 
the primal ignorance of the ancestor. 

The State school system, in our government, is 
from the necessity of the case, national. No 
State can enforce its system beyond the limits of 
its own territory. And unless the nation enforce 
its own uniform system, the conflict between juris- 
dictions could never be determined. J^o homo- 
geneous system could ever be enforced. As the 
graded system of State schools has now reached 
the period in its history which corresponds to the 
colonial history of the national organization, it 
must here fail, as did the colonial system of gov- 
ernment, to fully meet the demands of the people. 
And what was it, let us consider, that led the peo- 
ple in the organization of the national government 
"to form a more perfect union?" Had it then be- 
come necessaj-y to take this step, that "justice" 
might be established, domestic tranqudity insured, 
the common defense made more efficient, the gen- 
eral welfare promoted, and the blessings of liberty 
better secured to themselves and their posterity, 
that the fathers of the government should think it 
necessary to form a more perfeet union?" Why 
the nacessity of a more jjerfect union ? Were our 
fathers in fear of a domestic or foreign foe, that 
had manifested his power in their immediate pres- 
ence, threatening to jeopardize or destroy their do- 
mestic tranquility? Was this foe an hereditary 
enemy, who might at long intervals of time invade 



CONCLUSION. 



175 



thc'ii- territory, and entlauger the liberties of this 
people? And for this reason did they demand a 
more perfect iiniou? And does not this reason 
now exist in still greater foree for the formation of 
a still more perfect vinion in our system of State 
schools? Our fathers were moved by the most 
natural of all reasons, by this law of self-defense. 
They were attacked by a power too great to be 
successfully resisted in their colonial or unorgan- 
ized state. The fear of a destruction of the sev- 
eral colonies without a more perfect union drove 
them to this alternative. It was imion and the 
hope of freedom, against disunion and the fear of 
death, that cemented the national government. 
And this was an external organism, the temple in 
which the spirit of freedom should preside, and in 
which her worshippers should enjoy not only do- 
mestic but national tranquility. Now, should it bo 
manifested to the world that the soul and spirit, 
the very life of this temple, erected to freedom, is 
similarly threatened, should not bo the same cause 
that operated in the erection of the temple itself, 
operate in the protection of its sacred fires, its soul 
and spirit? It would seem to require no admoni- 
tion to move a nation in the direction of its highest 
hopes, the protection of its inner Ufe. 

And what is this enemy, and where is the power 
able to destroy both the temple and the spirit of 
freedom? And why should State Educati<.)n take 
upon itself any advanced position other than its 
present independent organic elements? In the 
face of what enemy should it now be claimed we 
should attempt to change front, and "form a more 
perfect luiion to insure domestic tranquility, and 
jiromote the ;,eneral welfare," to the end that we 
may the better secure the blessings of liberty to 
ourselves and our posterity? That jiotent foe to 
our free institutions, to which we are now brought 
face to face, is human ignornnce, the natural hered- 
itary foe to every form of enlightened free gov- 
ernment. This hereditary enemy is now home- 
steaded upon our soO. This enemy, in the lan- 
guage of the declaration made liy the colonies 
against their hereditary foe, this enemy to our 
government, has kept among us a standuig army 
of illiterates, who can neither read nor write, but 
are armed with the ballot, more powerful than the 
sword, ready to strike the most deadly blow at 
human freedom; he has cut off and almost en- 
tirely destroyed our trade between States of the 
same government; has imposed a tax ujion us 



without our consent, most grievous to be borae; 
he has quite abolished the free system of United 
States laws in several of our States; he has estab- 
lished, in many sections, arbitrary tribunals, ex- 
cluding the subject from the right of trial by jury, 
and enlarged the jjowers of his despotic rule, en- 
dangered the lives of peaceable citizens; he has 
alienated government of one section, by declaring 
the inhabitants aliens and enemies to his supposed 
hereditary right; he has excited domestic insur- 
rectitms amongst us; he has endeavored to destroy 
the peace and harmony of our people by bringing 
his despotic ignorance of our institutions into con- 
flict with the freedom and purity of our elections; 
he has raised up advocates to his cause who have 
openly declared that our system of State Educa- 
tion, on which our government rests, is a failure;* 
he has sjiared no age, no sex, no portion of our 
country, but has, with his ignominious minions, 
afflicted the North and the South, the East and the 
West, the rich and the poor, the black and the 
white; an enemy alike to the people of every sec- 
tion of the government, from Maine to California, 
from Minnesota to Louisiana. Such an inexora- 
ble enemy to government and the domestic tran- 
quility of all good citizens deserves the oppro- 
brium due only to the Prince of Darkness, against 
whom eternal war should be waged ; and for the 
snppiu'tof this declaration, with a firm reliance on 
the protection of Divine Providence, we should, as 
did our fathers, mutually pledge to each other, 
as citizens of the free States of America, our lives, 
our fortunes, and our sacred honor. 

We have thus far considered the State school 
system in some of its organic elements, and the 
nature, tendency, and neceseary union of these 
elements; first in States, audfiually for the forma- 
tion of a more perfect union, that they may be 
united ia one national orgauiziition under the con- 
trol of one sovereign will. The mode in which 
these unorganized elements shall come into uniim 
and harmony with themselves, and constitute the 
true inner life and soul of the American Union, is 
left for the consideration of those whose special 
duty it is to devote their best energies to the pro- 
motion of the welfare of the Nation, and by 
statesman-like forethought provide for the domes- 
tic, social, civil, intellectual, and industrial pro- 
gre.ss of the rapidly accumulating millions who 

•Richard Grant Whito in North .\mericau Keview 



176 



8TATE EDUCATION. 



are soon to swarm upon tlie American coutment. 
We see truly tliat 

"The rudiments of empire here 
Are plastic yet and warm; 
The chaos of a mighty world 
Is rounding into form! 

*'Each rude and jostling fragment si>on 
Its fitting place shall find — 
The raw material of a State, 
Its muscle and its mind." 

But we must be allowed, in a word, to state the 
results which we hope to see accomplished, before 
the jostling fragments which are yet plastic and 
warm, shall have attained a temperament not 
easily fused and "rounded" into one homogenous 
national system, rising in the several States from 
the kindergarten to the University, and from the 
State Universities through all orders of specialties 
demanded by the widening industries and growing 
demands of a progressive age. And in this direc- 



tion we cannot fail to see that the national govern- 
ment must so mould its iutellectual systems that 
the State and national curricula shall be uniform 
throughout the States and territories, so that a 
class standing of every pupil, properly certified, 
shall be equally good for a like class standing in 
every portion of the government to which he may 
desire to remove. America will then be ready to 
celebrate her final independence, the inalienable 
right of American youth, as having a standing 
limited by law in her State and national systems 
of education, entitling them to rank everywhere 
with associates and compeers on the same plain; 
when in no case, shall these rights be denied or 
abridged by the United States, or by any State 
or authority thereof, on account of race, color, 
or previous condition of scholarship, secular or 
sectarian, till the same shall forever find the most 
ample protection under the broad banner of 
N.^TioNAL and NATURAL rights, common alike to 
all in the ever widening uia-UBLic of i.etteks. 



HISTORY 

OF THE 

SIOUX MASSACRE OF 18G2. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

LODIS HEN - TPIN'S VISIT TO THE DPPEIt MISSISSIPPI 
IN 1680 --CAPTAIN JONATHAN CAKVER VISITS THE 
COUNTR7 IN 1766 — THE NAMES OF THE TKIBES — 
TREATIES WITH SIOUX INDIANS FROM 1812 TO 
1859 THEIR RESERVATIONS CIVILIZATION EF- 
FORTS — SETTLEMENTS OF THE WHITES CONTIGU- 
OUS TO THE RESERVATIONS. 

The first authentic knowledge of the country 
upon the waters of the Upper Mississippi and its 
tributaries, was given to the world by Louis Hen- 
nej)in, a native ot France. In 1680 he visited the 
Falls of St. Anthony, and gave them the name of 
his patron saint, the name they still bear. 

Hennepin found the country occupied by wild 
tribes of Indians, by whom he and his compan- 
ions were detained as prisoners, but kindly treated, 
and finally released. 

In 1766, this same country was again visited by 
a white man, this time by Jonathan Carver, a 
British subject, and an officer in the British army. 
Jonathan Carver spent some three years among 
different tribes of Indians in the TJiJiDer Missis- 
sippi country. He knew the Sioux or Dakota 
Indians as the Naudowessies, who were then occu- 
pying tlie country along the Mississippi, from 
Iowa to the Falls of St. Anthony, and alimg the 
Minnesota river, then called St. Peter's, from its 
source to its mouth at Mendota. To the north of 
these tribes the country was then occuj)ied by the 
Ojibwas, commonly called Chippewas, the heredi- 
tary enemies of the Sioux. 

Carver found these Indian nations at war, and 
by his commanding influence finally succeeded in 
making peace between them. As a reward for his 
good offices in this regard, it is claimed that two 
chiefs of the Naudowessies, acting for their nation, 
at a council held with Carver, at the great cave, 

12 



now in the corporate limits of St. Paul, deeded to 
Carver a vast tract of land on the Mississippi 
river, extending from the Falls of St. Anthony to 
the foot of Lake Pepin, on the Mississippi; thence 
east one hundred English miles; thence north one 
hundred and twenty miles; thence west to the 
place of beginning. But this pretended grant has 
been examined by our government and entirely 
ignored as a pure invention of parties in interest, 
after Carver's death, to profit by his Indian ser- 
vice in Minnesota. 

There can be no doubt that the.se same Indians, 
known to Captain Carver as the Naudowessies, in 
1767, were the same who inhabited the country 
upon the Upper Mississipjji and its tributaries 
when the ti-eaty of Traverse des Sioux was made, 
in 1851, between the United States and the Sisse- 
ton and Wapaton bands of Dakota or Sioux Indi- 
ans. The name Sioux is said to have been bestowed 
upon these tribes by the French; and that it is a 
corruption of the last syllable of their more an- 
cient name, which in the peculiar guttural of the 
Dakota tongue, has the sound of the last syllable 
of the old name NaudowessiVs, Sioux. 

The tribes inhabiting the Territory of Minne- 
sota at the date of the massacre, 1862, were the 
following: Medawakontons (or Village of the 
Sjiirit Lake); Wapatons (or Village of the 
Leaves); Sissetons (or Village of the Marsh); 
and Wai^akutas (or Leaf Shooters). All these 
were Sioux Indians, connected intimately with 
other wild bands scattered over a vast region of 
country, including Dakota Territory, and the 
country west of the Missouri, even to the base of 
the Eocky Mountains. Over all this vast region 
roamed these wild bands of Dakotas, a powerful 
and warlike nation, holding by their tenure the 
country north to the British Possessions. 

(177) 



178 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX M^lSSACliE. 



The Sissetons had a hereditary chief, Ta-tauka 
Maziu, or Standing Buffalo; and at the date of 
the massacre his father, "Star Face," or the "Or- 
phan," was yet alive, bnt superannuated, and all 
the duties of the chief were vested in the son. 
Standing Buffalo, who remained friendly to the 
whites and took no part in the terrible massacre 
on our border in 1862. 

The four tribes named, the Medawakontons, Wa- 
patons, Sissetons and Wapukutas, comprised the 
entire "annuity Sioux" of Minnesota; and in 18C2 
these tribes numbered about six thousand and two 
hundred persons. All these Indians bad from 
time to time, from the 19th day of July, 1815, to 
the date of the' massacre of 1862, received pres- 
ents from the Government, by virtue of various 
treaties of amity and friendship between us and 
their accredited chiefs and heads of tribes. 

Soon after the close of the last war with Great 
Britain, on the first day of June, 1816, a treaty 
was concluded at St. Louis between the United 
States and the chiefs and warriors representing 
eight bands of the Sious, composing the three 
tribes then called the "Sioux of the Leaf," the 
"Sioux of the Broad Leaf," and the "Sioux who 
Shoot in the Pino Tops," by the terms of which 
these tribes confirmed to the United States all 
cessions or grants of lands prev-iously made by 
them to the British, French, or Spanish govern- 
ments, within the limits of the United States or 
its Territories. For these cessions no annmties 
were paid, for the reason that they were mere con- 
firmations of grants made by them to powers 
from whom we liad acquired the territory. 

From the treaty of St. Louis, in 1816, to the 
treaty ratified by the United States Senate in 1859, 
these trilics had remained friendly to the whites, 
and had by treaty stipulations parted with all the 
lands to which tliey claimed title in Iowa; all on 
the east side of the Mississippi river, and all on 
the Minnesota river, in Minnesota Territory, ex- 
cept certain reservations. One of these reserva- 
tions lay upon both sides of the Minnesota, ten 
miles on either side of that stream, from Hawk 
river on the north, and Yellow Medicine river on 
the south side, thence westerly to the head of Big 
Stone Lake and Ijake Tiaverse, a distance of 
about one hundred miles. Another of these reser- 
vations commenced at Little Rock river on the 
east, and a line running due south from opposite 
its mouth, and extending up the river westerly to 
r.ie easterly line of the first-named reservation, at 



the Hawk and Yellow Medicine rivers. This last 
reservation had also a width of ten miles on each 
side of the Minnesota river. 

The Indians west of the Missouri, in referring 
to those of their nation east of the river, called 
them Isanties, which seems to have been applied 
to them from the fact that, at some remote period, 
they had lived at Isantamde, or "Knife Lake," 
one of the Mille Lacs, in Minnesota. 

These Indian treaties inaugurated and contrib- 
uted greatly to strengthen a custom of granting, 
to the pretended owners of lands occupied for 
purposes of hunting the wild game thereon, and 
living upon the natural products thereof, a con- 
sideration for the cession of their lands to the 
Government of the Uuited States. This custom 
culminated in a vast anauity fund, in the aggre- 
gate to over three million dollars, owing to these 
tribes, before named, in Minnesota. This annuity 
system was one of the causes of the massacre of 
1862. 

Indian Lifb. — Before the whites came in con- 
tact with the natives, they dressed in the skins o' 
animals which they killed for food, such as the 
buffalo, wolf, elk, deer, beaver, otter, as well as the 
small fur-bearing animals, which they trapjicd on 
lakes and streams. In later years, as the settle- 
ments of the white race approached their borders, 
they exchanged these peltries and furs for blankets, 
cloths, and other articles of necessity or ornament. 
The Sioux of the plains, those who inhabited the 
Coteau and beyond, and, indeed, some of the 
Sis^cton tribes, dress in skins to this day. Even 
among those who are now called "civilized," the 
style of costume is often unique. It is no picture 
of the imagination to portray to the reader a "stal- 
WAKT Indian" m breech-cloth and leggins, with 
a calico shirt, all "fluttering in the wind," and his 
head surmounted with a stove-pipe hat of most 
surprising altitude, carrying in his hand a pipe of 
exquisite workmanshija, on a stem not unlike a 
cane, sported as an ornament by some city dandy. 
His appearance is somewhat varied, as the seascms 
come and go. He may be seen in summer or in 
winter dressed in a heavy cloth coat of coarse fab- 
ric, often turned inside out with all his civiUzed 
and savage toggery, from head to foot, in the most 
bewildering juxtaposition. On behoHing him, 
the duUest imagination cannot refrain from the 
poetic exclamtion of Alexander Pope, 

"Lo! the poor Indian, whose untutored miud'" 



EFFOllTS OF CIVrLTZATION. 



179 



Efforts to Civilize these An-nijity Ixdian.s. 
— The treaty of 1858, made at Wasliington, clabo- 
ratetl a sohenio for the civilization of these annuity 
ludiaus. A civilization fund was provided, to be 
taken from their annuities, and expended in ira- 
provomeuts on the lands of such of ihem as should 
abandon their tribal relations, and ;,dopt the habits 
and modes of life of the white race. To all sucli, 
lands were to be assigned in severalty, eighty 
acres to each head of a family. On these farms 
were to be erected the necessary farm-buildings, 
and farming implements and cattle were to be 
furnished them. 

In addition to these favors the government 
oil'ered them j)ay for such labors of value as were 
performed, in addition to the crops they raised. 
Indian farmers now augmented rapidily, until the 
appalling outbreak in 18G2, at which time about 
one hundred and sixty had taken advantage of the 
numificent provisions of the treaty. A number of 
farms, some 160, had good, sung brick houses 
erected upon them. Among these civilised s&xagea 
was Little Crow, and many of these farmer-Indians 
belonged to his own baud. 

The Indians disliked the idea of taking any por- 
tion of the general fund belonging to the tribe for 
the purpose of carrying out the civilization scheme- 
Those Indians who retained the "blanket," and 
hence called "blanket Indians," denounced the 
measure as a fraud upon then- rights. The chase 
was then a God-given right ; this scheme forfeited 
that ancient natural right, as it pointed unmistaka- 
bly to the destruction of the chase. 

But to the friends of Indian races, the course 
inaugurated seemed to be, step by step, lifting 
these rude children of the plains to a higher level. 
This scheme, however, was to a great degree 
thwarted by the helpless condition of the "blanket 
Indians" during a great portion of tLie year, and 
their persistent determination to remain followers 
of the chase, imd a desire to continue on the war- 
path. 

When the chase fails, the "blauiet Indians" re- 
sort to their relatives, the farmers, pitch their 
tepees aroimd their houses, and then commence 
the process of eating them out of house and home. 
When the ruin is complete, the farmer Indians, 
driven by the law of self-preservation, with their 
wives and children, leave their homes to seek such 
subsistence as the uncertain fortunes of the chase 
may yield. 



In (he absence of the family from the house and 
fields, thu5 deserted, tlio wandering "blanket In- 
dians" ctmimit %rhatever destruction of fences or 
tenemenfs their desires or necessities may suggest. 
This perennial process goas on; so that in the 
spring wlion the disheartened farmer Indian re- 
turns tf) his desolate home, to prc)iare again for 
another crop, lie looks forward with no diflerent 
results for the coming winter. 

It will be seen, from this one illustration, drawn 
from the actual results of the civilizing process, 
how hopeless was the prospect of elevating one 
class of r(>lated savages without at the same time 
protecting them from the incursions of their own 
relatives, against whom the class attempted to be 
favored, had no redress. In tliis attempt to civil- 
ize these Dakota Indians the forty years, less or 
more, of missionary and other eflforts have been 
measurably lost, and the money spent in that di- 
rection, if not wasted, sadly misapplied. 

The treaty of 18.58 h..d opened for settlement a 
vast frontier country of the most attractive char- 
acter, in the VaUey of the Minnesota, and the 
streams putting into the IMinnesota, on either side, 
such as Beaver creek. Sacred Heart, Hawk and 
Chippewa rivers and some other small streams, 
were flourishing settlements of white families. 
Within this ceded tract, ten miles wide, were the 
scattered settlements of Birch Coolie, Patterson 
Rapids, on the Sacred Heart, and others as far up 
as the tJpiJer Agency at Yellow Medicine, in Een- 
ville county. The county of Brown adjoined the 
reservation, and was, at the time of which we are 
now writing, settled mostly by Germans. In this 
county was the flourishing town of New Ulm, and 
a thriving settlement on the Big Cottonwood and 
Watonwan, consisting of German and American 
pioneers, who had selected this lovely and fertile 
valley for their future homes. 

Other counties, Blue Earth, Nicollet, Sibley, 
Meeker, McLeod, Kandiyohi, Monongalia and 
jNIurray, were all situated in the finest portions of 
the state. Some of the valleys along the streams, 
such as Butternut valley and others of similar 
character, were lovely as Wyoming and as fertile 
as the Gardan of Elen. These counties, with 
others somewhat removed from the direct attack of 
the Indians in the massacre, as Wright, Stearns 
and .Tackson, and even reaching on the north to 
Fort Abercrombie, thus extending from Iowa to 
the Valley of the Ited River of the North, were 
severally involved in the ccmsecjuences of the war- 



180 



EI8T0RT OF TEE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



fare of 1862. This extended area bad at the time 
a population of over fifty thousand people, princi- 
pally in the pursuit of agriculture; and although 
the settlements were in their infancy, the people 
were happy and contented, and as prosperous as 
anv similar community in any new country on the 
American continent, since the landing of the Pil- 
grim Fathers. 

We have in short, traced the Dakota tribes of 
Minnesota from an early day, when the white man 
first visited and explored these then unknown re- 
gions, to the time of the massacre. We have also 
given a synopsis of all the most important treaties 
between them and the government, with an allu- 
sion to the country adjacent to the reservations, 
and the probable number of people residing in the 
portions of the state ravaged by the savages. 



CHAPTEB XXXI. 

COMPLAINTS OP THE INDIANS — TREATIES OP TBA- 

VEKSE DBS SIOUX AND MENDOTA OBJECTIONS TO 

THE MODE OF PAYMENT INKPADDTA MASSACRE 

AT SPIRIT LAKE PROOP OP CONSPIRAOr IN- 
DIAN COUNCILS. 

In a former chapter the reader has had some 
account of the location of the several bands of 

Sioux Indians in Minnesota, and their relation 
to the white settlements on the western border of 
the state. It is now proposed to state in brief 
some of the antecedents of the massacre. 

PROMINENT CAUSES. 

1. By the treaty of Traverse des Sioux, dated 
July 23, 1851, between the United States and the 
Sissetons and Wapatons, $275,000 were to be paid 
their chiefs, and a further sum of $30,000 was to 
be expended for their benefit in Indian improve- 
ments. By the treaty of Mendota, dated August 
5, 1851, the Medawakantous and Wapakutas were 
to receive the sum of |200,000, to be paid to their 
chief, and for an improvement ftmd the further 
sum of $30,000. These several sums, amounting 
in the aggregate to .$555,000, these Indians, to 
whom they were payable, claim they were never 
paid, except, perhaps, a small portion expended in 
improvements on the reservations. Thej became 
dissatisfied, and expressed then- views in council 
freely with the agent of the government. 

In 1857, the Indian department at Washington 
sent out Major Kintzing Prichctte, a man of great 
experience, to inquire into the cause of this disaf- 



fection towards the government. In his report of 
that year, made to the Indian department. Major 
Prichette says: 

"The complaint which runs through all their coun- 
cils points to the imperfect performance, ornon-ful 
fillment of treaty stipulations. Whether these 
were well or ill founded, it is not my promise tc 
discuss. That such a belief prevails among them, 
impairing their confidence and good faith in the 
government, cannot be questioned." 

In one of these covmcils Jagmani said: "The 
Indians sold their lands at Traverse des Sioux. I 
say what we were told. For fifty years they were 
to be paid .$50,000 per annum. We were also 
promised $300,000, and tliat we have not seen." 

Mapipa Wicasta (Cloud Man), second chief of 
Jagmani's band, said: 

"At the treaty of Traverse des Sioux, $275,000 
were to be paid them when they came upon their 
reservation; they desired to know what had be- 
come of it. Every white man knows that they 
have been five years upon their reservation, and 
have yet heard nothing of it." 

In this abridged form we can only refer in britf 
to these complaints; but the history wouid seem 
to lack completeness without the presentation of 
this feature. As the fact of the dissatisfaction ex- 
isted, the government thought it worth while to 
appoint Judge Young to investigate the charges 
made against the governor, of the then Minnesota 
territory, then acting, ex-ojicio, as superintendent 
of Indian affairs for that locahty. Some short 
extracts from Judge Young's report are here pre- 
sented : 

"The governor is next charged with having paid 
over the greater part of the money, appropriated 
under the fourth article of the treaty of July 23 
and August 5, 1851, to one Hugh Tyler, for pay- 
ment or distribution to the 'traders' and 'half- 
breeds,' contrary to the wishes and remonstrances 
of the Indians, and in violation of law and the 
stipulations contained in said treaties; and also 
in violation of his own solemn pledges, personally 
made to them, in regard to said payments. 

"Of $275,000 stipulated to be paid under the 
first clause of the fourth article of the treaty of 
Traverse des Sioux, of July 21, 1851, the sum of 
$250,000, was deUvered over to Hugh Tyler, by 
.the governor, for distribution omong the 'traders' 
and 'half-breeds,' according to the arrangement 
made by the schedule of the Traders' Papn\ dated 
at Traverse des Sioux, July 23, 1851." 



CAUSES OF UiUrrATION. 



181 



"For this large sum of money, Hngh Tylor ex- 
ecuted two receipts to the Governor, as the attor- 
ney for the 'trailers' and 'half breeds;' the one for 
$210,000 on account of the 'traders,' and the other 
for $40,000 on account of the 'half-breeds;' the 
first dated at St. Paul, December 8, 1852, and the 
second at Mendota, December 11, 1852." 

"And of the sum of .S110,000, stipulated to be 
paid to the Medawakantons, under the fourth ar- 
ticle of the treaty of August 5, 1851, the sum of 
S70,000 was in like manner paid over to the snid 
Tyler, on a power of attorney executed to him by 
the traders and claimants, under the said treaty, 
on December 11, 1852. The receipts of the said 
Tyler to the Governor for this money, $70,000, is 
dated at St. Paul, December 13, 1852, makmg to- 
gether the sum of .'5320,000. This has been shown 
to have been contrary to the wishes and remon- 
strances of a large majority of the Indians." And 
Judge Young adds: "It is also believed to be in 
violation of the treaty stipulations, as well as the 
law making the ajjpropriations under them." 

These several sums of money were to be paid to 
these Indians in ojien council, and soon after they 
were on their reservations provided for them by 
the treaties. In these matters the rejjort shows 
they were not consulted at all, in open council; 
but on the contrary, that arbitrary divisions and 
distributions were made of the entire fund, and 
their right denied to direct the manner in which 
they should be appropriated. See Ads of Con- 
gress^ August 30, 1852. 

The Indians claimed, also, that the third section 
of the act was violated, as by that section the ap- 
propriations therein referred to, should, in every 
instance, be paid directly to the Indians them- 
selves, to whom it should be due, or to the tribe, 
or part of the tribe, per capita, " unless otherwise 
the imperious interest of the Indians or some 
treaty stipulation should require the payment to 
be made otherwise, under the direction of the 
president." This money was never so paid. The 
report further states that a large sum, " $55,000, 
was deducted by Hugh Tyler by way of discount 
and percentage on gross amount of payments, 
and that these exactions were made both from tra- 
ders and half-breeds, without any previous agree- 
ment, in many instances, and in such a way, in 
some, as to make the impression that unless they 
were submitted to, no payments would be made to 
such claimants at all." 

And, finally the report says, that fi'om the testi- 



mony it was evident that the money -nas not paid 
to the chiefs, either to the Sisseton, Wapaton, or 
Bledawakanton bands, as they in open council re- 
quested; but that they were compelled to submit 
to this mode of payment to the traders, otherwise 
no payment would be made, and the money would 
be returned to Washington; so that in violation of 
law they were compelled to comply with the Gov- 
ernor's terms of payment, according to Hugh Ty- 
ler's power of attorney. 

The examination of this complaint, on the part 
of the Indians, by the Senate of the United States, 
resulted in exculpating the Governor of Minnesota 
(Governor Eamsey) from any censure, yet the In- 
dians were not satisfied with the treatment they 
had received in this matter by the accredited agents 
of the Government. 

2. Another cause of irritation among these In- 
dians arose out of the massacre of 1857, at Spirit 
Lake, known as the Inkpaduta massacre. Inkpa- 
tluta was an outlaw of the Wapakuta band of 
Sioux Indians, and his acts in the murders at 
Spirit Lake were entirely disclaimed by the "annu- 
ity Sioux." He had slain Tasagi, a Wapakuta 
chief, and several of his relatives, some twenty 
years previous?, and had thereafter led a wandering 
and marauding life about the head waters of the 
Des Moines river. 

Inkpaduta was connected with several of the 
bands of annuity Sioux Indians, and simOar rela- 
tions with other bands existed among his followers. 
These ties extended even to the Yanktons west of 
the James river, and even over the Missouri. He 
was himself an outlaw for the murder of Tasagi 
and others as stated, and followed a predatory and 
lawless life in the neighborhood of his related 
tribes, for which the Sioux were themselves blamed. 

The depredations of these Indians becoming in- 
sufferable, and the settlers finding themselves suf- 
ficiently strong, deprived them of their gims and 
drove them fi-om the neighborhood. Recovering 
some of their guns, or, by other accounts, digging 
up a few old ones which they had buried, they 
proceeded to the settlement of Spirit Lake and 
demanded food. This appears to have been given 
to a jjortion of the band which had first arrived, 
to the extent of the means of those apphed to. 
Soon after, Inkpaduta, with the remainder of his 
followers, who, in all, numbered twelve men and 
two boys, with some women who had hngered be- 
hind, came in and demanded food also. The set- 
tlor gave him to rmderstand that he had no more 



182 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



to give; whereupon Inkpadiita spoke to his eldest 
son to the effect that it was disgraoetul to ask 
these people for food which they ought to take 
themselves, and not to have it thrown to them like 
dogs. Thus assured, the son immediately shot the 
man, and the murder of the whole family fol- 
lowed. Prom theace they proceeded from house 
to house, until every family in the settlement, 
without warning of those previously slain, were 
all massacred, except four women, whom they bore 
away prisoners, and afterward violated, with cir- 
cumstances of brutality so abhorrent as to find no 
parallel in the annals of savage barbarity, unless 
we excejH the m:issacre of 18G2, which occurred a 
few years later. 

From Spirit Lake the murderers proceeded to 
Springfield, at the outlet of Shetek, or Pelican 
lake, near the head waters of the Das Moines 
river; where they remained encamped for some 
days, trading with ]\Ir. William Wood from Man- 
kato, and his brothers. Here they succeeded in 
killing seventeen, including the Woods, making, 
in all, forty-seven persons, when the men rallied, 
and firing upon them, they retreated and deserted 
that part of the country. Of the four women 
taken captives b.y Inkpaduta, Mrs. Stevens and 
Mrs. Noble were killed by tlie Indians, and Mrs. 
Marble and Miss Gardner were rescued by the 
Wapaton Sioux, under a promise of reward from 
the Government, and for which the three Indians 
who brought in these captives received each one - 
thousand dollars. 

The Government had required of the Sioux the 
delivery of Inkj^aduta and his band as the condi- 
tion for the payment of their annuities. This was 
regarded by certain of the bands as a great wrong 
visited upon the innocent for the crimes of the 
guilty. One of their speakers (Mazakuti Mani), 
in a council held with the Sissetons and Wapatons, 
August 10, 1857, at Yellow Medicine, said: 

'•The soldiers have appointed me to speak for 
them. The men who killed the white people did 
not belong to us, and we did not expect to be called 
upon to account for the deeds of another band. 
We have always tried to do as our Great Father 
tells us. One of our young men brought in a 
captive woman. I wont out and brought in the 
other. The Koldicrs came up hero and our men 
assisted to kill one of Inkpaduta's sons at this 
place. The lower Indians did not get up the war- 
party for you; it was our Indians, the Wapatons 
and Sissetons. The soldiers here say that they 



were told by you that a thousand dollars would 
be paid for killing each of the murderers. We^ 
with the men who went out, want to be paid for 
what we have done. Three men were killed, as 
we know. ***** AH of us want our 
money very much. A man of another band has 
done wrong, and we are to suffer for it. Our old 
women and children are hungry for this. I have 
seen $10,000 sent here to pay for our going out. 
I wish our soldiers were paid for it. I suppose 
our Great Father has more money than this." 

Major PritcViette, the special government agent, 
thought it necessary to answer some points made 
by Mazakuti Mani, and spoke, in council, as fol- 
lows: 

"Your Great Father has sent me to .see Super- 
intendent C'ullen, and to say to him he was well 
satisfied with his conduct, because he had acted ac- 
cording to his instructions. Y'our Great Father 
had heard that some of his white children had been 
cruelly and brutally murdered by some of the 
Sioux nation. The news was sent on the wings of 
the lightning, fi'om the extreme north to the laud 
of eternal summer, throughout which his children 
dwell. His young men wished to make war on 
the whole Si mux nation, and revenge the deaths of 
their brethren. But your Great Father is a just 
father and wishes to treat all his children alike 
with justice. He wants no innocent man pimished 
for the guilty. He punishes the guilty alone. He 
expects that those missionaries w.ho have been here 
tcacling you the laws of the Groat Spirit Lad 
tanghtyou this. Whenever a Sioux is injured by 
a white man your Great Father will punish him, 
and expects from the chiels and warriors of the 
great Sioux nation that they will punish those In- 
dians who injure the whites. He considers the 
Si lux as a part of his family; and as friends and 
brothers he expects them to do as the whites do to 
them. He knows that the Sioux nation is divided 
into bands; but he knows also how they can all 
baud together for common protection. He expects 
the nation to punish these mtirdcrers, or to deliver 
them up. He expects this because they are his 
friends. As long as these murderers remain un- 
punished or not delivered up, they are not acting 
as friends of their Great Father. It is for this 
reason that he has witheld the airauit^. Your 
Great Father will have his white children pro- 
tected; and all who have told you that your Great 
Father is not able to punish those who injure them 
will find themselves bitterly mistaken. Your 



REPOUV OF til'EClAL AGENT. 



183 



Great Father desires to do good to all his cliildrcn 
and will do all iu his power to accomplish it; but 
he is firmly resolved topuuish all who do wrong." 

After this, another similar council, September 1, 
1857, was held with the Sissetoa and Wapaton 
baud of Upper Sioux at Yellow Medicine. Agent 
Flandrau, iu the meantime, had siicceeded in or- 
ganizing a band of warriors, made up of all the 
"annuity" bands, under Little Crow. This oxpo- 
dition numl)ered altogether one hundred and six, 
besides tour half-breeds. This party went ont al- 
ter Inkpaduta on the 22d of July, 18.57, starting 
from Yellow Medicine. 

Ou the 5th of August Major Pritehette reported 
to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, "That the 
))arty of Indians, rejsresenting the entire Sioux na- 
tion, imder the nominal head of Little Crow, re- 
turned yesterday from the expedition in search of 
Inkpaduta and his bund," after an absence of thir- 
teen days. 

As this outlaw, Inkpaduta, has achieved an im- 
mortality of infamy, it may be allowable in the 
historian to record the names of his followers. In- 
kpaduta (Scarlet Point) heads the list, and the 
names of the eleven men are given by the wife of 
Tateyahe, who was killed by the party of Sioux 
under Little Crow, thus: Tateyahe (Shifting 
Wind); Makpeahoteman (Itoaring Cloud), son of 
Inkpaduta, killed at Yellow Medicine; Makpiope- 
ta (Fire Cloiid), twin brother of Makpeohotoman; 
Tawachshawakan (His Mysterious Feather), kilkd 
in the late expedition; Bahata (Old Man); Kech- 
omon (Putting on as He Walks); Huhsan (One 
Leg); Kahadai (Eattling), son-in-law of Inkpa- 
duta; Fetoa-tanka (Big Face); Tatelidashiuksha- 
mani (One who Makes Crooked Wind as He 
Walks); Tachanchegahota (His Great Gun), and 
the two boys, children of Inkjiaduta, not named. 

After the band had been pursued by Little 
Crow into Lake Chouptijatanka (Big Dry Wood), 
distant twenty miles iu a northwestern direction 
from Skunk Lake, and three of them killed out- 
right, wounding one, taking two women and a 
little child prisoners, the Indians argued that they 
had done sufficient to merit the payment of their 
annuities; and on the 18th of August, 1834, Maj. 
Cullen telegraphed the following to the Hon. J. 
W. Denver, commissioner of Indian affairs : 

"If the department concurs, I am of the opinion 
that the Sioux of the Mississippi, having done all 
in their power to punish or surrender Inkpaduta 
and bis band, their annuities may with propriety 



be paid, as a signal to the military movements 
from FcrU Hidgely and Baudall. The special 
agent from tlie department wait.? an answer to 
this dis])atch at Duuleith, and for instructions in 
the premises." 

In this opinion Major Pritehette, in a letter of 
the same date, concurred, for reasons therein 
stated, and transmitted to the department. In 
this letter, among other things, the writer says: 

"No encouragement was given to them that 
sueli a request would be granted. It is the 
opinion, however, of Superintendent Cullen, the 
late agent. Judge Flaudrau, Governor Medary, 
and the general intelligent sentiment, that the an- 
nuities may now witk propriety, be paid, without 
a violation of the spirit of the expressed deter- 
mination of the department to withhold them until 
the murderers of Spirit Lake should be surren- 
dered or punished. It is argued that the present 
friendly disposition of the Indians is manifest, and 
should not be endangered by subjecting them to 
the wants incident to their condition during the 
coming winter, and the consequent temptation to 
depredation, to which the withholding their 
money would leave them exposed." 

The major yielded this 23oint for the reasons 
stated, yet he coutmued: 

"If not improper for me to exjiress an opinion, I 
am satisfied that, without chastising the whole 
Sioux nation, it is impossible to enforce the sur- 
render of Inkpaduta and the remainder of his 
band." * * * "Nothing less than the entire 
extirpation of Inkpaduta's miu-derous outlaws will 
satisfy the justice and dignity of the government, 
and vindicate outraged humanity." 

We here leave the Inkpaduta massacre, remark- 
ing only that the government paid the Indians 
their annuities, and ma<le no further effort to bring 
to condign punisliment the remnant who had 
escajied alive from the pur.suit of Little Crow and 
his soldiers. This was a great err.ir on the part 
of our government. The Indians construed it 
either as an evidence of weakness, or that tl e 
whites were afraid to pursue the matter furtliir, 
lest it might terminate in still m<jre disastrous re- 
sults to the infant settlement of the state border- 
ing upon the Indian country. The residt was, 
the Indians became more insolent than ever be- 
fore. Little Crow and his adherents had found 
capital out of which to foment future ditBoulties 
in which the two races should become involved. 
And it is now believed, and subsequent circum- 



184 



BISTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



stances have greatly strongtbened that belief, that 
Little Crow, from the time the government ceased 
its efforts to punish Inkpaduta, began to agitate 
his great scheme of driving the whites from the 
state of Minnesota; a scheme which finally cul- 
minated in the ever-to-be- remembered massacre of 
August, A. D. 1862. 

The antecedent exciting causes of this massacre 
ar« numerous. The displaced agents and traders 
find the cause in the erroneous action of the Gov- 
ernment, resulting in their removal from ofBce. 
The statesman and the philosopher may unite in 
tracing the cause to improper theories as to the 
mode of acquiring the right to Indian lands. 
The former may locate the evil in our system of 
treaties, and the latter in our theories of govern- 
ment. The philanthropist may find the cause in 
the absence of justice which we exhibit in all our 
intercourse with the Indian races. The poet and 
the lovers of romance in human character find the 
true cause, as they believe, in the total absence of 
aU appreciation of the noble, generous, confiding 
traits peculiar to the native Indian. The Chris- 
tian teacher fijids apologies for acts of Indian 
atrocities in the deficient systems of mental and 
moral culture. Each of these different classes 
are satisfied that the great massacre of August, 
1862, had its origin in some way intimately con- 
nected with his favorite theory. 

Let us, for a moment, look at the facts, in rela- 
tion to the two races who had come into close con- 
tact with each other, and in the light of these 
facts, judge of the probable cause of this fearful 
collision. The white race, some two hundred 
years ago, had entered upon the material conquest 
of the American continent, armed with aU the ap- 
pliances for its complete subjugation. On the 
shores of this prolific continent these new ele- 
ments came in contact with a race of savages with 
many of the traits peculiar to a common human- 
ity, yet, with these, exhibiting all, or nearly all, 
the vices of the most barbarous of savage races. 
The period of occupancy of this broad, fertile 
land was lost in the depths of a remote antiquity. 
The culture of the soil, if ever understood, had 
been long neglected by this race, and the chase 
was their principal mode of gaining a scanty sub- 
sistence. It had lost all that ennobled man, and 
was alive only to all his degradations. The white 
man was at once acknowledged, the Indian being 
judge, superior to the savage race with which he 
Lad come in contact. 



Here, then, is the first cause, in accordance with 
a universal principle, in which the contliot of the 
two races had its origin. It was a conflict of 
knowledge with ignorance, of right with wrong. 
If this conflict were only mental, and the weapons 
of death had never been resorted to in a single 
instance, the result would have been the same. 
The inferior race must either recede before the su- 
perior, or sink into the common mass, and, like the 
raindrops falling upon the bosom of the ocean, 
lose all traces of distinction. This warfare takes 
place the world over, on the principle of mental 
and material progress. The presence of the supe- 
rior light eclipses the inferior, and causes it to 
retire. Mind makes aggression upon mind, and 
the superior, sooner or later, overwhelms the infe- 
rior. This process may go on, with or without 
the conflict of physical organisms. The final 
result will be the same. 

Again, we come to the great law of right. The 
white race stood uj^on this undeveloped continent 
ready and willing to execute the Divine injunc- 
tion, to replenish the earth and subdue it. On the 
one side stood the white race armed with his law; 
on the other the savage, resisting the execution of 
that law. The result could not be evaded by any 
human device. In the case before us, the Indian 
ra?es were in the wrongful possession of a conti- 
nent required by the superior right of the white 
man. This right, founded in the wisdom of God, 
eliminated by the ever-operative laws of progress, 
will contiuue to assert its dominion, with varying 
success, contingent on the use of means employed, 
until all opposition is hushed in the perfect reign 
of the superior aggressive principle. 

With these seemingly necessary reflections, we 
introduce the remarks of the Sioux agent touching 
the antecedents of the great massacre, unparalleled 
in the history of the conflict of the races. The 
agent gives his jjecuiiar views, and they are worthy 
of careful consideration. 

Major Thomas Galbraith, Sioux Agent, says: 

" The radical, moving cause of the outbreak is, 
I am satisfied, the ingrained and fixed hostility of 
the savage barbarian to reform and civib'zation. 
As in all barbarous communities, in the history of 
the world, the same people have, for the most part, 
resisted the encroachments of civilization upon 
their ancient customs; so it is in the case before 
us. Nor does it matter materially in wKat shape 
civilization makes its attack. Hostile, opposing 
forces meet in contUct, and a war of social elements 



VJKWS OF MAJOR OALBliAITII. 



185 



is the result — civilization is aggressive, and bar- 
barism stubbornly resistant. Sometimes, indeed, 
civilization has achieved a bloodless victory, l)ut 
generally it has been otherwise. Christianity, it- 
self, the true basis of civilization, has, in most in- 
stances, waded to success through seas of blood. 
* * * Having stated thus much, I state as a 
settled fact in my mind, that the encroachments of 
Christianity, and its handmaid, civilization, upon 
the habits and customs of the Sioux Indians, is 
the cause of the late terrible Sioux outbreak. There 
were, it is true, many immediate inciting causes, 
A^'hich will be alluded to and stated hereafter, but 
they are subsidiary to, and developments of, or 
incident to, the great cause set forth. * * * 
But that the recent Sioux outbreak would have 
happened at any rate, as a result, a fair conse- 
quence of the cause here stated, I have no more 
doubt than I doubt that the great rebellion to 
overthi'ow oiur Government would have ocoui'red 
had Mr. Lincoln never been elected President of 
the United States. 

" Now as to the existing or immediate causes of 
the outbreak: By my predecessor a new and 
radical system was inaugurated, practically, and, 
in its inauguration, he was aided by the Christian 
missionaries aud by the Government. The treaties 
of 1858 were ostensibly made to carry this new 
system into effect. The theory, in suljstance, \«8s 
to break uj) the community-system which prevailed 
among the Sioux; weaken and destroy their 
tribal relations, and individualize them, by giving 
them each a sej^arate home. * * * Ou the 
1st day of June, A. D. 18G1, when I entered upon 
the duties of my oiBce, I found that the system 
had just been inaugurated. Some hundred fami- 
lies of the Annuity Sioux had become novitiates, 
and their relatives and friends seemed to be favfjr- 
ably disposed to the new order of things. But I 
also found that, against the-ie, were arrayed over 
five thousand "Annuity Sioux," besides at least 
three thousand Tanktonais, all inflamed by the 
most bitter, relentless, and devilish hostility. 

" I saw, to some extent, the difficulty of the 
situation, but I determined to continue, if in my 
power, the civilization system. To favor it, to aid 
and build it ujs by every fair means, I advised, 
encouraged, and assisted the farmer novitiates; in 
short, I sustained the policy inaugurated by my 
predecessor, and sustained and recommended by the 
Government. I soon discovered that the system 
could not be successful without a suificient force 



to protect the "farmer" from the hostility of the 
"blanket Indians." 

"During my term, and up to the time of the out- 
break, about one hundred and seventy-five liad 
their hair cut and had adopted the habits and cus- 
toms of white men. 

" For a time, indeed, my hopes were strong that 
civilization would soon be in the ascendant. But 
the increase of the civilization party and their evi- 
dent prosperity, only tended to exasperate the In- 
dians of the 'ancient customs,' and to widen the 
breach. But while these are to be enumerated, it 
may be permitted me to hojDe that the radical 
cause will not be forgotten or overlooked ; and I 
am bold to exjjress this desire, because, ever since 
the outbreak, the public journals of the country, 
religious and .sjecular, have teemed with editorials 
by and communications from 'reliable individuals,' 
politicians, philanthropists, philosophers and hired 
'penny-a-liners,' mostly mistaken and sometimes 
willfully and grossly false, giving the cause of the 
Indian raid." 

Major Galbraith enumerates a variety of other 
exciting causes of the massacre, which our limit 
will not allow us to insert in this volume. Among 
otiier causes, * * that the United States was 
itself at war, and that Washington was taken by 
the negroes. * * But none of these were, in 
his opinion, the cause of the outbreak. 

The Major then adds: 

"Grievances such as have been related, and 
numberless others akin to them, were spoken of, 
recited, and chanted at their councils, dances, and 
feasts, to such an extent that, in their excitement, 
in June, 1862, a secret organization known as the 
' Soldier's Lodge,' was tV)unded by the young 
men and soldiers of the Lower Sioux, with the 
object, as far as I was able to learn through spies 
and informers, of preventing tJie 'traders' from 
going to the pay-tables, as had been their custom. 
Since the outbreak I have become satisfied that 
the real object of this 'Lodge' was to adopt 
measures to 'clean out' all the white people at the 
end of the payment." 

Whatever may have been the cause of the fear- 
fvd and bloody tragedy, it is certain that the man- 
ner of the execution of the infernal deed was a 
deep-laid conspiracy, long cherished by Little 
Crow, taking form under the guise of the "Sol- 
diers' Lodge," and matured in secret Indian coun- 
cils. In all these secret movements Little Crow 
was the moving spirit. 



180 



uisTonr OP the sioux massacre. 



Now the opportune moment seemed to have 
come. Only thirty soldiers were stationed at Fort 
Eidgely. Some thirty were all that Fort Bipley 
could muster, and at Fort Aberorombie one com- 
pany, under Captain Van Der Hork, was all the 
whites could depend lapon to repel any attack in 
that quarter. The whole effective force for the 
defense of the entire frontier, from Pembina to the 
Iowa line, did not exceed two hundred men. The 
annuity money was daily esj^ected, and no troops 
except about one hundred men at Yellow Medi- 
cine, had been detailed, as usual, to attend the an- 
ticipated payment. Here was a glittering prize to 
be paraded before the minds of the excited sav- 
ages. The whites were weak; they were engaged 
in a terrible war among themselves; their atten- 
tion was now directed toward the great struggle 
in the South. At such a time, offering so many 
chances for rapine and plunder, it would be easy 
to unite, at least, all the annuity Indians in one 
common movement. Little Crow knew full well 
that the Indians could easily be made to believe 
that now was a favorable time to make a grand 
attack upon the Ijorder settlements. In view of all 
the favorable auspices now concurring, a famous 
Indian council was called, which was fully attended 
by the " Soldier.s' Lodge." Rev. S. E. Kiggs, in 
his late work, 1880, ("Mary and I"),, referring to 
the outbreak, says: 

"On 4ugust 17th, the outbreak was commenced 
in the border whita settlements at Acton, Minne- 
sota. That night the news was carried to the 
Lower Sioux Agency, and a coimcil of war was 
called." •* * * " Something of the kind had 
been meditated and talked of, and prepared for 
undoubtedly. Some time before this, they had 
formed the Toe-yo-tee-pee, or Soldiers' Lodge." 

A memorable council, convened at Little Crow's 
village, near the Lower Agency, on Sunday night 
]irevious to the attack on Fort Bidgely, and pre- 
cisely two weeks before the first massacres at Ac- 
ton. Little Crow was at this coimcil, and he was 
not wanting in ability to meet the greatne.ss of 
the occasion. The proceedings of this council, of 
course, were secret. Some of the results arrived 
at, however, have since come to the writer of these 
pages. The council matured the details of a con- 
spiracy, which for atrocity has hitherto never 
found a place in recorded history, not excepting 
that of Cawnpore. 

Tlie evidence of that conspiracy comes to us, in 
part, from the relation of one who was present at 



the infamous council. Comparing the statement 
of the narrative with the known occurrences of 
the times, that council preceded the attack on the 
Government stores at the Upper Agency, and was 
convened on Simday night; the attack on the 
Upper Agency took place the next day, Monday, 
the 4th of August; and on the same day, an at- 
tempt was made to take Fort Eidgely by strategy. 
Not the slightest danger was anticipated. Only 
thirty soldiers occupied the post at Fort Eidgely 
and this was deemed amply sufiieient in times of 
peace. But we will not longer detain the reader 
from the denouement of this horrible plot. 

Our informant states the evidences of the de- 
crees of the council of the 3d of August, thus: 

"I was looking toward the Agency and saw a 
large body of men coming toward the fort, and 
supposed them soldiers returning from the pay- 
ment at Yellow Medicine. On a seccmd look, I 
observed they were mounted, and knowing, at this 
time, that they must be ludi.ans, was surprised at 
seeing so large a body, as they were not expected. 
I resolved to go into the garrison to see what it 
meant, having, at the time, not the least suspicicn 
that the Indians intended any hostile demonstti- 
tion. Wlien I arrived at the garrison, I fouLd 
Sergeant Jones at the entrance with a mounted 
howitzer, charged with shell and caaister-shot, 
pointed towards the Indians, who were removed 
but a short distance from the guard house. I 
inquired of the sergeant what it meant? whether 
any danger was apprehended? He replied indif- 
ferently, "No, but that he thought it a good rule 
to observe that a soldier should always be ready 
for any emergency." 

These Indians had requested the privilege to 
dance in tlie inclosure surrounding the fort. On 
this occasion that request was refused them. But 
I saw that, about sixty yards west of the guard 
house, the Indians were making the necessary 
preparations lor a dance. I thought nothing of it 
as they had frequently done the same thing, but a 
little furtlier removed from the tort, under some- 
what different circumstances. I considered it a 
singular exliibition of Indian foolishness, ami, at 
tlie solicitation of a few ladies, went out and wcs 
myself a spectator of the dance. 

"When the dance was concluded, the Indians 
sought and obtained permission to encamp on 
some rising ground about a quarter of a mile west 
of the garrison. To this ground they soon re- 
paired, and encamjied for the uight. The next 



EVIDENCE OF CONSl'lKACr. 



187 



mo-aiug, by 10 o'nlook, all li.id left tlie vicinity nf 
the garrisou, ilejiartiug in the iliivotiim of (lio 
Lower Agency. This whole matter of the daneo 
was so conducted as to lead moat, if not all, the 
residents of the garrison to believe that the In- 
dians had paid them that visit for the purpose of 
dancing and obtaining provisions for a feast. 

"Some things were observable that were unu- 
sual. The visitors were all warriors, niuety-six in 
number, all in undress, except a very few who wore 
calico shirts; and, iu addition to this, they all car- 
ried arms, guns and tomahawks, with ammunition 
pouches suspended around their shoulders. Pro- 
\iou3 to the dance, the war implements were de- 
posited some two hundred yards distant, where 
they had left their ponies. But even this circum- 
.s'ance, so far as it was then known, excited nT) 
suspicion of danger or hostilities in the minds, of 
the residents of the garrison. These residents 
were thiity-iive men; thirty soldiers and five citi- 
zens, with a few women and children. The guard 
that day consisted of three soldiers; one waswalk- 
uig leisurely to and fro in front of the guard- 
house; the other two were off duty, passing aliout 
an'' taking their rest; and all entirely without ap- 
pichension of danger from Indians or any other 
f .10. As the Indians left the garrison without do- 
ing any mischief, most of us .supposed that no evil 
was meditated by them. But there was one man 
who acted on the supposition that thei-e was al- 
ways danger sui-rounding a garrison when visited 
l>y savages; that man was Sergeant Jones. From 
t'je time he took his position at the gun he never 
left it, but acted as he said he believed it best to 
do, that was to be always ready. He not only re- 
mained at the gun himself, but retained two other 
men, whom he had previously trained as assistants 
to work the i)iece. 

'•Shortly before dark, without disclosing his in- 
tentions. Sergeant Jones said to his wife: 'I have 
a little business to attend to to-night; at bed-time 
I wish you to retire, and not to wait for me.' As 
he had frequently done this before, to discharge 
some official duty at the quartermaster's office, she 
thought it not singular, but did as he had re- 
quested, andretired at the usual hour. On awak- 
ening in the morning, liowever, she was surprised 
at finding that he was not there, and had not been 
in bed. In truth, this faithful soldier bad stood 
by his gun througliout the entire night, ready to 
fire, it occasion required, at any moment during 
that time; nor could he be pa- uaded to leave that 



gun until all this party of Indians had entirely 
disapjicai'ed from the vieuiily of the garrison. 

"Some two weeks after rids time, tliose same In- 
dians, with others, attacked Fort l^idgejy and, af- 
ter some tea days' siege, the g jrison was relieved 
by the arrival of soldiers under Colonel H. H Sib- 
ley. The second day after Colonel Sibley arrived, 
a Fi-enchman of pure or mixed blood appeared 
l-efore Sergeant Jones, in a very agitated manner, 
and intimated that he had .some disclosures to 
make to him; but no sooner had he made this in- 
timation than he became extremely and violently 
agitated, and seemed to be in a perfect agony of 
n^iental perturbation. Sergeant Jones said to him, 
'If you have anything to disclose, you ought, at 
once, to make it known.' The man repealed that 
he had disclosures to make, but that he did not 
dare to make them; and although Sergeant Jones 
urged him by every cousideiation in his power to 
tell what he knew, the man seemed to be so com- 
pl; tely under the dominion of terror, that he was 
unable to divulge the great secret. 'Why,' said 
he, 'they will kill me; they will kill my wife and 
children.' Saying which he turned and walked 
away. 

"Shortly after the first interview, this man n 
turned to Sergeant Jones, when again the Ser- 
geant urged him to disclcse what he knew; ami 
promised him that if he would do so, he would 
Iceep his name o. profound secret forever; that if 
the information which he should disclose should 
lead to the detection and punishment of fhegndtv 
the name of the informant should n. ver be made 
known. Being thus assured, the Frenchman soon 
became more calm. Hesitatmg a moment, he in- 
quired of Sergeant Jones if he remembered that, 
some two weeks ago, a party of Indians came 
down to the fort to have a dance? Seigeant 
Jones replied that he did. 'Why,' sai^l the French- 
man, 'do you know that these Indians were all 
warriors of Little Crow, or smue of the other lower 
bands? Sir, these Indians had all been selected 
for the purpose, and came down to Fort Eidgely 
by the express command of Ijittle Crow and the 
other chiefs, to get permission to dance; and when 
all suspicion should be completely lulled, in the 
midst of the dance, to seize their weapons, kill 
every person in the fort, seize the big guns, open 
the magazine, and secure the ammunition, when 
they should be joined by all the remaining war- 
riors of the lower bands. Thus armed, and in- 
creased by numbers, tliey were to pi-occed together 



188 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



down the valley of the Minnesota. With this 
force and these weapons they were assured they 
could drive every white man beyond the Missis- 
sippi.' 

"AH this, the Frenchman informed Sergeant 
Jones, he had learned by being present at a coun- 
cil, and from conversations had with other Indians, 
who had told him that they had gone to the gar- 
rison for that very purpose. When he had con- 
cluded this revelation, Sergeant Jones inquired, 
'Why did they not execute their purpose ? Why 
did they not take the fort?' The Frenchman re- 
pbed: -Because they saw, during all their dance, 
and then stay at the fort, that big gun constantly 
pointed at them.' " 

Interpreter Quinn, now dead, told the narrator 
of the foregomg incidents that Little Crow had 
said, repeatedly, in their councils, that the Indians 
could kill all the white men in the Minnesota Val- 
ley. In this way, he said, we can get all our lands 
back; that the whites would again want these lands, 
and that they could get double annuities. Some 
of the councils at which these suggestions of Lit- 
tle Crow were made, dated, he said, as far back as 
the summer of 1857, immediately after the luk- 
paduta war. 

On the 17th day of August, 1862, Little Crow, 
Inkpaduta, and Little Priest, the latter one of the 
Winnebago chiefs, attended church at the Lower 
Agency, and seemed to listen attentively to the 
ser\'ices, conducted by the Kev. J. D. Hinman. 
On the afternoon of that day Little Crow invited 
these Indians to his house, a short distance above 
the Agency. On the same day an Indian council 
was held at Rice Creek, sixteen miles above the 
Lower Agency, attended by the Soldiers' Lodge. 
Inkpaduta, it is believed, and Little Priest, with 
some thirteen Winnebago warriors, attended this 
council. Why this council was held, and what 
was its object, can easily be imagined. The de- 
crees of the one held two weeks before had not been 
executed. The reason w hy the fort was not taken 
has been narrated. The other part of the same 
scheme, the taking of the agency at the Yellow 
Medicine, on the same day the fort was to have 
fallen, will bo alluded to in another chapter. It 
then became necessary for the conspirators to hold 
another council, to devise new plans for the exe- 
cution of their nefarious designs upon the whites. 
The Acton tragedy, forty miles distant, had taken 
place but a few hours before this council was con- 
vened. On Monday, the 18th of August, these 



Acton murderers were seen at the mill on Crow 
river, six miles from Hutchinson, with the team 
taken from Acton; so that these Indians did not 
go to the Lower Agency, but remained in th( 
country about Hutchinson. One of the number 
only returned to the Agency by the next morning 
after the council at Rice Creek had been held. 
All that followed in the bloody drama, originated 
at this council of Death, over which Little Crow 
presided, on Sunday afternoon, the 17th day of 
August, 1862, on the evening of the same day of 
the Acton murders. The general massacre of all 
white men was by order of this council, to com- 
mence at the Agency, on the morning of the 18th, 
and at as many other points, simultaneously, as 
could be reached by the dawn of day, radiating 
from that point as a center. The advantage 
gained by the suddenness of the attack, and the 
known panic that would result, was to be followed 
up until every settlement was massacred, Foi't 
Ridgely taken, both Agencies burned, New Ulm, 
Mankato, St. Peter, and all the towns on the river 
destroyed, the whole country plundered and devas- 
tated, and as many of the inhabitants as were left 
alive were to be driven beyond the Mississippi 
river. The decree of this savage council, matured 
on a Christian Sabbath, by Indians, who were sup- 
posed to be civilized, so immediately after atten- 
tively listening to the gospel of peace, filled the 
measure of the long-cherished conspiracy matured 
by Little Crow, until it was full of the most hope- 
ful results to his polluted and brutal nature. 
"Once an Indian, always an Indian," seems in this 
instance to have been horribly demonstrated. 



CHAPTER XXXn. 

Change of indi.^k offioiai-s — payment of 1861 — 
repobt of agent gaiibkaith — upper and 
lower bands — supplies attack on the ware- 
house renville rangers return to fort 

BIDGELT. 

The change in the administration of the Gov- 
ernment in 1861, resulting, as it did, in a general 
change in the minor offices throughout the coun- 
try, carried into retii-enient Major William J. Cul- 
len. Superintendent of Indian AiTairs for the 
Northern Superintendency, and Major Joseph R. 
Brown, Agent for the Sioux, whose places were 
filled respectively by Colonel Clark W. Thomp- 
son and Maior Thomas J. Galbraith. Colonel 



MAJOR GALBEMTWS REPORT. 



189 



Thompson entered upon tlie duties of bis office in 
May of that year, and Major Galbraith on the 
fii-st day of Jime. In that month the new agent 
and many of the new employes, with their fami- 
lies, took up their residence on the reservations. 

These employes, save a few young men who 
were employed as laborers, were, with two excep- 
tions, men of families, it being the policy of the 
agent to employ among the Indians as few un- 
married men as possible. 

During that year nothing occurred on the res- 
ervations of an unusual character more than the 
trouble with which the Agents had always to deal 
at every semi-annual gathering at the Agencies. 
We say "semi-annual," because they came in the 
summer to draw their annuities, and again in the 
autumn for their winter supply of goods. 

It has been usual at the payment of annuities 
to have a small force of troops to guard against 
any untoward event which might otherwise occur. 
The payment to the lower bands, in 1861, was 
made in the latter part of June, and to the upper 
bands about the middle of July. These pay- 
ments were made by Superintendent Thompson 
in person. 

The Sisseton bands came down to the Agency 
at a very early day, as had always been their 
habit, long before the arrival of the money, 
bringing with them a large body of Yanktonais 
(not annuity Sioux), who always came to the 
payments, claiming a right to a share of the an 
unities issued to the Indians. 

These wild huntei's of the plains were an un- 
faiUng element of trouble at the payments to the 
upper liands. At this last payment they were in 
force, and by their troublesome conduct, caused a 
delay of some daysinthemakingof the payments. 
Tills was, however, no unusual occurrence, as they 
always came with a budget of grievances, ujaou 
which they were wont to dilate in council. This 
remark is equally true of the annuity Indians. 
Indeed, it would be very strange if a payment 
could be made without a demand, on the part of 
the "young men," for three or four times the 
amount of their annual dues. 

These demands were usually accompanied by 
overt acts of violence; yet the payment was made; 
and this time, after the payment, all departed to 
their village at Big Stone Laka They came 
again in the fall, drew their supply of goods, and 
went quietly away. 

It so turned out, however, that the new agent, 



Galbraith, came into office too late to iusiiro a large 
crop that year. He says: 

"The autumn of 18C1 cluscd upon us rather un- 
favorably. Tlie crops were light; especially was 
this the case with the Upper Sioux ; they had little 
or nothing. As heretofore communicated to tiie 
Department, the cut-worms destroyed all the 
Sisetons, and greatly injured the crop of the 
Wajiatons, Medawakantons, Wapakutas. For 
these latter I purchased on credit, in anticipation 
of the Agricultural and Civilization Funds, large 
quantities of pork and flour, at current rates, to 
.support them during the winter. 

"Early in the autumn, in view of the necessitous 
situation of the Sisetons, I made a requisition on 
the department for the sum of )j!.5,0D0, out of the 
special fund for the relief of 'poor and destitute 
Indians;' and, in anticipation of receiving this 
money, made arrangements to fe d the old and in- 
firm men, and the women and cliildren of these 
people. I directed the Rev. S. E. Kiggs to make 
the selection, and furnish me a list. 

"He carefully did this, and we fed, in an econ- 
omical, yea, even parsimonious way, about 1,500 
of these people from, the midille of December until 
nearly the first of April. We had hoped to gut 
them off on their spring hunt earlier, but a tre- 
mendous and unprecedented snow-storm durin"- 
the last days of February prevented. 

"In response to my requisition, I received 
§3,000, and expended very nearly -55,000, leaving 
a deficiency not propei'ly chargable to the regular 
funds, of about .$2,000. 

"These people, it is believed, must have per- 
ished had it not been for this scanty assistance. 
In addition to this, the regular issues were made 
to the farmer Indians m payment for their labor. 

"In the month of August, 18C1, the superinten- 
dents of farms were directed to have ploughed 'in 
the fall,' in the old jjublic and neglected private 
fields, a sufficient quantity of land to provide 
'plantings' for such Indians as could not be pro- 
vided with oxen and implements. In pmrsuance 
of this direction, there were ploughed, at rates 
ranging from l$1.50 to $2,00 per acre, ac- 
cording to the nature of the work, by teams and 
men hired for the purpose, for the Lower Sioux, 
about 500 acres, and for the Upper Sioux, about 
475 acres. There were, also, at the same time, 
ploughed by the farmer Indians and the depart- 
ment teams, about 250 acres for the Lower, and 



190 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX JI ASS ACME. 



about 325 acres for the Upper Sioux. This fall 
ploughing was continued until the frost prevented 
its further prosecution. It was done to facilitate 
the work of the agricultural department, and to 
kill the worms which had proved so injurious the 
previous year. * * * 

"The carpenter-shops at both Agencies were 
supplied with lumber for the manufacture and re- 
pair of sleds, wagons, and other farming utensils. 
Sheds were erected for the protection of the cattle 
and utensils of the depertment, and the farmer 
Indians, assisted by the department carpenters, 
erected stables, pens, and out-houses for the pro- 
tection of their eatt-.e, horses and utensils. * * 
Hay, grain, and other supplies were provided, 
and, in short, every thing was done which the 
means at command of the agent would justify. 

"The work of the autumn being thus closed, I 
set about making preparations for the work of the 
next spring and summer, and in du'ectiug the 
work of the winter. I made calculations to erect, 
during the summer and autumn of 18G2, at least 
fifty dwelling-houses for Indian families, at an 
estimated average cost of $300 each; and also to 
aid the farmer Indians in erecting as many ad- 
ditional dwellings as possible, not to exceed thirty 
or forty; and to have planted for the Lower 
Sioux, at least 1,200 acres, and for the Upper 
Sioux, at least 1,300 acres of crops, and to have 
all the land planted, except that at Big Stone 
Lake, inclosed by a fence. 

"To carry out these calculations, early in the 
the winter the sui^erintendeuts of farms, the black- 
smiths, the carpenters, and the superintendents of 
schools were directed to furnish estimates for the 
amount of agricultural implements, horses, oxen, 
wagons, carts, building material, iron, steel, tools, 
and supplies needed to carry on suc^essi'iilly their 
several departments for one year from the open- 
ing of navigation in the spring of 18G2. 

"These estimates were prepared and furnished 
me about the 1st of February. In accordance 
with these estimates, I proceeded to purchase, in 
open market, the articles and supplies recommend- 
ed. 

■'I made the estimates for one year, and pur- 
chases accordingly, in order to secure the benefit 
of transportation by water in the spring, and thus 
avoid the delays, vexations, and extra expense of 
transportation by land in the fall. The bulk of 
))Urchascs were made with the distinct understaud- 
inj; tliat payment would be made out of the fiin.ls 



belonging to the quarter in which the goods, im- 
plements, or supplies, were expended." 

"Thus it will be seen that, in the spring of 1862, 
there was on hand sujiplies and material sufficient 
to carry us through the coming year. * * -* 
Thus, to all appearance, the spring season opened 
propitiously. * * * To carry out my original 
design of having as much as possible planted for 
the Indians at Big Stone Lake and Lac qui Parle 
as early in the month of May, 1862, as the condi- 
tion of the swollen streams would permit, I visited 
Lac qui Parle and Big Stone Lake, going as far 
as North Island, in Lake Traverse, having with 
me Antoine Freniere, United States Interpreter, 
Dr. .J. L. Wakefield, physician of the Upper Sioux, 
and Nelson Givens, assistant A.geut. At Lac qui 
Parle I found the Indians willing and anxious to 
plant. I inquired into their condition and wants, 
and made arrangements to have them supplied 
with seeds and implements, and directed Amos W. 
Huggins, the school teacher there, to aid and in- 
struct them in their work, and to make proper 
distrilnition of the seeds and implements furnished, 
and placed at his disposal an ox-team and wagon 
and two breaking-teams, with instructions to de- 
vote his whole time and attention to the superin- 
tendence and instruction of the resident Indians 
during the planting season, and until the crops 
were cultivated and safely harvested. 

"I also found the Indians at Big Stone Lake and 
Lake Traverse very anxious to plant, but without 
any means whatever so to do. I looked over their 
fields in order to see what could be done. After 
having inquired into the whole matter, I instructed 
Mr. Givens to remain at Big Stone Lake and su- 
perintend and direct the agriciiltural operations 
of the season, and to remain there until it was too 
late to plant any rnore. I placed at his disposal 
ten double plough teams, with men to operate 
them, and ordered forward at once one hundred 
bushels of seed corn and five hrmdred bushels of 
seed potatoes, with pumpkin, squash, turnip, -and 
other seeds, in reasonable proportion, together 
with a sufficient supply of ploughs, hoes, and 
other inqjlements for the Indians, and a black- 
smith to repair breakages; and directed him to 
see that every Indian, and every Indian horse or 
;iouy, did as much work as was possible. * * 

"On my way down to the agency, i visited the 
plantings of TahampihVla, (Battling Moccasin), 
.Mazasha, (Bed Iron), Mahpiya Wicasta, (Cloud 
Man), and Battling Cloud, and found that the 



MAJOn UALBUAlTira REPORT. 



191 



Supeimtpndent of Fiirms for tlie Upper Sioiix luid, 
in accordance with my iustruetions, been faithfully 
attending to the ■wants of these bands. He had 
supplied them with implements and seeds, and I 
left them at work. On my arrival at the Agency, 
I found that the farmer Indians residing there- 
abouts had, in my absence, been industriously at 
work, and had not only completed their plowing, 
but had planted very extensively. The next day 
after my arrival at the Agency, I visited each 
farmer Indian at the Yellow Medicine, and con- 
gratulated him on his prospect for a good erojj. 
and spoke to him such words of encouragement 
"IS occurred to me. 

'•The nest day I proceeded to the Lower Agency, 
and then taking with me Mr. A. H. Wagner, the 
Sujieriutendent of Farms for the Lower Sioux, I 
went around each planting, and, for the second 
time, visited each farmer Indian, and found that, 
in general, my instructions had been carried out. 
The plowing was generally completed in good 
•order, and the jjlanting nearly all done, and many 
of the farmer Indians were engaged in repairing 
old and making new fences. I was j^leased and 
gratified, and so told the Indians — the prospect 
was so encouraging. 

"About the tirst of July I visited all the plant- 
ings of both the Upper and Lower Sioux, except 
those at Big Stone Lake, and found, in nearly 
every instance, the prospects for good crops very 
hopeful indeed. The superintendents of farms, 
the male school teachers, and all the employes 
assisting them, had done their duty. About this 
time Mr. Givens returned from Big Stone Lake, 
and reporte 1 to me his success there. . Prom all I 
knew and all I thus learned, I was led to believe 
that we would have no 'starving Indians' to feed 
the next winter, and little did I dream of the un- 
forlunate and terrible outbreak which, m a short 
time, burst upon us, * * * 

•'In the fall of 1861, a good and substantial 
school-room and dwelling, a store-house and black- 
smith-shop, were completed at Lac qui Parle, and, 
about the first of November, Mr. Amos W. Ilug- 
gius and his family occupied the dwelling, and, 
assisted by Miss Julia LaFrambois, prepared the 
school-room, and devoted their whole time to 
' teaching such Indian children as they could in- 
duce to attend the school. 

"The storehouse was supplied with provisions, 
which Mr. Huggins was instructed to issue to the 
children and their parents at his discretion. Here 



it may be permitted me to remark to Mr. Hug- 
gins, who was born and raised among the Sioux, 
and Miss LaFrambois, who was a Sioux mixed- 
blood, were two peraons entirely capable and in 
every respect qualified for the discharge of the 
duties of their situation, than whom the Indians 
had no more devoted filends. They livctl amoijg 
the Indians of choice, because they thought they 
could be beneficial to them. Mr. Huggins exer- 
cised nothing but kindness toward them. He fed 
them when hungry, clothed them when naked, 
attended them when sick, and advised and cheered 
them in all their difficulties. He was intelligent, 
entrgetic, industrious, and good, and yet he was 
one of the first victims of the outbreak, shot down 
like a dog by the very Indians whom he had so 
long and so well served. •■■•■ -**■•;:*** 
"In the month of June, 18(52, being well aware 
of the influence exerted by Little Ci-ow over the 
blanket Indians, and, by his plausibility, led to 
believe that he intended to act in good faith, I 
promised to build him a good brick house pro- 
vided that he would agree to aid me in bringing 
around the idle young men to habits of industry 
and civilization, and that he would abandon the 
leader-hip of the blanket Indians and become a 
'white man.' 

"This being well understood, as I thought, I 
directed Mr. Nairn, the carpenter of the Lower 
Sioux, to make out the plan and estimates for 
Crow's house, and to jjroceed at 07ice to make the 
window and door frames, and to prepare the lum- 
ber necessary for the building, and ordered the 
teamsters to deliver the necessary amoimt of brick 
as soon ;.s possible. Little Crow agreed to dig 
the cellar and haul the necessary lumber, both of 
which he had commenced. The carpenter had 
nearly comjjleied his part of the work, and the 
brick was being promptly delivered at the time 
of the outbreak. 

"On the 15th of August, only fluve days pre- 
vious to the outbreak, I had an interview with 
Little Crow, and he seemed to be well pleased and 
satisfied. Little indeed did I suspect, at that 
time, Ihot he would be the leader in the terrible 
outbreak of the 18th." 

There were planted, acct)rding to the statement 
of Agent Galbraith in his report, on the lower 
reservation, one thousand and twenty-five acres of 
corn, two hundred and sixty acres of potatoes, 
sixty acres of turnips and ruta-bagas, and twelve 
acres of wheat, besides a large quantity of field 



192 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



and garden vegetables. These crops, at a low 
estimate, would have harvested, in the fall, 74,865 
bushels. There were, on the lower reservation, 
less than three thousand Indians, all told. This 
croj), therefore, would have yielded full twenty- 
tive bushels to each man, woman and child, in- 
cluding the blanket as well as the farmer Indians 

There were, also, of growing crops, in fine con- 
dition, on the upjjer reservation, one thousand one 
hundred and ten acres of corn, three hundred 
acres of potatoes, ninety acres of turnips and 
ruta-bagas, and twelve acres of wheat, and field 
and garden vegetables in due proportion. These, 
at a low estimate, would have harvested 85,740 
liushels. There were, on the upper reservation, a 
little over four thousand annuity Sioux. This 
crop, therefore, would have harvested them about 
twenty-one bushels for each man, woman and 
chOd, including, also, the blanket Indians. 

Thus, under the beneficent workings of the hu- 
mane policy of the Government inaugurated in 
1858, they were fast becoming an independent 
people. Let it be borne in mmd, however, that 
these results, so beneficial to the Indian, were ac- 
complished only through the sleepless vigilance 
and untiring energy of those who had the welfare 
of these rude, savage beings in their care. 

Major Galbraith, after giving these statistics of 
the crops on the reservations, and the arrange- 
ments made for gathering, hay, by the Indians, 
for their winter's use, says: 

"I need hardly say that our hojjGs were high at 
the prospects before us, nor need I relate my 
chagrin and mortification when, in a moment, I 
found these high hopes blasted forever." 

Such, then, was the condition, present and pros- 
pective, of the "Annuity Sioux Indians," in the 
summer of 1862. No equal number of pioneer 
settlers on the border could, at that time, make a 
better showing than was exhibited on these reser- 
vations. They had in fair prospect a surplus over 
and above the wants of the entire tribes for the 
coming year. This had never before occurred in 
their history. 

The sagacity and wise forethought of their 
agent, and the uuusiuilly favorable season, had 
amply provided against the possibility of recurring 
want. The coming winter would have found their 
granaries full to overflowing. Add to this the 
fact that they had a large cash annuity coming to 
them from the Govonmont, as well as large 
amounts of goods, consisting of blankets, cloths. 



groceries, flour and meats, powder, shot, lead, etc., 
and we confidently submit to the enlightened 
reader the whole question of their alleged griev- 
ances, confident that there can be but one verdict 
at their hands, and that the paternal care of the 
Government over them was good and just; nay, 
generous, and that those having the immediate su- 
pervision of their interests were performing their 
whole duty, honestly and nobly. 

The hopes of the philanthrojjist and Christian 
beat high. They believed the day was not far 
distant when it could be said that the Sioux Indi- 
ans, as a race, not only cmild be civilized, but that 
here were whole tribes who were civilized, and had 
abandoned the chase and the war-2)ath for the cul- 
tivation of the soil and the arts of peace, and that 
the juggleries and sorcery of the medicine-men 
had been abandoned for the milder teachings of 
the missionaries of the Cross. 

How these high hopes were dashed to the earth, 
extinguished in an ocean of blood, and their own 
bright prospects utterly destroyed, by their horri- 
ble and monstrous perfidy and unheard of atroci- 
ties, it will be our work, in these pages, to show. 

We are now rapidly approaching the fatal and 
bloody denouement, the terrible 18th of August, 
the memory of which will linger in the minds of 
the survivors of its tragic scenes, and the succeed- 
ing days and weeks of horror and blood, till rea- 
son kindly ceases to perform its office, and blots 
out the fearful record in the oblivion of the grave. 

Again we quote from the able report of Major 
Galbraith : 

"About the 25th of June, 1862, a number of the 
chiefs and head men of the Sissetons and Wapa- 
tons visited the Agency and inquired about the 
payments; whether they were going to get any 
(as they had been told, as they alleged, that they 
would not be paid,) and if so, how much, and 
when? I answered them that they would cer- 
tainly be paid; exactly how much I could not 
say, but that it would be nearly, if not quite, a 
full payment; that I did not know when the pay- 
ment would be made, but that I felt sure it could 
not be made before the 20th of July. I advised 
them to go home, and admonished them not to come 
back again QntU I sent for them. I issued pro- 
visions, powder and shot and tobacco to them, and 
they departed. 

'• In a few days after I went to the Lower Agency, 
and spoke to the lower Indians in regard to their 
jxiynients. As thev aU Uved within a few luilcs of 



ATTACK Oy UPPER AGENOl'. 



193 



tlic Agency, littlo was said, as, whou tho money 
camp, they could be called together in a day. I 
remained about one week there, visiting the farms 
and plantings, and issued to the Indians a good 
supply of pork, flour, powder, shot, and tobacco, 
and urged upon them the necessity of cutting and 
securing hay for the winter, and. of watching and 
keeping the birds from their corn. 

" I left them apparently satisfied, and arrived at 
Yellow Medicine on the 14th of July, aud found, 
to my surprise, that nearly all the Upper Indians 
had arrived, and were encamped about the Agency. 
I inquired of them why they had come, and they 
answered, that they were afraid something was 
wrong; they feared they would not get their 
money, because whUe vuii had been telling them so. 

" Being in daUy expectation of tho ari'ival of 
the money, I determined to make the best of it, 
and notified the Superintendent of Indian Aflairs 
accordingly. 

"How were over 4,000 Annuity, and over 1,000 
Tanktonais Sioux, with nothing to eat, and entirely 
dependent on me for supplies, to be provided for? 
I supplied them as best I could. Our stock was 
nearly used up, and still, on the 1st day of Au- 
gust, no money had come. 

" The Indians complained of starvation. I held 
back, in order to save the provisions to the last 
moment. On the 4th of August, early in the 
morning, the young men and soldiers, to the num- 
ber of not less than four hundred mounted, and 
one hundred and fifty on foot, surprised and de- 
ceived the commander of the troops on guard, 
and sirrrounded the camp, and proceeded to 
the warehouse in a boisterous manner, and in 
sight of, and within one hundred and fifty 
yards of one hundred armed men, with two 
twelve-pound mountain howitzers, cut down the 
door of the warehouse, shot down the American 
flag, and entered the building, and before they 
could be stopped had carried over one hundred 
sacks of flour from the warehouse, and were evi- 
dently bent on a general 'clearing out.' 

"The soldiers, now recovered from their panic, 
came gallantly to our aid, entered the warehouse 
and took possession. The Indians all stood around 
with their guns loaded, cocked and leveled. I 
spoke to them, and they consented to a talk. The 
result was, that they agreed, if I would give them 
plenty of pork and flour, and issue to them the 
annuity rjoods the next day, they would go away. 
I told them to go away with enough to eat for twv 

13 



datjs, and to send the chiefs and head men for a 
council tlic next day, unarmed and peaceably and 
I would answ'er them. They assented and went 
to their camp. In the meantime I had sout for 
Captain Mar.-fh, the commandant of Fort Ridgely, 
who promptly arrived early in the morniug of the 
next day. 

"I laid the whole case before him, and stated 
my plan. He agreed with me, and, in the after- 
noon, the Indians, unarmed, and apparently 
peaceably disposed, came in, and we had a 'talk,' 
aud, in the presence of Captain Marsh, Kev. Mr. 
Kiggs and others, I agreed to issue the annuity 
goods and a fixed amount of provisions, provided 
the Indians would go home and watch their corn, 
and wait for the payment until they were sent for. 
They assented. I made, on the 6th, 7th and 8th 
of August the issues as agreed upon, assisted by 
Captain Marsh, and, on the 9th of August tho In- 
dians were all gone, and on tiie 12th I had defi- 
nite information that the Sissetons, who had started 
on the 7th, had all arrived at Big ^one Lake, and 
that the men were preparing to go on a buffalo 
hunt, and that the women and children were to 
stay and guard the crops. Thus this threatening 
and disagreeable event passed off, but, as usual, 
without the punishment of a single Indian who 
had. been engaged in the attack on the warehouse. 
They should have been punished, but they were 
not, and simply because we had not the power to 
punish them. And hence we had to adopt the 
same 'sugar-plum' policy which had been so often 
adopted before with the Indians, and esj^ecially at 
the time of the Spirit Lake massacre, in 1857." 

On the 12th day of August, thirty men enlisted 
at Yellow Medicine; and, on the 13th, accomi^a- 
nied by the agent, proceeded to the Lower Agency, 
where, on the 14th, they were joined by twenty 
more, making about fifty in all. On the afternoon 
of the 15th they proceeded to Fort Ridgely, where 
they remained imtil the morning of the 17th, 
when, having been furnished by Cajjtain Marsh 
'with transportation, accompanied by Lieutenant 
N. K. Culver, Sergeant McGrew, and four men of 
Company B, Fifth Minnesota Volunteers, they 
started for Fort Snelling by the way of New TUm 
and St. Peter, little dreaming of the terrible mes- 
sage, the news of which would reach them at the 
latter place next day, and turn them back to the 
defense of that post and the border. 

On Monday morning, the 18th, at about 8 
o'clock, they left New Ulm, and reached St. Peter 



194 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



at about 4 o'clock P. M. About 6 o'clock, Mr. J. 
C. Dickinson arrived from the Lower Agency, 
bringing the startling news that the Indians bad 
broken out, and, before he left, had commenced 
murdering the whites. 

They at once set about making preparations to 
return. There were in St. Peter some litty old 
Harper's Ferry muskets; these they obtained, and, 
procuring ammunition, set about preparing cart-^ 
ridges, at which many of them worked all night, 
and, at sunrise on Tuesday morning were on their 
way back, with heavy hearts and dark forebodings, 
toward the scene of trouble. 

In the night Sergeant Sturgis, of Captain 
Marsh's company, had arrived, on his way to St. 
Paul, with dispatches to Governor Ramsey, from 
Lieutenant Thomas Gere, then in command of 
Fort Eidgely, bringing the sad news of the des- 
truction of Captain Marsh and the most of his 
command at the ferry, at the Lower Agency, on 
Monday afternoon. They had but a slender 
chance of rea<Aing the fort in safety, and still less 
of saving it from destruction, for they knew that 
there were not over twenty-five men left in it. 
Lieutenant Sheehan, with his company, having 
left for Fort Ripley on the 17th, at the same time 
that the "Renville Rangers" (the company from 
the Agencies) left for Fort SneUing. Their friends, 
too, were in the very heart of the Indian country. 
Some of them had left their«wives and little ones 
at Yellow Medicine, midway between the Lower 
Agency and the wild bands of the Sissetons and 
Yanktonais, who made the attack upon the ware- 
house at that Agency only two weeks before. 
Their hearts almost died within them as they 
thought of the dreadful fate awaiting them at the 
hands of those savage and blood-thirsty monsters. 
But they turned their faces toward the West, de- 
tennined, if Fort Ridgely was yet untaken, to enter 
it, or die in the attempt, and at about simdown 
entered the fort, and found all within it as yet 
safe. 

A messenger had been sent to Lieutenant Shee- 
han, who immediately turned back and had enter- 
ed the fort a few hours before Dhem. There were 
in the fort, on their arrival, over two hundred and 
fifty refugees, principally women and children, 
and they continued to come in, until there were 
nearly three hundred. 

Here they remained on duty, night and day, 
until the morning of the '28th, when reinforce- 



ments, imder Colonel McPhail and Captain Anson 
Northrup and E. H. Chittenden arrived. 

The annuity money by Superintendent Thomp- 
son had been dispatched to the Agency in charge 
of his clerk, accompanied by E. A. C. Hatch, J. 
C. Ramsey, M. A. Daily, and two or three others. 
On their arrival at the fort, on Tuesday night, 
Major Galbraith foimd these gentlemen there, 
they having arrived at the post Monday noon, the 
very day of the outbreak. Had they been one day 
sooner they would have been at the Lower Agency, 
and their names would have been added, in all 
probability, to the long roll of the victims, at that 
devoted point of Indian barbarity, and about 
$10,000 in gold would have fallen into the hands 
of the savages. 

These gentlemen were in the fort during the 
siege which followed, and were among the bravest 
of its brave defenders. Major Hatch, afterwards 
of "Hatch's Battalion" (cavalry), was particu- 
lary conspicuous for his cool corn-age and undaunt- 
ed bravery. 

Thus it will be seen how utterly false was the 
information which the Indians said they had re- 
ceived that they were to get no money. 

And notwithstanding all that has been said as 
to the cause of the outbreak, it may be remarked 
that the removal of the agent from Yellow Medi- 
cine, with the troops raised by him for the South- 
ern Rebellion, at the critical period when the In- 
dians were exasperated and excited, and ready at 
any moment to arm for warfare upon the whites, 
was one of the causes acting directly upon the In- 
dians to precipitate the blow that afterwards fell 
upon the border settlements of Minnesota on the 
18th of August, 1862. Had he remained with his 
family at Yellow Medicine, as did the Winnebago 
agent, with his family, at the agency, the strong 
probabihty is that the attack at Yellow Medicine 
might have been delayed, if not entirely pre- 
vented. 



CHAPTER XXXm. 

MURDER AT AOTON MASSACRE AT THE LOWER 

AGENCY CAPTURE OP MATTIE WILLIAMS, MARY 

ANDERSON AND MARY SCHWANDT MURDER OF 

GEORGE GLEASON — -CAPTURE OF MRS. WAKEFIELD 
AND CHILDREN. 

We come now to the massacre itself, the terrible 
blow which fell, like a thunderbolt from a clear 
sky, with such ai^palling force and suddenness, 



MUHDKliS AT ACTON. 



195 



upon the unarmed and defenceless border, crim- 
soning its fair fields with the blood of its murdered 
people, and lighting up the midnight sky with 
the hirid blaze of burning dwellings, by the light 
of which the affrighted survivors tied from the 
nameless terrors that beset their path, before the 
advancing gleam of the uplifted tomahawk, many 
of them only to fall victims to the Indian bullet, 
while vainly seeking a place of security. 

The first blow fell upon the town of Acton, 
thirty-five miles north-east of the Lower Sioux 
agency, in the county of Meeker. On Sunday, 
August 17, 18G2, at 1 o'clock P. M., sis Sioux In- 
dians, said to be of Shakopee's band of Lower An- 
nuity Sioux, came to the house of Jones and de- 
manded food. It was refused them, as Mrs. Jones 
was away from home, at the house of Mr. Howard 
Baker, a son-in-law, three fourths of a mile dis- 
tant. They became angry and boisterous, and 
fearing violence at their bands, Mr. Jones took 
his children, a boy and a girl, and went himself to 
Baker's, leaving at the house a girl from fourteen 
to sixteen years of age, and a boy of twelve — 
brother and sister — who lived with him. The In- 
dians soon followed on to Baker's. At Howard 
Baker's were a Mr. Webster and his wife. Baker 
and wife and infant child, and Jones and his wife 
and two children. 

Soon aft«r reaching the house, the Indians pro- 
posed to the three men to join them in target- 
shooting. They consented, and all discharged 
their guns at the target. Mr. Baker then traded 
guns with an Indian, the savage giving him $3 
as the difference in the value of the guns. Then 
all commenced loading again. The Indians got 
the charges into their guns first, and immediately 
turned and shot Jones. Mrs. Jones and Mrs. 
Baker were standing in the door. When one of 
the savages leveled his gun at Mrs. Baker, her 
husband saw the movement, and sprang between 
them, receiving the bullet intended for his wife 
in his own body. At the same time they shot 
Webster and Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Baker, who had 
her infant in her arms, seeing her husband fall, 
fainted, and fell backward into the cellar (a trap- 
door being open), and thus escaped. Mrs. Web- 
ster was lying in their wagon, from which the 
goods were not yet unloaded, and escaped unhurt. 
The children of Mr. Jones were in the house, and 
were not molested. They then returned to the 
house of Mr. Jones, and killed and scalped the girl. 
The boy was lying on the bed and was undiscov- 



ered, but was a silent witness of the tragic fate of 
his sister. 

After killing the girl the savages left without 
disturbing anything, and going directly to the 
house of a settler, took from his stable a span of 
horses already iu the harness, and while the fam- 
ily was at dinner, hitched them to a wagon stand- 
ing near, and without molesting any one, drove 
off in the direction of Beaver Creek settlement and 
the Lower Agency, leaving Acton at about 3 
o'clock in the afternoon. This span of horses, har- 
ness and wagon were the only property taken from 
the neighborhood by them. 

The boy at Jones's who escaped massacre at 
their hands, and who was at the house during the 
entire time that they were there, avers that they 
obtained no liquor there that day, but even that 
when they came back and murdered his sister, the 
bottles upon the shelf were untouched by them. 
They had obtained none on their first visit before 
going over to Baker's. It would seem, therefore, 
that the very general belief that these first mur- 
ders at Acton, on the 17th, were the result of 
drunkenness, is a mistake. 

Mrs. Baker, who was unhurt by the fall, re- 
mained in the cellar until after the Indians were 
gone, when, taking the children, she started for a 
neighboring settlement, to give the alarm. Before 
she left, an Irishman, calling himself Cox, came 
to the house, whom she asked to go with her, and 
carry her child. Cox laughed, saying, "the men 
were not dead, but drunk, and that, falling down, 
they had hurt their noses and made them bleed," 
and refusing to go with Mrs. Baker, went off in 
the direction taken by the Indians. This man 
Cox had frequently been seen at the Lower Agen- 
cy, and was generally supposed fo be an insane 
man, wandering friendless over the country. It 
has been supjjosed by many that he was in league 
with the Indians. We have only to say, if he was, 
he counterfeited insanity remarkably well. 

Mrs. Baker reached the settlement in safety, and 
on the next day (Monday) a company of citizens 
of Forest City, the county seat of Meeker county, 
went out to Acton to bury the dead. Forest City 
is twelve miles north of that place. The party 
who went out on Monday saw Indians on horse- 
back, and chased them, but faDed to get near 
enough to get a shot, and they escaped. 

As related in a preceding chapter, a council was 
held at Rice Creek on Sunday, at which it was de- 
cided that the fearful tragedy should commence 



196 



U I STORY OF TEE SIOUX MASSAOBE. 



on the next morning. It is doubtful whether the 
Aoton murders were tlien known to these con- 
spirators, as this council assembled in the after- 
noon, and the savages who committed those mur- 
ders had some forty miles to travel, after 3 o'clock 
in the afternoon, to reach the place of tliis coun- 
cil. It would seem, therefore, that those murders 
could have had no influence in precipitating this 
council, as they could not, at that time, have been 
kuown to Little Crow and his conspirators. 

The final decision of these fiends must have been 
made as early as sundown; for by early dawn al- 
most the entire force of warriors, of the Lower 
tribes, were ready for the work of slaughter. They 
were already armed and pamted, and dispersed 
through the scattered settlements, over a region at 
least forty miles in extent, and were rajjldly gath- 
ering in the vicinity of the Lower Agency, until 
some 250 were collected at that point, and sur- 
rounded the houses and stores of the traders, 
while yet the inmates were at their morning meal, 
or asleep in their beds in fancied security, all un- 
conscious of the dreadful fate that awaited them. 
The action was concerted, and the time fixed. 
The blow was unexpected, and unparalleled! In 
the language af Adjutent-General Malmros: 

"Since the formation of our general Govern- 
ment, no State or Territory of the EepubUc has 
received so severe a blow at the hands of the sav- 
ages, or witnessed within its borders a parallel 
scene of murder, butchery, and rapine." 

Philander Prescott, the aged Government In- 
terpreter at that Agency, who had resided among 
the Sioux for forty-five years, having a wife and 
children allied to them by ties of blood, and who 
knew their language and spoke it better than any 
man of their own race, aud who seemed to under- 
stand every Indian impulse, had not the sUghtest 
intimation or conception of such a catastrophe as 
was about to fall upon the country. The Rev. S. 
R. Riggs, in a letter to a St. Paul paper, imder 
date of August 13, writes that "all is qaiet and 
orderly at the place of the forthcoming payment." 
This gentleman had been a missionary among 
these people for over a (juarter of a century. His 
■ intimate acquaintance with their character and 
language were of such a nature as to enable him 
to know and detect the first symptoms of any in- 
tention of committing any dejjredations upon the 
whites, and had not the greatest secrecy been ob- 
served by them, the knowledge of their designs 
would undoubtedly have been communicated to 



either Mr. Proscott, Mr. Riggs, or Dr. Williamson, 
who had also been among them almost thirty 
years. Such was the position of these gentlemen 
that, had they discovered or suspected any lurking 
signs of a conspiracy, such as after developments 
satisfy us actually existed, and had failed to com- 
municate it to the authorities and the people, they 
would have laid themselves open to the horrible 
charge of complicity with the murderers. But 
whatever may be the jsubhc judgement upon the 
course afterward pursued by the two last-named 
gentlemen, in their efforts to shield the guilty 
wretches from that punishment their awful crimes 
so justly merited, no one who knows them would 
for a moment harbor a belief that they had any 
suspicion of the coming storm until it burst upon 
them. 

A still stronger proof of the feeling of security 
of these uiDon the reservation, and the belief that 
the recent demonstrations were only such as werii 
of yearly occurrence, and that all danger wa& 
passed, is to be found in the fact that, as late au, 
the 15th of August, the substance of a dispatcl/. 
was published in the daily papers of St. Pauly 
from Majoi' Galbraith, agreeing fully with thu 
views of Mr. Riggs, as to the quiet and orderly 
conduct of the Indians. This opinion is accom- 
panied by the very highest evidence of humau 
sincerity. Under the belief of their peaceabla^ 
disposition, he had, on the 16th day of August, 
sent his wife and children from Fort Ridgely ti 
Yellow Medicine, where they arrived on Sunday, 
the 17th, the very day of the murda/o at Acton,, 
and on the very day, also, that the tAuncil at Rico 
Creek had decided that the white tbce in Minne^- 
sota must either perish or be drivfcii back east oj" 
the Mississippi. But early on tijs fatal Mondaj 
morning Mr. Prescott and Re-/. J. D. Hiamaw 
learned from Little Crow that the storm of s^vagti 
wrath was gathering, and about to break upo^ 
their devoted heads, and that Iheir only safety 
was in instant flight. 

The first crack of the India* guns that fell n/, 
his ear, a moment afterward, found Prescott auii 
Hinman, and his household iJeetng for their lives, 

"While on the billowy bosom ai the air 
I^oUed the dread notes of anguish and despair." 

Mrs. Hinman was, fortunately, then at Fari- 
bault. All the other members of the family es- 
caped with Mr. Hinman (o Fort Ridgely. The 
slaughter at the Agency now commenced. John 
Lamb, a teamster, was shot down, near the house 



MASSACRE AT LOWER AGENCY. 



197 



of Mr. Hinman, just as that gentleman and liis 
family were starting on their perilous journey of 
escape. At the same time some Indians entered 
the stable, and were taking therefrom the horses 
belonging to the Government. Mr. A. H. Wag- 
ner, Superintendent of Farms at that Agency, en- 
tered the stable to prevent them, and was, by order 
of Little Crow, instantly shot down. Mr. Hin- 
man waited to see and hear no more, but fled 
toward the ferry, anU soon put the Minnesota river 
between himself and the terril>le tragedy enact- 
ing behind him. 

At about the same time, Mr. J. C. Dicliinson, 
who kept the Government boarding-house, with 
all his family, including several girls who were 
working for him, also succeeded in crossing the 
river with a span of horses and a wagon; these, 
with some others, mostly women and children, who 
had reached the ferry, escaped to the fort. 

Very soon after. Dr. Philander P. Humphrey, 
physician to the Lower Sioux, with his sick 
wife, and three children, also siicceeded in 
crossing the river, but never reached the fort. 
All but one, the eldest, a boy of about twelve 
years of age, were killed upon the road. They 
had gone about four miles, when Mrs. Humphrey 
became so much exhaiisted as to be unable to pro- 
ceed further, and they went into tlje house of a 
Mr. Magner, deserted by its inmates. Mrs. Hum- 
phrey was placed on the bed; the son was sent to 
the spring for water for his mother. * * The 
boy heard the wild war-whovip of the savage 
break upon the stillness of the air, and, in the 
nest moment, the ominous crack of their guns, 
which told the fate of his family, and left him its 
sole survivor. Fleeing hastily toward Port Eidge- 
ly, about eight miles distant, he met the com- 
mand of Captain Marsh on their way toward the 
Agency. The young hero turned back with them 
to the ferry. As they passed Magner's house, 
they saw the Doctor lying near the door, dead, 
but the hou5e itself was a heap of smouldering 
ruins; and this brave boy was thus compelled to 
look Bpon the funeral pyre of his mother, and his 
little brother and sister. A burial party afterward 
found their charred remains amid the blackened 
ruins, and gave them Christian sepulture. In the 
charred hands of the little girl was found her china 
doU, with which she refused to part even in death. 
The boy went on to the ferry, and in that disas- 
trous coullict escaped unharmed, and finally made 
liis way into the fort 



In the mean time the work of death went on. 
The whites, taken by surprise, were utterly de- 
fenseless, and so great had been the feeling of se- 
curity, that many of them were actually unarmed, 
although living in the very midst of the savages. 
At the store of Nathan Myrick, Hon. James W. 
Lynd, formerly a member of the State Senate, 
Andrew J. Myrick, and G. W. Divoll were among 
the first victims. * * * In the store of Wil- 
liam H. Forbes were some five or six persons, 
among them Mr. George H. Spencer, jr. Hearing 
the yelling of the savages outside, these men ran 
to the door to ascertain its cause, when they were 
instantly fired upon, killing four of their number, 
and severely wounding Mr. Spencer. Spencer and 
his uninjured companion hastUy sought a tempo- 
rary place of safety in the chamber of the build- 
ing. 

Mr. Spencer, in giving an account of this open- 
ing scene of the awful tragedy, says: 

" When I reached the foot of the stairs, I turned 
and beheld the store filling with Indians. One 
had followed me nearly to the stairs, when he took 
deliberate aim at my body, but, providentially, 
both barrels of his gun missed fire, and I succeeded 
in getting above without further injury. Not ex- 
pecting to live a great while, I threw myself upon 
a bed, and, while lying there, could hear them 
opening cases of goods, and carrying them out, 
and threatening to burn the building. I did not 
relish the idea of being burned to death very well, 
so I arose very quietly, and taking a bed-cord, I 
made fast one end to the bed-post, and carried the 
other to a window, which I raised. I intended, in 
case they fired the building, to let myself down 
from the window, and take the chances of being 
shot again, rather than to remain where I was and 
bum. The man who went up-stairs with me, see- 
ing f good opportunity to escape, rushed down 
through the crowd and ran for life; he was fired 
upon, and two charges of buckshot struck him, 
but he succeeded in making his escape. I had 
been up-stairs probably an hour, when I heard the 
voice of an Inilian inquiring for me. I recognized 
his voice, and feli that I was safe. Upon being 
told that I was up-stairs, he rushed up, followed by 
ten or a dozen others, and approaching my bed, 
asked if I was mortally wounded. I told him that 
I did not know, but that I was badly hurt. Some 
of the others came up and took me by the hand, 
and appeared to be sorry that I had been hurt. 
Ti'ev then asked me where the guns were. I 



198 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



pointed to them, when my comrade assisted me in 
getting down stairs. 

" The name of this Indian is Wakinyatawa, or, 
in English, 'His Thunder.' He was, up to the time 
of the outbreak, the head soldier of Little Crow, 
and, some foiu or five years ago, went to Wash- 
ington with that chief to see their Great Father. 
He is a fine-looking Indian, and has always been 
noted for his bravery in fighting the Chippewas. 
When we reached the foot of the stairs, some of 
the Indians cried out, 'Kill him!' 'Spare no 
Americans I' 'Show mercy to none!' My friend, 
who was unarmed, seized a hatchet that was lying 
near by, and declared that he would out down the 
first one that should attempt to do me any further 
harm. Said he, ' If you had killed him before I 
saw him, it would have been all right; bu', we have 
been friends and comrades for ten years, and now 
that I have seen him, I will protect him or die with 
him.' They then made way for us, and we passed 
out; he procured a wagon, and gave me over to a 
couple of squaws to take me to his lodge. On the 
way we were stopped two or three times by armed 
Indians on horseback, who inquired of the squaws 
'What that meant?' Upon being answered that 
' This is Wakinyatawa's friend, and he has saved 
his life,' they sutfered us to pass on. His lodge 
was about four miles above the Agency, at Little 
Crow's village. My friend soon came home and 
washed me, and dressed my wounds with roots. 
Some few white men succeeded in making their 
escape to the fort. There were no other white 
men taken prisoners." 

The relation of "comrade," which existed be- 
tween Mr. Spencer and this Indian, is a species 
of Freemasonry which is in existence among the 
Sioux, and is probably also common to other In- 
dian tribes. 

The store of Louis Robert was, in like manner, 
attacked. Patrick McClellan, one of the clerks in 
charge of the store, was killed. There were at the 
store several other persons; some of them were 
kLUed and some made their escape. Mr. John 
Nairn, the Government carpenter at the Lower 
Sioux Agency, seeing the attack upon the stores 
and other places, seized his children, four in num- 
ber, and, with his wife, started out on the prairie, 
making their way toward the fort. They were 
accompanied by Mr. Alexander Hunter, an at- 
tached personal friend, and his young wife. Mr. 
Nairn had been among them in the employ of the 
Government, some eight years, and had, by his 



urbane manners and strict attention to their in- 
terests, secured the personal friendship of many 
of the tribe. Mr. Nairn and his family reached 
the fort in safety that afternoon. Mr. Hunter had, 
some years before, frozen his feet so badly as to 
lose the toes, and, being lame, walked with great 
difficulty. When near an Indian village below the 
Agency, they were met by an Indian, who urged 
Hunter to go to the village, promising to get them 
a horse and wagon with which to make their es- 
cape. Mr. Hunter and his wife went to the Indian 
village, believing their Indian friend would re- 
deem his promises, but from inability, or some 
other reason, he did not do so. They went to the 
woods, where they remained all night, and in the 
morning started for Fort Ridgely on foot. They 
had gone but a short distance, however, when they 
met an Indian, who, without a word of warning, 
shot poor Hunter dead, and led his distracted 
young wife away into captivity. 

We now return once more to the scene of blood 
and conflagration at the Agency. The white- 
haired interpreter, Philander Prescott (now verg- 
ing upon seventy years of age), hastily left his 
house soon after his meeting with Little Crow, and 
tied toward Fort Ridgely. The other members of 
his family remaiaed behind, knowing that their 
relation to the tribe would save them. Mr. Pres- 
cott had gone several miles, when he was overtaken. 
His murderers came and talked with him. He 
reasoned with them, saying: "I am an old man: 
I have lived with you now forty-five years, almost 
half a century. My wife and children are among 
you, of your own blood; I have never done you 
any harm, and have been your true friend in all 
your troubles; why should you wish to kill me?" 
Their only reply was: "We would save your life 
if we could, but the white man must die; we cannot 
spare your life; our orders are to kill all white 
men; we cannot spare you." 

Seeing that all remonstrance was vain and hope- 
less, and that his time had come, the aged man 
with a firm step and noble bearing, sadly turned 
away from the deaf ear and iron heart of the sav- 
age, and with dignity and composure received the 
fatal messenger. 

Thus perished Philander Prescott, the true, tried, 
and faithful friend of the Indian, by the hands of 
that perfidious race, whom he had so Ion J and so 
faithfully labored to benefit to so little purpose. 

The number of persons who reached Fort Ridge- 
ly from the agency was forty-one. Some are 



AT li ED WOOD niVER. 



199 



known to have reached other places of safety. All 
siifTered incredible hardships; many hidiDg by day 
in the tall prairie grass, in bogs and sloughs, or 
under the trunks of prostrate trees, crawling 
stealthily by night to avoid the lurking and wily 
foe, who, with the keen scent of the blood-hound 
and ferocity of the tiger, followed on their trail, 
thirsting for blood. 

Among those who escaped into the fort were 
Mr. J. 0. Whipple, of Farib.ault; Mr. Charles B. 
Hewitt, of New Jersey. The services of Mr. 
Whipple were recognized and rewarded by the 
Government with a first lieutenant's commis- 
sion in the volunteer artiUory service. 

James Powell, a young man residing at St. 
Peter, was at the Agency herding cattle. He bad 
just turned the cattle out of the yard, saddled and 
mounted his mule, as the work of death com- 
menced. Seeing Lamb and Wagner shot down 
near him he turned to flee, when Lamb called to 
him for help; but, at that moment two shots were 
fired at him, and, putting spurs to his mule he 
turned toward the ferry, passing close to an In- 
dian who leveled his gun to fire at him; but the 
caps exploded, when the savage, evidently sur- 
prised that he had failed to kill him, waved his 
hand toward the river, and exclaimed, "Puckachee! 
Puckachee!" Pcwell did not wait for a second 
warning, which might come in a more unwelcome 
form, but slipped at once from the back of his an- 
imal, dashed down the bluff through the brush, 
and reached the ferry just as the boat was leaving 
the shore. Looking over his shoulder as he ran, 
he saw an Indian in full pursuit on the very mule 
he had a moment before abandoned. 

All that day the work of sack and plunder went 
on; and when the stores and dwellings and the 
warehouses of the Government had been emptied 
of their contents, the torch was applied to the var^ 
ious buildings, and the little village was soon a 
heap of smouldering ruins. 

The bodies of their slain victims were left to fes- 
ter in the sun where they fell, or were consumed 
in the bmldings from which they had been unable 
to effect their escape. 

So complete was the surprise, and so sudden 
and unexpected the terril^le blow, that not a sin- 
gle one of all that host of naked savages was slain. 
In thirty minutes from the time the first gun was 
fired, not a white person was left alive. All were 
either weltering in their gore or had fled in fear 
and terror from that place of death. 



EEDWOOD RIVER. 

At the Kedwood river, ten miles above the 
Agency, on the road to Yellow Medicine, resided 
Mr. Joseph B. Reynolds, in the employment of 
tha Government as a teacher. His house was 
within one mile of Shakopee's vUlage. His family 
consisted of his wife, a niece — Miss Mattie Wil- 
Uams, of Painesville, Ohio — Mary Anderson and 
Mary Schwandt, hired girls. William Landmeicr, 
a hired man, and Legrand Davis, a young man 
from Shakopee, was also stopping with them tem- 
porarily. 

On the morning of the 18th of August, at about 
6 o'clock, John Moore, a half-breed trader, resid- 
ing near them, came to the house and informed 
them that there was an outbreak among the In- 
dians, and that they had better leave at once. Mr. 
Reynolds immediately got out liis buggy, and, 
taking his wife, started off across the prairie in 
such a direction as to avoid the Agency. At the 
same time Davis and the three girls got into the 
wagon of a Mr. Patoile, a trader at Yellow Medi- 
cine, who had just arrived there on his way to New 
Ulm, and they also started out on the prairie. 
WiUiam, the hired man, would not leave until he 
had been twice warned by Moore that his life was 
in danger. He then went down to the river bot- 
tom, and following the Minnesota river, started for 
the fort. When some distance on his way he 
came upon some Indians who were gathering up 
cattle. They saw him and there was no way of 
escape. They came to him and told him that if 
he would»assist them in driving the cattle they 
would not kill him. Making a merit of necessity 
he complied, and went on with them till they were 
near the Lower Agency, when the Indians, hear- 
ing the firing at the ferry, suddenly left him and 
hastened on to take part in the battle then pro- 
gressing between Captain Marsh and their friends. 
WiUiam fled in an opjjosite direction, and that 
night entered Fort Ridgely. 

We return now to Patoile and his party. 
After crossing the Redwood near its mouth, he 
drove some distance up that stream, and, turnin" 
to the left, struck across the prairie toward New 
Ulm, keeping behind a sweU in the prairie which 
ran parallel with the Minnesota, some three miles 
south of that stream. 

They had, unpursued, and apparently unob- 
served, reached a point within about ten mdes of 
New Ulm, and nearly opposite Fort Ridgely, when 
they were suddenly assailed by Indians, who 



200 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



killed Patoile and Davis, and severely wounded 
Mary Anderson. Miss WiUiams and Mary 
Schwandt were captured unhurt, and were taken 
back to Waucouta's village. 

The jjoor, injured young woman survived her 
wounds and the brutal and fiendish violation of 
her person to which she was subjected by these 
devils incarnate, but a few days, when death, in 
mercy, came to her relief and ended her sufferings 
in the quiet of the grave! 

Mattie Williams and Mary Schwandt were af- 
terwards restored to their friends by General Sib- 
ley's expedition, at Camp Release. We say, res- 
stored to their friends; this was hardly true of 
Mary Schwandt, who, when release came, found 
ahve, of all her father's family, only one, a little 
brother; and he had witnessed the fiendish slaugh- 
ter of aU the rest, accompanied by circumstances 
of infernal barbarity, without a parallel in the his- 
tory of savage brutality. 

On Sund.iy, the 17th, George Gleason, Govern- 
ment store-keeper at the Lower Agency, accompa- 
nied by the family of Agent Galbraith, to Yellow 
Medicine, and on Monday afternoon, ignorant of 
the terrible tragedy enacted below, started to re- 
turn. He had with him the wife and two children 
of Dr. J. S. Wakefield, physician to the Upper 
Sioux. When about two miles above the mouth 
of the Redwood, they met two armed Indians on 
the road. Gleason greeted them with the usual 
salutation of "Ho!" accompanied with the inquiry, 
in Sioux, as he passed, "Where are you going?" 
They returned the salutation, but GlQpsou had 
gone but a very short distance, when the sharjj 
crack of a gun behind him bore to his ear the first 
intimation of the death in store for him. The 
buUet passed through his body and he fell to the 
ground. At the same moment Ghaska, the Indian 
who had not fired, sprang into the wagon, by the 
side of Mrs. Wakefield, and driving a short dis- 
tance, returned. Poor Gleason was lying upon 
the groimd, still alive, writhing in mortal agony, 
when the savage monster completed his heUish 
work, by placing his gun at his breast, and shoot- 
ing him again. Such was the sad end of the life 
of George Gleason ; gay, jocund, genial and gen- 
erous, he was the life of every circle. His pleas- 
ant face was seen, and his mellow voice was heard 
in song, at almost every social gathering on that 
rude frontier. He bad a smile and pleasant word 
for all; and yet he fell, in his manly strength, by 
the hands of these bloody monsters, whom he had 



never wronged in word or deed. Some weeks af- 
terward, his mutil.ited remains were found by the 
troops under Colonel Sibley, and buried where he 
fell. They were subsequently removed by his 
friends to Shakopee, where they received the rites 
of Christian sepulture. 

Mrs. Wakefield and children were held as pris- 
oners, and were reclaimed with the other captives 
at Camp Release. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

MASSACEE ON THE KOETH SIDE OF THE MINNESOTA 

BDBNING OF MBS. HENDERSON AND TWO CHILDBEN 

ESCAPE OF J. W. EARLE AND OTHEES — THE SET- 

TLEES ENDEAVOB TO ESCAPE MUEDER OF THE 

SCHWANDT FAMILY WHOLESALB MASSACEE UP- 

PEE AGENCY THE PEOPLE WARNED BY JOSEPH 

LAFEAMBOIS AND OTHER DAT ESCAPE OP THE 

WHITES FROM YELLOW MEDICINE SETTLEMENT 

ON THE CHIPPEWA MDEDEE OF JAMES W. LIND- 
SAY AND HIS COMRADE. 

Early on the morning of the 18th, the settlers 
on the north side of the Minnesota river, adjoining 
the reservation, were surprised to see a large num- 
ber of Indians in their immediate neighborhood. 
They were seen soon after the people arose, simul- 
taneously, all along the river from Birch Coohe to 
Beaver Creek, and beyond, on the west, aj^parent- 
ly intent on gathering up the horses and cattle. 
When interrogated, they said they were after 
Chippewas. At about 6 or 7 o'clock they sudden- 
ly began to repair to the various houses of the set- 
tlers, and then the flight of the inhabitants and 
the work of death began. 

In the immediate vicinity of Beaver Creek, the 
neighbors, to the number of about twenty-eight, 
men, women, and children, assembled at the house 
of Jonathan W. Earle, and, with several teams, 
started for Fort Ridgely, having with them the 
sick wife of S. R. Henderson, her children, and 
the family of N. D. White, and the wife and two 
children of James Carrothers. 

There were, also, David Carrothers and family, 
Earle and family, Henderson, and a German named 
Wedge, besides four sons of White and Earle; the 
rest were women and children. They had gone 
but a short distance when they were surrounded 
by Indians. When asked, by some of the party 
who could speak their language, what they wanted, 
the Indians answered, "We are going to kill you." 



MASSACRE AT GERMAN SETTLEMENT. 



201 



When asked why they were to be killed, the In- 
dians consented to let them go, with one team and 
the bnggy with Mrs. Henderson, on giving up the 
rest. They had gone but a short distance when 
they were again stopped by the savages, and the 
remaining team taken. Again they moved on, 
drawing the buggy and the sick woman by band 
but had gone but a few rods further, when the In- 
dians began to fire uj5on them. The men were 
with the buggy ; the women and children had gone 
on ahead, as well as the boys and Carrothers. 

Mr. Earle, seeing the savages were determined 
to kill them, and knowing that they could not now 
save Mrs. Henderson, hastened on and came uj) 
with the fleeing fugitives ahead. Mr. Henderson 
waved a white cloth as a flag of truce, when they 
shot off his fingers, and, at the same time, killed 
Wedge. Henderson then ran, seeing that he could 
not save his wife and children, and made his es- 
cape. They came up with his buggy, and, taking 
out the helpless woman and chUdren, threw them 
on the prairie, and placing the bed over them, set 
it on fire, and hastened on after the fleeing fugi- 
tives. 

The burned and blackened remains of both the 
mother and her two children were afterward found 
by a burial party, and interred. 

Coming up with the escaping women and chil- 
dren, they were all captured but two children of 
David Carrothers. These they had shot in the 
chase after Carrothers, Earle, and the sons of Earle 
and White. They killed, also, during this chase 
and running fight, Eugene White, a son of N. D. 
White, and Eadner, son of Jonathan W. Earle. 

Carrothers escaped to Crow Eiver, and thence to 
St. Paul. Mr. Earle and two of his sons, and one 
son of Mr. White, after incredible hardships, es- 
caped to Cedar City, and subsequently made their 
way back to St. Peter and Fort Eidgely. All the 
captives taken at this time were carried to Crow's 
village, and, with the exception of Mrs. James 
Carrothers and her children, were recovered at 
Camp Belease. 

After they had captured the women and children, 
they returned to the houses of the settlers, and 
plundered them of their contents, carrying off 
what they could, and breaking up and destroying 
the balance. They then gathered up the stock 
and drove it to their village, taking their captives 
with them. 

Some two or three miles above the neighborhood 
of Earle and White was a settlement of German 



emigrants, numbering some forty persons, quiet, 
industrious, and enterprising. Early on the 
morning of the 18th these bad all assembled at 
the house of John Meyer. Very soon after they 
had assembled here, some fifty Indians, led by 
Shakopee, appeared in sight. The people all fled, 
except Meyer and his family, going into the grass 
and bushes. Peter Bjorkman ran toward his own 
house. Shakopee, whom he knew, saw him, and 
exclaimed, "There is Bjorkman; kill him!" but, 
keeping the building between him and the sav- 
ages, he plunged into a slough and concealed 
himself, even removing his shirt, fearing it might 
be the means of revealing his whereabouts to the 
lurking savages. Here he lay from early morning 
until the darkness of night enabled him to leave 
with safety — suffering unutterable torments, mos- 
quitoes literally swarming upon his naked f)ersou, 
and the hot sun scorching him to the bone. 

They immediately attacked the house of Meyer, 
killing his mfe and aU his children. Seeing his 
family butchered, and having no means of de- 
fense, Meyer effected his escape, and reached Fort 
Kidgely. In the meantime the affrighted people 
had got together again at the house of a Mr. 
Sitzton, near Bjorkman's, to the number of about 
thirty, men, women, and children. In tlio after- 
noon the savages returned to the house of Sitzton, 
killing every person there but one woman, Mrs. 
Wilbelmina Eindenfleld, and her child. These 
ware captured, and afterward found at Camp Re- 
lease, but the husband and father was among the 
slain. Prom his place of concealment Mr. Bjork- 
man witnessed this attack and wholesale massacre 
of almost an entire neighborhood. After dark he 
came out of the slough, -and, going to his house, 
obtained some food and a bundle of clothing, as 
his house was not yet plundered; fed his dog and 
calf, and went over to the house of Meyer; here 
he found the windows all broken in, but did not 
enter the house. He then went to the house of 
Sitzton; his nerves were not equal to the task of 
entering that charnel-house of death. As he 
passed the yard, he turned out some cattle that the 
Indians had not taken away, and hastened toward 
Fort Ridgely. On the road he overtook a woman 
and two children, one an infant of six months, the 
wife and children of John Sateau, who had 
been kiUed. Taking one of the children in his 
arms, these companions in misfortime and suffer- 
ing hurried on together. Mrs. Sateau was nearly 
i naked, and without either shoes or stockings. 



202 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



The rough prairie grass lacerated her naked feet 
and limbs terribly, and she was about giving out 
in despair. Bjorkman took from his bundle a 
shirt, and tearing it in parts, she wound it about 
her feet, and proceeded on. 

At daylight they came in sight of the house of 
Magner, eight miles above the fort. Here they 
saw some eight or ten Indians, and, turning aside 
from the road, dropped down into the grass, where 
they remained imtil noon, when the Indians disap- 
peared. They again moved toward the fort, but 
slowly and cautiously, as they did not reach it 
until about midnight. Upon reaching the fort 
Mrs. Sateau foiind two sons, aged ten and twelve 
years respectively, who had effected their escape 
and reached there before her. 

Mrs. Mary, widow of Patrick Hayden, who re- 
sided about one and a half miles from the house 
of J. W. Earle, near Beaver Creek, in Renville 
coionty, says: 

"On the morning of the 18th of August, Mr. 
Hayden started to go over to the house of Mr. J. 
B. Reynolds, at the Redwood river, on the reser- 
vation, and met Thomas Robinson, a half-breed, 
who told him to go home, get his family, and 
leave as soon as possible, for the Indians were 
coming over to kill all the whites. He came im- 
mediately home, and we conunenced to make 
preparations to leave, but in a few minutes we 
saw some three or four Indians coming on horse- 
back. We then went over to the house of a 
neighbor, Benedict June, and found them all 
ready to leave. I started off with June's people, 
and my husband went back home, still thinking 
the Indians would not kiU any one, and intending 
to give them some provisions if they wanted them. 
I never saw him again. 

"We had gone about four miles, when we saw a 
man lying dead in the road and his faithful dog 
watching by his side. 

"We drove on tiU we came to the house of David 
Faribault, at the foot of the hUl, about one and a 
half miles from the Agency ferry. When we got 
here two Indians came out of Faribault's house, 
and stopping the teams, shot Mr. Zimmerman, 
who was driving, and histivo boys. I sprang out 
of the wagon, and, with my child, one year old, in 
my arms, ran into the bushes, and went up the 
hill toward tlie fort. When I came near the house 
of Mr. Magner, I saw Indians throwing furniture 
out of the door, and I went down into the bushes 



again, on the lower side of the road, and staid 
there until sundown. 

"While I lay here concealed, I saw the Indians 
taking the roof off the warehouse, and saw the 
buildings burning at the Agency. I also heard 
the firing during the battle at the ferry, when 
Marsh and his men were killed. 

"I then went up near the fort road, and sitting 
down under a tree, waited till dark, and then 
started for Fort Ridgely, carrying my child all the 
way. I arrived at the fort at about 1 o'clock A. 
M. The distance from our place to Ridgley was 
seventeen miles. 

"On Tuesday morning I saw John Magner, who 
told me that, when the soldiers went up to the Agen- 
cy the day before, he saw my husband lying in the 
road, near David Faribault's house, dead. John 
Hayden, his brother, who lived with us, was found 
dead near La Croix creek. They had got up the 
oxen, and were bringing the family of Mr. Eisen- 
lich to the fort, when they were overtaken by In- 
dians. Eisenrich was killed and his wife and five 
chOdren were taken prisoners. 

"Mrs. Zimmerman, who was blind, and her re- 
maining children, and Mrs. June and her children, 
five in number, were captui-ed and taken to the 
house of David Faribault, where they were kept 
till night, the savages torturing them by teUiug 
them that they were going to fasten them in the 
house and bum them alive, but for some inexpli- 
cable reason let them go, and they, too, reached 
the fort in safety. Mr. Jime, who with one of his 
boys, eleven years old, remained behind to drive 
in his cattle, was met by them on the road and 
killed. The boy was captured, and, with the other 
prisoners, recovered at Camp Release." 

The neighborhoods in the vicinity of La Croix 
creek, and between that and Fort Ridgely, were 
visited on Monday forenoon, and the people either 
massacred, driven away or made prisoners. Ed- 
ward Magner, living eight miles above the fort, 
was killed. His wife and children had gone to 
the fort. He had returned to look after his cat- 
tle when he was shot. Patrick Kelley and David 
O'Connor, both single men, were killed near Mag- 
ner's. 

Kearn Horan makes the following statement. 

"I lived tour miles from the Lower Sioux 
Agency, on the fort road. On the 18th of August 
Patrick Huran, my brother, came early from the 
Agency and told us that the Indians were murder- 
ing the whites. He had escaped alone and crossed 



STATEMENT OF KEAHN HORAN. 



203 



tlie ferry, and with some Frenchmen was on his 
way to the fort. My brothers and William and 
Thomas Smith went with me. We saw Indians in 
the road near Magner's. Thomas Smith went to 
them, thinking they were white men, and I saw 
them kill him. We then turned to flee, and saw 
men escaping with teams along the road. All fled 
towards the fort together, the Indians firing upon 
us as we ran. The teams were oxen, and the In- 
dians were gaining upon us, when one of men in 
his excitement dropped his gun. The savages 
came up to it and picked it up. All stopped to 
examine it, and the men in the wagons whii^ped 
the oxen into a run. This delay enabled us to 
elude them. 

"As we passed the house of Ole Sampson, Mrs. 
Sampson was crying at the door for help. Her 
three children were with her. We told her to go 
into the bush and hide, for we could not help 
her. We ran into a ravine and hid in the grass. 
After the Indians had hunted some time for us, 
they came along the side of the ravine, and called 
to us in good English, saying, 'Come out, boys; 
what are you afraid of? We don't want to hurt 
you.' After they left us we crawled out and made 
our way to the fort, where we amved at about 4 
o'clock P. M. My family had gone there before 
me. Mrs. Sampson did not go to the bush, but 
hid in the wagon from which they had recently 
come from Waseca county. It was what we call a 
prairie schooner, covered with cloth, a genuine 
emigrant wagon. They took her babe from her, 
and throwing it down upon the grass, put hay im- 
der the wagon, set fire to it and went away. Mrs. 
Sampson got out of the wagon, badly burned, and 
taking her infant from the ground made he w y 
to the fort. Two of her children were burned to 
death in the wagon. Mr. Sampson had been pre- 
viously killed about eighty rods from the liouse. 

In the neighborhood of La Croix creek, or Birch 

Coohe, Peter Pereau, Frederick Closen, 

Piguar, Andrew Bahlke, Henry Keartner, old Blr. 
Closen and Mrs. William Vitt, and several others 
were killed. Mrs. Maria Frorip, an aged Ger- 
man woman, was wounded four different times 
with small shot, but escaped to the fort. The wife 
of Henry Keartner also escaped and reached the 
fort. The wife and child of a Mr. Cardenelle 
were taken prisoners, as were also the wife and 
child of Frederick Closen. 

William Vitt came into Fort Kidgely, but not 



until he had, with his own hands, buried his mur- 
dered wife and also a Mr. Piguar. 

A flourisliing German settlement had sprung up 
near Patterson's Eapids, on the Sacred Heart, 
twelve miles below YeUow Medicine. 

Word came to this neighborhood about sun- 
down of the 18th, that the Indians were murder- 
ing the whites. This news was brought to them 
by two men who had started from the Lower 
Agency, and had seen the lifeless and mutilated 
remains of the murdered victims lying upon the 
road and in their plundered dwellings towards 
Beaver Creek. The whole neighborhood, with the 
exception of one family, that of Mr. Schwandt, 
soon assembled at the house of Paul Kitzman, with 
their oxen and wagons, and prepared to start for 
Fort Eidgely. 

A messenger was sent to the house of Schwandt 
but the Indian rifle and the tomahawk had done 
their fearful work. Of aU that family but two 
survived; one a boy, a witness of the awful scene 
of butchery, and he then on his way, covered with 
blood, towards Fort Ridgely. The other, a young 
girl of about seventeen years of age, then residing 
at Redwood, who was caj^tured as previously 
stated. 

This l)oy saw his sister, a young married wo- 
man, ripped open, while ahve, and her imborn 
babe taken, yet struggling, from her person and 
nailed to a tree before the eves of the dyino- 
mother. 

This party started in the evening to make their 
escape, going so as to avoid the settlements and 
the traveled roads, striking across the country to- 
ward the head of Beaver creek. 

They traveled this way all night, and in the 
morning changed their course towards Fort Ridge- 
ly. They continued in this direction until the 
sun was some two hours high, when they were met 
by eight Sioux Indians, who told them that the 
murders were committed by Chippewas, and th;it 
they had come over to protect them and puuisli 
the murderers; and thus induced them to turn 
back toward their homes. One of the savage, 
spoke EngUsh well. He was acquainted with some 
of the company, having often hunted with Paul 
Kitzman. He kissi'd Kitzman, telling him he was 
a good man; and they shook hands with allot the 
party. The simple hearted Germans beheved 
them, gave them food, distributed money among 
them, and, gratefully receiving their assurances of 
friendship and protection, turned back. 



201 



HISTOBT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



They traveled on toward theii' deserted homes 
till noon, when they again halted, and gave their 
pretended protectors food. The Indians went 
away by themselves to ent. The suspicions of the 
fugitives were now somewhat aroused, but they 
felt that they were, to a great extent, in the power 
of the wretches. They soon came back, and or- 
dered them to go on, taking their position on each 
side of the train. Soon after tl ey went on and 
disappeared. The train kept on toward home; 
and when within a few rods of a house, where they 
thought they could defend themselves, as they had 
guns with them, they were suddenly surrounded 
by fourteen Indians, who iustt ntly fired ujion them, 
killing eight (all but three of the men) at the first 
discharge. At the next fire they killed two of the 
remaining men and six of the women, leaving only 
one man, Fi'ederick Kreiger, alive. His wife was 
also, as yet, unhurt. They soon dispatched Kreiger, 
and, at the same time, began beating out the brains 
of the screaming children with the butts of their 
gims. Mrs. Kreiger was standing in the wagon, 
and, when her husband fell, attempted to spring 
from it to the ground, but was shot from behind, 
and tell back in the wagon-box, although not dead, 
or entirely unconscious. She was roughly seized 
and dragged to the ground, and the teams were 
driven off. She now became insensible. A few of 
the children, during this awful scene, escaped to 
the timber near by ; and a few also, maimed and 
mangled by the.se horrible monsters, and left for 
dead, survived, and, after enduring incredilile 
hardships, got to Fort Kidgely. Mrs. Zable, and 
five children, were horribly mangled, and almost 
naked, entered the fort eleven days afterward- 
Mrs. Kreiger also survived her imheard-of suffer- 
ings. 

Some forty odd bodies were afterward found and 
buried on that fatal field of slaughter. Thus per- 
ished, by the hands of these terrible scourges of 
the border, almost an entire neighborhood. Quiet, 
sober, and industrious, they had come hither from 
the vine-clad hills of their fatherland, by the green 
shores and gliding waters of the enchanting 
Rhine, and had built tor themselves homes, where 
they had fondly hoped, in peace and quiet, to 
spend yet long years, under the fair, blue sky, and 
in the suimy clime of Minnesota, when suddenly, 
and in one short liour, by the hand of the savage, 
they were doomed to one common annihilation. 

During all the fatal 18th of August, the people 
at the Upper Agency pursued their usual avoca- 



tions. As night ai^proached, however, an imusual 
gathering of Indians was observed on the hiU just 
west of the Agency, and between it and the house 
of John Other Day. Judge Givens and Charles 
Crawford, then acting as interpreters in the ab- 
sence of Freniere, went out to them, and sought 
to learn why they were there in council, but could 
get no satisfactory reply. Soon after this, Other 
Day came to them with the news of the outbreak 
below, as did also Joseph Laframbois, a half- 
breed Sioux. The families there were soon all 
gathered together in the warehouse and dwelHng 
of the agent, who resided in the same building, 
and with the guns they had, prejiared themselves 
as best they could, and awaited the attack, deter- 
mined to seU their lives as dearly as possible. 
There were gathered here sixty-two persons, men, 
women, and children. 

Other Day, and several other Indians, who came 
to them, told them they would stand by them to 
the last. These men visited the council outside, 
several times during the night; but when they 
were most needed, one only, the noble and heroic 
Other Day, remained faithful. All the others dis- 
appeared, one after another, during the night. 
About one or two o'clock in the morning, Stewart 
B. Garvie, connected with the traders' store, known 
as Myrick's, came to the warehouse, and was ad- 
mitted, badly wounded, a charge of buckshot hav- 
ing entered his bowels. Garvie was standing in 
the door or his store when he was fired upon and 
wounded. He ran up stairs, and jumjiing from 
the window into the garden, craw-led away, and 
reached the Agency without further molestation. 
At about this time Joseph Laframbois went to the 
store of Daily &, Pratt, and awakened the two men 
in charge there, Dimcan R. Kennedy and J. D. 
Boardman, and told them to fiee for their lives. 
They hastily dressed and left the store, but had 
not gone ten rods when they saw in the path be- 
fore them three Indians. They stepped down 
from the path, which ran along the edge of a rise 
in the ground of some feet, and crouching in the 
grass, the Indians passed within eight feet of 
them. Kennedy went on toward Fort Eidgely, 
detennined to reach that post if possible, and 
Boardman went to the warehouse. At the store of 
WiUiam H. Forbes, Constans, book-keeper, a na- 
tive of France, was killed. At the store of Pa- 
toile, Peter Patoile, clerk, and a nephew of the 
proprietor, was shot just outside the store, the ball 
entering at the back and coming ont near the nip- 



WHITES RESCUED Bl' OTHER DAY. 



205 



pie, passing through his lungs. An Indian came 
to him after he fell, tvirued him over, and saying, 
"He is dead," left him. 

They then turned their attention to the stores. 
The clerks in the store of Louis Robert had effect- 
ed their escape, so that there were now no white 
men left, and when they had become absorbed in 
the work of plunder, Patoile crawled off into the 
bushes on the banks of the Yellow Medicine, and 
secreted himself. Here he remained all day. 
After dark he got up and started for a \Ance of 
safety; ascending the bluff, out of the Yellow Med- 
icine bottom, he dragged himself a mile and a 
haK further, to the Minnesota, at the mouth of 
the Yellow Medicine. Wading the Minnesota, he 
entered the house of Louis Labelle, on the oppo- 
site side, at the ford. It was deserted. Finding a 
bed in the house he lay down upon it and was soon 
fast a!?leep, and did not awake until morning. 
Joseph Laframbois and Narces Freniere, and an 
Indian, Makacago, entered the house, and finding 
him there, awoke him, telling him there were hos- 
tile Indians about ; that he must hide. They gave 
him a blanket to disguise himself, and going with 
him to the ravine, concealed him in the grass and 
left lum, promising to return, as soon as it was 
safe to do so, to bring him food, and guide him 
away to the prairie. He lay in this ravine until 
toward night, when his friends, true to their 
promise, returned, bringing some crackers, tripe, 
and onions. They went with him some distance 
out on the prairie, and enjoined upon him not to 
attempt to go to Fort Kidgely, and giving him the 
best directions they could as to the course he 
should take, shook hands with him and left him. 
Their names should be inscribed upon tablets more 
enduring than brass. That night he slept on the 
prairie, and the next day resumed his wanderings, 
over an unknown region, without an inhabitant. 
After wandering for days without food or drink, 
his little stock of crackers and tripe being exhaust- 
ed, he came to a deserted hoiise, which he did not 
know. Here he remained all night, and obtained 
two raw potatoes and three oars of green corn. 
These he ate raw. It was all the food he had for 
eight days. Wandering, and unknowing whither 
to go, on the twelfth day out from Labelle's house, 
he heard the barking of dogs, and creeping nearer 
to them, still fearing there might be Indians about, 
he was overjoyed at seeing white men. Soon 
making himself and his condition known, he was 
h'ken and kindly cared for by these men, who had 



some days before deserted their farms, and had 
now returned to look after their crops and cattle. 
He now learned for the first time where he was. 
He had struck a settlement far up the Sauk Val- 
ley, some forty miles above St. Cloud. He must 
have wandered, in these twelve days of sutl'ering, 
not less than two hundred miles, including devia- 
tions from a direct course. 

He was taken by these men, in a wagon, to St. 
Cloud, where his wound was dressed for the first 
time. From St. Cloud the stage took him to St. 
Anthony, where he took the cars to St. Paul. A 
case of equal suffering and equal eudurance is 
scarcely to be found on record. With a bullet 
wound through the lungs, he walked twelve days, 
not over a smooth and easy road, but across a 
trackless prairie, covered with rank grass, wading 
sloughs and streams on his way, almost without 
food, and for days without water, before he saw the 
face of a man; and traveled by wagon, stage, 
and cars, over one hundred miles. 

His recovery was rapid, and he soon enlisted in 
the First Regiment Minnesota Mounted Rangers 
under General Sil.iley, in the expedition against 
the Sioux, Patoile was in the battles on the Blis- 
souri in the summer of 18G3, where his company, 
that of Captain J( seph Anderson, is mtotioned as 
having fought with great bravery. 

We now return to the warehouse at Yellow Med- 
icine, which we left to follow the strange fortunes 
of young Patoile. Matters began to wear a seri- 
ous aspect, when Garvie came to them mortally- 
wounded. Other Day was constantly on the watch 
outside, and reported the progress of affairs to 
those within. Toward daylight every friendly 
Indian had deserted save Other Day; the yells of 
the savages came distinctly to their ears from the 
trading-jMst, half a mile distant. They were ab- 
sorbed in the work of plunder. The chai;ces of 
escape were sadly against them, yet they decided 
to make the attempt. Other Day knew every foot 
of the country over which they must pass, and 
would be their guide. 

The wagons were driven to the door. A bed 
was placed in one of them; Garvie was laid upon 
it. The women and children provided a few loaves 
of bread, and just as day dawned, the cortege 
started on its perilous way. This party consisted 
of the family of Major Galbraith, wife and three 
children; Nelson Givens, wife, and wife's mother, 
and three children ; Noah Sinks, wife, and two chil- 
dren ; Henry Eschelle, wife, and five children ; John 



206 



BISTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSAGIiE. 



FacWen, wife, and three children; Mr. German and 
■wife; Frederick Patoile, wife, and two children; 
Mrs. Jane K. Muroh, Miss Mary Charles, Miss 
Lizzie Sawyer, Miss Mary Daly, Miss Mary Hays, 
Mrs. Eleanor Warner, Mrs. John Other Day and 
one child, Mrs. Haxirahan, N. A. Miller, Edward 
Cranisie, Z. Hawkins, Oscar Canfil, Mr. Hill, an 
artist fr(^m St. Paul, J. D. Boardman, Parker 
Pierce, Dr. J. L. Wakefield, and several others. 

They crossed the Minnesota at Labelle's farm, 
and soon turned into the timber on the Hawk 
river, crossed that stream at some distance above 
its mouth, and ascended from the narrow valley 
through which it runs to the open prairie beyond, 
and followed down the Minnesota, keeping back 
on the prairie as far as the farm of Major J. R. 
Brown, eight miles below the Yellow Medicine. 
Mr. Fadden and Other Day visited the house and 
found it deserted. A consultation then took place, 
for the purpose of deciding where they should go. 
Some of them wished to go to Fort Eidgely; oth- 
ers to some town away from the frontier. Other 
Day told them that it they attempted to go to the 
fort they would all be killed, as the Indians would 
either be lying in ambush on that road for them, 
or would follow them, believing they would at- 
tempt to go there. His counsel prevailed, and 
they turned to the left, across the prairie, in the 
direction of Kandiyohi Lakes and Glencoe. At 
night one of the party mounted a horse and rode 
forward, and found a house about a mile ahead. 
They hastened forward and reached it in time to 
escape a furious storm. They were kindly re- 
ceived by the only person about the premises, a 
man, whose family were away. The next morn- 
ing, soon after crossing Hawk river, they were 
joined by Louis Labelle and Gertong, his son-in- 
law, who remained ^^ith them all that day. 

On Wednesday morning they left the house of 
the friendly settler, and that night reached Cedar 
City, eleven miles from Hutchinson, in the county 
of McLeod. The inhabitants had deserted the 
town, and gone to an island, in Cedar Lake, and 
had erected a rude shelter. From the main land 
the island was reached through shallow water. 
Through this water our escaping party drove, 
guided by one of the citizens of Cedar City, and 
were cordially welcomed by the people assembled 
there. 

That night it rained, and all were drenched to 
the skin. Poor Garvie was laid under a rude 
shed, upon his bed, and all was done for him tliat 



man could do; but, in the mommg, it was evident 
that he could go no further, and he was taken to 
the house of a Mr. Peck, and left. He died there, 
a day or two afterward. Some of the company, 
who were so worn out as to be unable to go on be- 
yond Hutchinson, returned to Cedar City and saw 
that he was decently interred. 

On Thursday they went on, by way of Hutchin- 
son and Glencoe, to Carver, and thence to Shako- 
pee and St. Paiil. Major Galbraith, in a report to 
the department, says of this escape : 

"Led by the Noble Other Day, they struck out 
on the naked prairie, literally placing their lives 
iu this faithful creature's hands, and guided by 
him, and him alone. After intense suffering and 
privation, they reached Shakopee, on Friday, the 
22d of August, Other Day never leaving them for 
an instant; and this Other Day is a pure, full- 
blooded Indian, and was, not long since, one of the 
wildest and fiercest of his race. Poor, noble fel- 
low ! must he, too, be ostracized for the sins of his 
nation ? I commend him to the care of a just God 
and a liberal government ; and not only him, but 
all others who did likewise." 

[Government gave John Other Day a farm in 
Minnesota. He died several years since univer- 
sally esteemed by the white people.] 

After a knowledge of the designs of the Indians 
reached the people at the Agency, it was impossi- 
ble for them to more than merely communicate 
with the two families at the saw-mill, three miles 
above, and with the families at the Mission. They 
were, therefore, reluctantly left to their fate. 
Early in the evening of Monday, two civilized In- 
dians, Chaskada and Tankanxaceye, went to the 
house of Dr. Williamson, and warned them of their 
danger, informing them of what had occurred be- 
low; and two halt-breeds, Michael and Gabriel 
EenviUe, and two Christian Indians, Paul Maxa- 
kuta Mani and Simon Anaga Mani, went to the 
house of Mr. Kiggs, the missionary, at Hazel- 
wood, and gave them warning of the danger im- 
pending over them. 

There were at this place, at that time, the family 
of the Kev. Stephen B. Biggs, Mr. H. D. Cun- 
ningham and family, Mr. D. W. Moore and his 
wife (who reside in New Jersey), and Jonas Petti- 
john and family. Mr. Pettijohn and wife were 
in charge of the Government school at Bed Iron's 
■s-illage, and were now at Mr. Biggs'. They got 
up a team, and these friendly Indians went with 
them to an Island in the Minnesota, about tlu-ee 



ESCAPE OF HEV. S. It RIOGS jlND OTHMRS. 



207 



miles from the IVIission. Here they remained till 
Tuesday evening. In the afternoon of Tuesday, 
Andrew Hunter, a son-in-law of Dr. WiHiiuuson, 
came to him with the information that tlic family 
of himself aad the Doctor were secreted below. 
The families at the saw-mill had been informed by 
the Eenvilles, and were with the party of Dr. Wil- 
liamson. At night they formed a junction on the 
north side of the Minnesota, and commenced their 
perilous journey. A thunder-storm effectually ol)- 
literated their tracks, so that the savages could not 
follow them. They started out on the prairie in a 
northeasterly direction, and, on Wednesday morn- 
ing, changed their course south-easterly, till they 
struck the Lac qui Parle road, and then made di- 
rectly for Fort Ridgely. On Wednesday they 
were joined by three Germans, who had escaped 
from Yellow Medicine. On Wednesday night they 
found themselves in the vicinity of the Ujjper 
Agency, and turned to the north again, keeping 
out on the prairie. On Friday they were in the 
neighborhood of Beaver Creek, when Dr. Wil- 
liamson, who, with his wife and sister, had re- 
mained behind, overtook them in an ox-cart, hav- 
ing left about twenty -four hours later. They now 
determined to go to Fort Ridgely. When within 
a few miles of that post, just at night, they were 
discovered by two Indians on horseback, who rode 
along parallel with the train for awhile, and then 
turned and galloped away, and the fugitives has- 
tened on, momentarily expecting an attack. Near 
the Three-Mile creek they passed a dead body 
lying by the road-side. They drove on, passing 
the creek, and, turning to the left, passed out on 
to the prairie, and halted a mile anel a half from 
the fort. It was now late at night; they had 
heard firing, and had seen Indians in the vicinity. 
They were in doubt what to do. It was at length 
decided that Andrew Hunter should endeavor to 
enter the fort and ascertain its condition, and 
learn, it possible, whether they could get in. 
Hunter went, and, although it was well-nigh sur- 
rounded by savages (they had been besieging it 
all the afternoon), succeeded in crawling by on bis 
hands and kneSs. He was told that it would be 
impossible for so large a party, forty-odd, to get 
through the Indian lines, and that he had better 
return and tell them to push on toward the to^^^2s 
below. He left as he had entered, crawling out 
into the prairie, and reached his friends in safety. 
It seemed very hard, to be so near a place of fan- 
cied security, and obliged to turn away from it, 



and, weary and hungry, press on. Perils beset 
their jjath on every hand; dangers, seen and im- 
seen, were around them; but commending them- 
selves to the care of Him who "sufi'ereth not a 
sparrow to fall to the ground without His notice," 
they resumed their weary march. They knew 
that all around them the work of death and deso- 
lation was going on, for the midnight sky, on 
every side, was red with the Imid flame of burn- 
ing habitations. They heard fi'om out the gloom 
the tramp of horses' feet, hurrying past them in 
the darkness; but they stDl pressed on. Soon 
their wearied animals gave out, and again they 
encamped for the night. With the early dawn 
they were upon the move, some eight miles from 
the fort, in the direction of Henderson. Here, 
four men, the three Germans who had joined them 
on Wednesday, and a young man named Gilligan, 
left them, and went off in the direction of New 
Ulm. The bodies of these unfortunate men were 
afterward found, scarcely a mile from the place 
where they had left the guidance of Other Day. 

They traveled on in the direction of Henderson, 
slowly and painfully, for their teams, as well as 
themselves, were nearly exhausted. That day the 
savages were beleaguering New Ulm, and the 
sounds of the conflict were borne faintly to their 
ears upon the breeze. They had flour with them, 
but no means of cooking it, and were, consequently, 
much of the time without proper food. On the 
afternoon of this day they came to a deserted 
house, on the road from Fort Ridgley to Hender- 
son, the house of Jlichael Cummings, where they 
found a stove, cooking utensils, and a jar of cream. 
Obtaining some ears of corn from the field or gar- 
den near by, and " confiscating" the cream, they 
prepared themselves the first good meal they had 
had since leaving their homes so hastily on Mon- 
day night. 

After refreshing themselves and their worn ani- 
mals at this place for some hours, their journey 
was again resumed. That night they slept in a 
forsaken house on the prairie, and, on Sabbath 
morning early, were again on their way. As thev 
proceeded, they met some of the settlers returning 
to their deserted farms, and calling a halt at a de- 
serted house, where they found a large company of 
people, they concluded to remain until Monday, 
and recuperate themselves and teams, as well as to 
observe in a proper manner the holy Sabbath. On 
Monday morning they separated, part going to 
Henderson and part to St. Peter, all feeling thai 



208 



BISTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



the All-seeing Eye that never slumbers or sleeps 
had watched over them, and that the loving hand 
of God had guided them safely through the dan- 
gers, seen and unseen, that had beset their path. 

In the region of the State above the Upper 
Agency there were but few white inhabitants. Of 
all those residkig on the Chippewa river, near its 
mouth, we can hear of but one who escaped, and 
he was wounded, while his comrade, who lived with 
him was killed. This man joined the party of the 
missionaries, and got away with them. 

On the Yellow Medicine, above the Agency about 
twelve miles, was a settler named James W. 
Lindsay. He was unmarried, and another single 
man was "baching it" with him. They were both 
killed. Their nearest white neighbors were at 
the Agency, and they could not be warned of their 
danger, and knew nothing of it until the savages 
were upon them. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

LEOPOLD WOHLER AND WIFE LBiVENWORTH 

STATEMENT OP MRS. MARY J. COVILL STORY OP 

MRS. LAURA WHTTON MILFORD — NICOLLET COUN- 
TY WEST NEWTON — LAFAYETTE — COURTLAND 

SWAN LAKE — PARTIAL LIST OP THE KILLED IN 
NICOLLET COUNTY INDIANS SCOURING THE COUN- 
TRY — A SCOUTING PARTY SEEN AT ST. PETER. 

The news of the murders below reached Leo- 
pold Wohler at the "lime-kiln," three miles be- 
low Yellow Medicine, on Monday afternoon. 
Taking his wife, he crossed the Minnesota river, 
and went to the house of Major Joseph B. Brown. 

Major Brown's family consisted of his wife and 
nine children; Angus Brown and wife, and Charles 
Blair, a sou-in-law, his wife, and two children. 
The Major himself was away from home. Includ- 
ing Wohler and his wife, there were then at their 
house, on the evening of the 18th of August, 
eighteen persons. 

They started, early on the morning of the 19th, 
to make their escape, with one or two others of 
their neighbors, Charles Holmes, a single man, re- 
siding on the claim above them, being of the party. 
They were overtaken near Beaver Creek by Indi- 
ans, and all of the Browns, Mr. Blair and family, 
and Mrs. Wohler, were captured, and taken at 
once to Little Crow's village. Messrs. Wohler and 
Holmes escaped. M;ijor Brown's family were of 
mixed Indian blood. This fact, probably, accounts 



for their saving the life of Blair, who was a 
white man. 

Crow told him to go away, as his young men 
were going to kill him; and he made bis escape to 
Fort Kidgely, being out some five days and nights 
without food. Mr. Blair was in poor health. The 
hardships he endured were too much for his al- 
ready shattered constitution; and although he es- 
caped the tomahawk and scalping-knife, he was 
soon numbered among the victims of the massacre. 

J. H. Ingalls, a Scotchman, who resided in this 
neighborhood, and his wife, were killed, and their 
four children were taken into captivity. Two of 
them, young girls, aged twelve and fourteen years, 
were rescued at Camp Release, and the two httle 
boys were taken away by Little Crow. Poor little 
fellows! their fate is still shrouded in mystery. 
A Mr. Frace, residing near Brown's place, was also 
killed. His wife and two children were foimd at 
Camp Release. 

The town of Leavenworth was situated on the 
Cottonwood, in the county of Brown. Word was 
brought to some of the settlers in that town, on 
Monday afternoon, that the Indians had broken 
out and were killing the inhabitants on the Min- 
nesota. They immediately began to make prepa- 
rations to leave. Mr. William Carroll started at 
once for New Ulm alone, to learn the facts of the 
rumored outbreak. The most of the inhabitants, 
alarmed by these rumors, fled that night toward 
New Ulm. Some of them reached that town in 
safety, and othera were waylaid and massa.'red 
upon the road. 

The family of a Mr. Blum, a worthy German 
citizen, were all, except a small boy, killed while 
endeavoring to escape. On Tuesday morning, 
Mr. Philetus Jackson was killed, while on the way 
to town with his wife and son. Mrs. Jackson and 
the young man escaped. 

We insert here the statements of two ladies, who 
escaped from this neighborhood, as they detail 
very fully the events of several days in that local- 
ity. Mrs. Mary J. Covill, wife of George W. 
Covin, says: 

"On Monday, the 18th of August, messengers 
came to the houue of Luther Whiton, from both 
above and below, with a report of an outbreak of 
the Indians. My husband was at Mr. Whiton's, 
stacking grain. He came home about four o'clock 
P. M., and told me about it, and then went back 
to Whiton's, about half a mile away, to get a Mr. 
Riant, who had recently come there from the State 



STATEMI-JNT OF MRS. COVTLL. 



209 



of Miiinp, to take liis team and cscap.'". I i)ackod 
a trunk with clothing, and hid it in the grass, and 
then went myself to Whiton's, as I was afraid to 
remain at homo. Mr. Biaut got up his team, 
and taking his two trunks — one of them 
containing over two thousand dollars in gold 
— took us all with him. There was a family at 
Mr. Whiton's from Tennessee, and a young child 
of theirs had died that day. The poor woman 
took her dead ciiild in her arms, and we all started 
across the 2:)rairie, avoiding the road, for Mankato. 
We camped that night about three miles from 
home, on the prairie; and seeing no fires, as of 
burning buildings, returned to the house of our 
neighbor, Van Guilder, and found that the settlers 
had nearly all left. Mr. Van (iuilder and family, 
Edward Allen and wife, Charles Smith and family 
and Mrs. Carroll, were aU we knew of that re- 
mained. 

•• We started on, thinking that we would over- 
take the Leavenworth party, who had been gone 
about an hour. We had gone about two and a 
half miles, when we saw, ahead of us, a team, with 
two men in the wagon, who drove toward us until 
they got into a hollow, and then got out and went 
behind a knoll. We drove quite near them, when 
Mr. Covin discovered them to be Indians. Riant 
turned his horses round and fled, when they jumped 
up out of the grass, whooped, and tired at us. 
They then jumped into their wagon and followed. 
Mr. Covin had the only gun in the party that 
could be used, and kept it pointed at the Indians 
as we retreated. They tired at us some halt- dozen 
times, but, fortunately, without injuring any one. 
"We drove hastily back to the house of Van 
Guilder, and entered it as quickly as pj.Siible, the 
savages firing upon us all the time. Mr. Van 
Guilder had just started away, with his family, as 
we came back, and returned to the house with us. 
A shot fi-om the Indians broke the arm of his mo- 
ther, an aged lady, soon after we got into the 
house, as she was passing a window. In our haste, 
we had not stoj^ped to hitch the horses, and they 
soon started otf, and the Indians followed. As 
they were going over a hill near the house, they 
shook a white cloth at us, and, whoopuig, disap- 
peared. There were in this company — after Riant 
was gone, who left us, and hid in a slough — fifteen 
persons. We immediately started out on the prai- 
rie again. We had now only the ox-team of Van 
Guilder, and the most of us were compelled to 
walk. His mother, some small children, and some 



trunks, made a wagon-load. The dead child, 
which the mother had brought back to the house 
with her, was left lying upon the table. It was 
alterward found, tcith its head aemred frnm its hudy 
by the fiends. B. L. Wait and Luther Whitou, 
who had concealed themselves in the grass when 
they saw the Indians coming, joined us. Jlrs. A. 
B. Hough and infant child were with the family of 
Van Guilder. These made our numljer up to fif- 
teen. We traveled across the prairie all day with- 
out seeing any Indians, and, at night, camped im 
the Little Cottonwood. We waded the stream, 
and made our camp on the opposite side, in the 
tall grass and reeds. We reached this sjjot on 
Tuesday night, and remained there till Friday af- 
ternoon, witliout food, save a little raw flour, which 
we did not dare to cook, for fear the smoke would 
reveal our whereabouts to the savages, when a 
company from New Ulm rescued us. 

"On Wednesday night, after dark, Covill and 
Wait started for New Ulm, to get a party to come 
out to our aid, saying they would be back the 
next day. Tiiat night, and nearly all the next 
day, it rained. At about daylight the next dav, 
when just across the Big Cottonwood, five miles 
from New Ulm, they heard an Indian whooping in 
their rear, and turned aside into some hazel-bashes, 
where they lay all day. At the place where they 
crossed the river they found a fish-rack in the 
water, and in it Caught a fish. Part of this they 
ate raw that day. It was now Thursday, and 
they had eaten nothing since Monday noon. They 
started again at dark for New Ulm. When near 
the graveyard, two miles from the town, an Indian, 
\vith grass tied about his head, arose from the 
ground and attempted to head them off. They 
succeeded in evading him, and got in about ten 
o'clock. When about entering the place, they 
were fired upon by the pickets, which alarmed the 
town, and when they got in, all was in commo- 
tion, to meet an expected attack. 

"The next morniag, one hundred and fifty men, 
under Captain Tousley, of Le Sueur, and S. A. 
Buell, of St. Peter, started to our relief, reaehm" 
our place of concealmsut about two o'clock. They 
brought us food, of which our famished party 
eagerly partook. They were accompanied by Dr. 
A. W. Daniels, of St. Peter, and Dr. Mayo, of 
Le Sueur. They went on toward Leavenworth, 
intending to remain there all night, bury 
the dead, should any be found, the next 
day, rescue any who might remain alive, 



14 



210 



HISTORY OP THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



and then return. They buried the Bkim fam- 
ily of six persons that afternoon, and then con- 
cluded to return that night. We reached New 
Ulm before midnight. Mr. Van Guilder's mother 
died soon after we got into town from the effects 
of her wound and the exposure to which she had 
been sulijected. 

"At about the same time that we returned to the 
house of Mr. Van Guilder, on Tuesday, Charles 
Smith and family, Edward Allen and wife, and 
Mrs. Carroll hud left it, and reached New Ulm 
without seeing Indians, about half an hour before 
the place was attacked. The same day, William 
Carroll, ■with a party of men, came to the house 
for us, found Mr. Eiant, who was concealed in a 
slough, and started back toward New Ulm. But 
few of them reached the town alive." 

An account of the adventures of this company, 
and its fate, will be found elsewhere, in the state- 
ment of Ralph Thomas, one of the party. 

On Monday, the 18th of August, two women, 
Mrs. Harrington and Mrs. HUl, residing on the 
Cottonwood, below Leavenworth, heard of the out- 
break, and prevailed upon a Mr. Henshaw, a sin- 
gle man, living near them, to harness up his team 
and take them away, as their husbands were away 
from home. Mrs. Harrington had two children ; 
Mrs. Hill none. They had gone but a short dis- 
tance when they were overtaken by Indians. Mr. 
Henshaw was killed, and Mrs. Harrington was 
badly wounded, the ball passing through her 
shoulder. She had just sprung to the ground 
with her youngest child in her arms; one of its 
arms was thrown over her shoulder, and the ball 
passed through its little hand, lacerating it dread- 
fully. The Indians were intent upon securing the 
team, and the women wore not followed, and es- 
caped. Securing the horses, they drove away in 
an opposite direction. 

Mrs. Harrington soon became faint from the loss 
of blood; and Mrs. Hill, conceahng her near a 
slough, took the eldest cliild and started for New 
Ulm. Before reaching that place she met John 
Jackson and William Carroll, who resided on the 
Cottonwood, above them; and, telling them what 
had happened, they put her on one of their horses 
and turned back with her to the town. 

On the nest day, Tuesday, Mr. Jackson was one 
of the party with Carrcll, heretofore mentioned, 
that went out to Leavenworth, and visited the 
house of Van Guilder, in search of their families. 
When that party turned back to New Ulm, Jack- 



son did not go with them, but went to hia own 
house to look for his wife, who had already left. 
He visited the houses of most of his neighbors, and 
finding no one, started back alone. When near 
the house of Mr. Hill, between Leavenworth and 
New Uim, on the river, he saw what he supposed 
were white men at the house, but when within a 
few rods of them, discovered they were Indians. 
The moment he made this discovery he turned to 
flee to the woods near by. They fired upon him, 
and gave chase, but he outran them, and reached 
the timber unharmed. Here he remained concealed 
until late at night, when he made his way back to 
town, where he found his wife, who, with others of 
their neighbors, had fled on the first alarm, and 
rjached the village in safety. Mrs. Laura Whiten, 
widow of Elijah Whiton, of Leavenworth, Brown 
county,- makes the following statement: 

"We had resided on our claim, at Leavenworth, 
a little over four years. There were in our family, 
on the 18th of August, 1862, four persons — Mr. 
Whiton, myself, and two children — a son of sixteen 
years, and a daughter nine years of age. On Mon- 
day evening, the 18th of August, a neighbor, Mr. 
Jackson, and his son, a young boy, who resided 
three miles from our place, ccme to our house in 
search of their horses, and told us that the Indians 
had murdered a family on the Minnesota river, and 
went away. We saw no one, and heard nothing 
more until Thursday afternoon following, about 4 
o'clock, when about a dozen Indians were seen 
coming from the direction of the house of a neigh- 
bor named Heydrick, whom they were chasing. 
Hoydrick jumped off a bridge across a ravine, and, 
riiuniug down the ravine, concealed himself under 
a log, where he remained until 8 o'clock, when 
he came out, and made his escape into New Ulm. 

'•The savages had already slain all his family, 
consisting of his wife and two children. Mr. 
Whiton, who was at work near the door at the 
time, came into the house, but even then did not 
believe there was any thing serious, supposing 
Heydrick was unnecessarily frightened. But when 
he saw them leveling their guns at him, he came 
to the conclusion that we had better leave. He 
loaded his double-barreled gun, and we all started 
for the timber. After reaching the woods, Mr. 
Whiton left us to go to the house oi^his brother, 
Luther, a single man, to see what had become of 
him, telliug us to remain where we were until he 
came back. We never saw liim again. After he 
left us, not daring to remain where we were, wo 



STATEMENT OF MBS. WJIITON. 



211 



fcirdeil the river (Cottouwood), and bid in the tim- 
ber, on the opposite side, where we remained 
imtil about 8 o'clocli, when we started for New TJlm. 

" While we lay concealed in the woods, we heard 
the Indians driving up our oxen, and yoking them 
up. They hitched them to our wagon, loaded it 
up with our trunks, bedding, etc., and drove away, 
we went out on the prairie, and walked all night 
and all nest day, arriving at New Ulm at about 
dark on Friday, the 22d. About midnight, on 
Thursday night, as we were fleeing alimg the road, 
we passed the bodies of the family of our neigh- 
bor, Blum, lying dead by the road-side. They had 
started to make their escape to to'mi, but were 
overtaken by the savages upon the road, and all 
but a little boy most brutally murdered. 

" Mr. Whiton returned homo, from his visit to 
the house of his brother, which he found deserted, 
and found that our hoiise had already been plun- 
dered. He then went to the woods to search for 
us. He remained in the timber, prosecuting his 
search, until Saturday, without food; and, failing 
to find us, he came to the conclusion that we were 
either dead or in captivity, and then himself start- 
ed for New Ulm. On Saturday night, when trav- 
eling across the prairie, he came suddenly upon a 
camp of Indians, but they did not see him, and he 
heat as hasty a retreat as possible from their vi- 
cinity. 

"When near the Lone Cottonwood Tree, on 
Sunday morning, he fell in with William J. Duly, 
who had made his escape from Lake Shetek. 
They traveled along together till they came to the 
house of Mr. Henry Thomas, six miles from our 
farm, in the town of Milford. This house had evi- 
dently been deserted by the family in great haste, 
for the table was spread for a meal, and the food 
remained iintouched upon it. Hei'e they sat do'svn 
to eat, neither of them having had any food for a 
long time. While seated at the table, two Indians 
came to the house; and, as Mr. Whiton arose and 
stepped to the stove for some water, they came into 
the door, one of them saying, ^Da mca tepee.'' 
[This is my house.] There was no way of escape, 
and Mr. Whiton, thinking to propitiate him, said 
'Come in' , Mr. Duly was sitting partly behind the 
door, and was, probably, imol iserved. The savage 
made no answer, but instantly raised his gun, and 
shot bim through the heart, they then both went 
into the corn. Duly was unarmed; and, when Mr. 
Whiton was killed, took his gun and ran out of the 
house, and concealed hiniself in the bushes near by. 



" While lying here ho could hear the Indians 
yelling and tiring their guns in close proximity to 
his place of concealment. After awhile he ven- 
tured out. Being too much exhausted to carry 
it, he threw away the gun, and that night ar- 
rived at New Ulm, without again encountering 
Indians." 

We now return to Mrs. Harrington, whom, the 
reader will remember, wc left badly wounded, con- 
cealed near a slough. We regret our inability to 
obtain a full narrative of her wanderings during 
the eight succeeding days and nights she spent 
alone upon the jirairie, carrying her wounded 
child. We can only state in general terms, that 
after wandering for eight weary days and nights, 
without food or shelter, unknowing whither, early 
on the morning of Tuesday, the 26th, before day- 
light, she found herself at Crisp's farm, midway 
between New Ulm and Mankato. As she ap- 
proached the pickets she mistook them for In- 
dians, and, when hailed by them, was so fright- 
ened as not to recognize the English language, 
and intent only on saving her life, told them she 
was a Sioux. Two guns were instantly leveled at 
her, but, providentially, both missed fire, when an 
exclamation from her led them to thmk she was 
loliite, and a woman, and they went out to her. 
She was taken into camp and all done for her by 
Judge Flandrau and his men that could be done. 
They took her to Mankato, and soon after she was 
joined by her husband, who was below at the time 
of the outbreak, and also found the child which 
Mrs. HiU took with her to New Ulm. 

Sis miles from New Ulm there lived, on the 
Cottonwood, in the county of Brown, a Gorman 
family of the name of Heyers, consisting of the 
father, mother and two sons, both yoimg men. 
A burial party that went out from New Ulm on 
Friday, the 22d, formd them all murdered, and 
buried them near where they were killed. 

The toWTi of Milford, Brown county, adjoinino- 
New Ulm on the west and contiguous to the res- 
ervation, was a farming community, comjiosed en- 
tirely of Germans. A quiet, sober, industrious, 
and enterprising class of emigrants had here 
made their homes, and the prairie wilderness 
around them began to "bud and blossom like the 
rose." Industry and thrift had brought their sure 
reward, and peace, contentment and happiness 
filled the hearts of this simj^le-hearted peojde. 
The noble and classic Ehme and the vine-clad hills 
of Fatherland were almost forgotten, or, if not 



212 



HISTORY OF TUB SIOVX MASSACRE. 



forgotten, were now remembered without regret, 
in these fair prairie homes, beneath the glowing 
and genial sky of Minnesota. 

When the sun arose on the morning of the 18th 
of August, 1862, it looked dowu upon this scene 
in all its glowing beauty; but its declining rays 
fell upon a field of carnage and horror too fearful 
to describe. The council at Rice Creek, on Sun- 
day night, had decided upon the details of the 
work of death, and the warriors of the lower 
bands were early on the trail, thirsting for blood. 
Early in the forenoon of Monday they appeared 
in large numbers in this neighborhood, and the 
work of slaughter began. The first house visited 
was that of Wilson Massipost, a prominent and 
infliiential citizen, a widower. Mr. Massipost had 
two daugliters, intelligent and accomplished. 
These the savages murdered most brutally. The 
head of one of them was afterward foimd, severed 
from the body, attached to a fish-hook, and hung 
upon a naU. His son, a young man of twenty- 
four years, was also killed. Mr. Massijiost and a 
son of eight years escaped to New Ulm. The 
house of Anton Hanley was likewise visited. Mr. 
Hanley was absent. The children, four in num- 
ber, were beaten with tomahawks on the head and 
person, inflicting fearful woimds. Two of them 
were kiUed outright, and one, an infant, recovered; 
the other, a young boy, was taken by the parents, 
at night, to New Ulm, thence to St. Paul, where 
he died of his wounds. After killing these child- 
ren, they proceeded to the field near by, where 
Mrs. Hanley, her father, Anton Mesmer, his wife, 
son Joseph, and daughter, were at work harvesting 
wheat. All these they instantly shot, except Mrs. 
Hanley, who escaped to the woods and secreted 
herself tiU night, when, her husband coming home, 
they took their two wounded children and 
made their escape. At the house of Agrenatz 
Hanley all the children were killed. The jjarents 
escaped. 

Bastian Mey, wife, and two children M-ere mas- 
sacred in their house, and three children were ter- 
riVily mutilated, who afterward recovered. 

Adolph Shilling and his daughter were killed; 
his sou badly wounded, escaped with his mother. 
Two families, those of a Mr. Zeller and a Mr. Zet- 
tle, were completely annihilated; not a soul was 
left to tell the tale of their sudden destruction. 
Jacob Keck, Max Fink, and a Mr. Belzer were 
also victims of savage barl)arity at th's place. Af- 
ter kUling the inhabitants, they plundered and 



sacked the houses, destroying all the proj^erty 
they could not carry away, driving away all the 
horses and cattle, and when night closed over the 
dreadful scene, desolation and death reigned su- 
preme. 

There resided, on the Big Cottonwood, between 
New Ulm and Lake Shetek, a German, named 
Charles Zierke, familiarly known throughout all 
that region as "Duteh Charley." On the same 
road resided an old gentleman, and his son and 
daughter, named Brown. These adventurous pio- 
neers lived many miles from any other human 
habitation, and kept housss of entertainment on 
that lonely road. This last-named house was 
known as "Brown's place." It is not known to us 
when the savages came to those isolated dwell- 
ings. We only know that the mutilated bodies of 
all three of the Brown famUy were found, and 
buried, some miles from their house. Zierke and 
his family made their escape toward New Ulm, 
and, when near the town, were pursued and over- 
taken by the Indians on the prairie. By sharp 
running, Zierke esca2Jed to the town, but Ids 'ftife 
and children, together with his team, were taken 
by them. Beturning afterward with a party of 
men, the savages abandoned the captured team, 
woman, and children, and they were recovered 
and all taken into New Ulm in safety. 

The frontier of Nicollet coimty contiguous to 
the reserx'ation was not generally visited by the 
savages until Tuesday, the 19th, and the succeed- 
ing days of that week. The people had, generally 
in the mcautime, sought safety in flight, and were 
l^rincipally in the town of St. Peter. A few, how- 
ever, remained at their homes, in isolated locali- 
ties, where the news of the awful scenes enacting 
around them did not reach them; or, who having 
removed their families to places of safety, returned 
to look after their property. These generally fell 
victims to the rifle and tomahawk of the savages. 
The destruction of life in this county, was, how- 
ever, trifling, compared with her sister counties of 
Brown and Renville; but the loss of property was 
immense. The entire west half of the county was, 
of necessity, abandoned and completely desolated. 
The ripened grain crop was much of it imcut, and 
wasted in the field, while horses and cattle and 
shee]3 and hogs roamed rmrestraiaed^at wiU over 
the unharvested fields. And, to render the ruin 
complete the savage hordes swept over this por- 
tion of the county, gathering up horses and cattle 
shooting swine and sheep, and all other stock that 



DMV.ISTATJUM IN NICOLLET COUNTY. 



213 



theyo.iull ii'.>t e:itcli; ruiisliing the work of ruin 
. by :ij)pl_ving the torch to tho stacks of hay and 
grain, and in some instances to the dwellings of 
the settlers. 

William Mills kept a public house in tlie town 
of West Newton, four miles from Fort Ridgely, on 
the St. Peter road. Mr. Mills heard of the out- 
break of the Sioux on Monday, and at once took 
the necessary steps to secure tho safety of his fam- 
ily, by sending them across the prairie to a se- 
cluded spot, at a slough some three miles from the 
house. Leaving a span of horses and a wagon 
with them, he instructed them, if it should seom 
necessary to their safety, to drive as rapidly as 
possible to Henderson. He then went to Fort 
Ridgely to possess himself, if possible, of the exact 
state of affairs. At night he visiteil his house, to 
obtain some articles of clothing for his family, and 
carried them out to their place of concealment, and 
went again to the fort, where he remained until 
Tu-sday morning, when he started out to his fam- 
ily, thinking he would send them to Henderson, 
and return and assist in the defense of that po.st. 
Soon after leaving the fort he met Lieutenant T. J. 
Sheehan and his company, on their way back to 
that post. Sheehan roughly demanded of him 
where he was going. He replied he w'as going to 
send his family to a place of safety, and return. 
The heutenant, with an oath, wrested from hira his 
gun, the only weapon of defense he had, thus leav- 
ing him defenseless. Left thus unarmed and 
powerless, he took his family and hastened to Hen- 
derson, arriving there that day in safety. 

A few Indians were seen in the neighborhood of 
West Newton on Monday afternoon on horseback, 
but at a distance, on the prairie. The most of the 
inhabitants fled to the fort on that day : a few re ■ 
mained at their homes and some fled to St. Peter 
and Henderson. The town of Lafayette was, in 
like manner, deserted on Monday and Monday 
night, the inhabitants chiefly making for St. Peter. 
Ccmrtland township, lying near New Ulm, caught 
the contagion, and her people too fled — the women 
and children going to St. Peter, while many of her 
brave sons rushed to the defense of New Ulm, and 
in that terrible siege bore a conspicuous and hon- 
orable part. 

As the cortege of panic stricken fugitives poured 
along the various roads leading to the towns be- 
low, or Monday night and Tuesday, indescribable 
terror seized the inhabitants; and the rapidly ac- 
cuujulating human tide, gathering force and hum- 



bcrs as it moved across the prairie, lulled an 
overwhelming Hood into tho towns along tlio 
river. 

The entire county of Nicollet, outside of St. 
Peter, was d(^populated, and their crops and herds 
left by tlie inhaljitants to destruction. 

On the arrival of a force of mounted men, under 
Captains Anson Northnip, of Minneapolis, and K. 
H. Chittenden, of the First Wisconsin Cav.alry, at 
Henderson, on the way to Fort Kidgely, they met 
Charles Nelson, and, on consultation, decided to go 
to St. Peter, where they wer-o to report to Colonel 
Sibley, by way of Norwegian Grove. Securing 
the services of Nelson, John Fadden, and one or 
two others, familiar to the country, they set out 
for the Grove. 

Captr.in Chittenden, in a letter to the '-New 
Haven Palladium," written soon after, says: 

" The prairie was magnificent, but quite desert- 
ed. Sometimes a dog stared at us as we passed; 
but even the brutes seemed conscious of a terrible 
calamity. At 2 o'clock wo reached the Grove, 
which surrounded a lake. The farms were in a fine 
state of cultivation; and, strange to say, although 
the houses were in ruins, the grain stacks were un- 
touched. Eeapers stood in the field as the men 
had left them. Cows wandered over the prairies 
in search of their masters. Nelson led the way to 
th? spot where he had been overtaken in attempt- 
ing to escape with his wife and children. We 
found his wagon; the groimd was strewn with ar- 
ticles of apparel, his wife's bonnet, boxes, yarn, in 
fact everythmg they had hastily gathered up. But 
the wife and boys were gone. Her he had seen 
them miu-der, but the children had run into the 
corn-field. He had also secreted a woman and 
child undtr a hay -stack. We went and turned it 
over; they were gone. I then so arranged the 
troops that, by marching abreast, we made a 
thorough search of the corn-field. No ehie to his 
boys could be found. Passing the still burning 
embers of his neighbor's dwellings, we came to 
Nelson's own, the only one still standing. * * * 
The heart-broken man closed the gate, and turned 
away without a tear; then simply asked Sergeant 
Thompson when he thought it would be safe to 
return. I must confess that, accustomed as I am 
to scenes of horror, the tears would come." 

The troops, taking Nelson with them, proceeded 
to St. Peter, where he found the dead body of his 
wife, which had been carried there by some of his 
neighbors, and his children, alive. They had fled 



214 



n I STORY OF TEE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



through the corn, and escaped from their savage 
pursuers. 

Jacob Mauerle had taken his family down to 
St. Peter, and returned on Friday to his house, 
in West Newton. He had tied some clothing 
in a bundle, and started for the fort, when he 
was shot and scalped, some eighty rods from the 
house. 

The two Applebaum's were evidently fleeing to 
St. Peter, when overtaken by the Indians and 
kiUed. 

Felix Smith had escaped to Fort Bidgely, and 
on Wednesday forenoon went out to his house, 
some three miles away. The. Indians attacked the 
fort that afternoon, and he was killed in endeavor- 
ing to get back into that post. 

Small parties of Indians scoured the coimtry be- 
tween Fort Kidgely, St. Peter, and Henderson, 
during the first week of the massacre, driving away 
cattle and burning buildings, within twelve miles 
of the first-named place. The Swan Lake House 
was laid in ashes. A scouting party of six savages 
was seen by General M. B. Stone, upon the bluif, 
in sight of the town of St. Peter, on Friday, the 
22d day of August, the very day they were making 
their most furious and determined assault upon 
Fort Bidgely. 

This scouting party had, doubtless, been de- 
tached from the main force besieging that post, 
and sent forward, under the delusion that the fort 
must fall into their hands, to reoonnoiter, and re- 
port to Little Crow the condition of the place, and 
the abilitv of the people to defend themselves. 
But they failed to take Fort Kidgely, and, on the 
22d, their scouts saw a large body of troops, under 
Colonel Sibley, enter St. Peter. 



CHAPTER XXXVL 



BIG STONE LAKE WHITES KILLED LAKE 8HETEK — 

NAMES OF SETTLERS MRS. ALOMINA HDBD ES- 
CAPES VVITH HER TWO CHILDREN THE BATTLE OF 

SPIRIT LAKE — -WARFARE IN JACKSON COUNir 

DAKOTA TEBRITORr MURDERS AT SIOUX F.VLLS 

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY — KILLING OF AMOS 
HUGGINS. 

At Big Stone Lake, in what is now Big Stone 
coimty, were four trading houses, Wm. H. Forbes, 
Daily, Pratt & Co., and Nathan Myriok. The habi- 
tues of these Indian trading houses, as usual, were 
mostly half-breeds, natives of the country. The 



store of DaOy, Pratt & Co. was in charge of Mr. 
Ryder of St. Paul. On the 21st of August, four 
of these men at work cutting hay, unsuspicious of 
danger, were suddenly attacked and all murdered, 
except Anton Manderfield; while one half-breed, 
at the store, Baptiste Gubeau, was taken prisoner, 
and was informed that he would be killed that 
night. But Gubeau succeeded in escaping from 
their grasp, and making his way to the lake. His 
escape was a wonderful feat, bound as he was, as 
to his hands, pursued by yelling demons determ- 
ined on his death. But, ahead of all his pursuers, he 
reached the lake, and dashing into the reeds on the 
margin, was hid from the sight of his disappointed 
pursuers. Wading noiselessly into the water, until 
his head alone was above the water, he remained 
perfectly stiU for some time. The water soon 
loosened the rawhide on his wrists, so that they 
were easily removed. The Indians sought for him 
in vain; and as the shades of night gathered around 
him, he came out of his hiding place, crossed the 
foot of the lake and struck out for the Ujjper 
Mississippi. He finally reached St. Cloud. Here 
he was mistaken for an Indian spy, and threatened 
with death, but was finally saved by the interposi- 
tion of a gentleman who knew him. 

The other employes at the lake were all killed 
except Manderfield, who secreted himself while his 
comrades were being murdered. Manderfield, in 
his escape, when near Lac qui Parle, was met by 
Joseph Laframboise, who hud gone thither to ob- 
tain his sister Julia, then a captive there. Man- 
derfield received fi'om Laframboise proper direc- 
tions, and finally reached Fort Bidgely in safety. 

Lake Shetek. — This beautiful lake of quiet 
water, some six mUes long and two broad, is situ- 
ated about seventy rmles west of New TJlm, in the 
county of Murray. Here a little community of 
some fifty jiiersons were residing far out on our 
frontier, the nearest settlement being the Big Cot- 
tonwood. The families and persons located here 
were: John Eastlick and wife, Charles Hatch, 
Phineas B. Hurd and wife, John Wright, Wm. J, 
Duly and wife, H. W. Smith, Aaron Myers, Mr. 
Everett and wife, Thomas Ireland and wife, Koch 
and wife; these with their several families, and six 
single men, Wm. James, Edgar Bently, John 
Voight, E. G. Cook, and John P. and Daniel 
Burns, the latter residing alone on a claim at Wal- 
nut Grove, some distance from the lake, consti- 
tuted the entire population of Lake Shetek settle- 
ment, in Murray coimty. 



L^U^E SIIETEK. 



215 



On the 20th of August some twenty Sioux In- 
dians rode up to tlio house of Mr. Hurd. Mr. 
Hurd himself liad left liome for the Missouri river 
on the 2d day of Juuo previous. Ten of these In- 
dians entered the house, Calked and smoked their 
jjipes while Mrs. Hurd was getting breakfast. Mr. 
Voight, tlie work-hand, wliile waiting for break- 
fast, took i:p the babe, as it awoke and cried, and 
walked with it out in the yard in front of the door. 
No sooner had he left the house than an Indian 
took his gun and deliberately shot him dead near 
the door. Mrs. Hurd was Amazed at the infeinal 
deed, as these Indians had always been kindly 
treated, and often fed at her table. She ran to 
the fallen man to raise bim up and look after the 
safety of her child. To her utter horror, one of 
the miscreants intercepted her, telling her to leave 
at once and go to the settlements across the prairie. 
She was refused the privilege of dressing her 
naked children, and was comjielled to turn awaj 
from her ruined home, to commence her wandering 
over an almost trackless waste, without food, and 
almost without raiment, for either herself or bttle 
ones. I 

These Indians proceeded from the house of Mr. 
Hurd to that of Mr. Andrew Koch, whom they 
shot, and plundered the house of its contents. 
Mrs. Koch was compelled to get up the oxen and 
hitch them to the wagon, and drive them, at the 
direction of ber captors, into the Indian country. 
In this way she traveled ten days. She was the 
captive of White Lodge, an old and ugly chief of 
one of the upper bands. As the course was tow- 
ards the Missouri river, Mrs. Koch refused to go 
farther in that direction. The old chief threatened 
to shoot her if she did not drive on. Making a 
virtue of necessity she reluctantly obeyed. Soon 
after she was required to carry the vagabond's 
gun. Watching her opportunity she destroyed 
the explosive quality of the cap, and dampened 
the powder in the tube, leaving the gim to appear- 
ance all right. Soon afterward .she again refused 
to go any farther in that direction. Again the 
old scoundrel threatened her witli death. She in- 
stantly bared her bosom and dared him to Are. 
He aimed his gun at her breast and essayed to 
fire, but the gun refused to take part in the work 
of death. The superstitious savage, supposing 
she bore a charmed life, lowered his gun, and 
asked which way she wishsd to go. She jiointed 
toward the settlements. In this direction the 
teams were turned. They reached the neighbor- 



hood of the Uj.iper Agency in ten days aft<ir leav- 
ing Lake Shotek, about the time of the arrival of 
the troops under Colonel Sibley in the vicinity of 
Wood Lake and Yellow Medicine. White Lodge 
did not like the looks of things around Wood 
Lake, and left, moving off in an opposite direction 
for greater safety. Mrs. Koch Avas finally rescued 
at Camp Release, after wading or swimming the 
Minnesota river ten times in company with a 
fHendly squaw. 

At Lake Shetek, the settlers were soon all gath- 
ered at the house of John Wright, prepared for 
defense. They were, however, induced by the ap- 
parently friendly persuasion of the Indians to 
abandon the house, and move towards the slongh 
for better safety. The Indians commenced firing 
upon the retreating party. The whites returned 
the fire as they ran. Mrs. Eastlick was wounded 
in the heel, Mr. Duly's oldest son and daughter 
were shot through the shoulder, and Blrs. Ireland's 
youngest child was shot through the leg, while 
running to the slough. Mr. Hatch, Mr. Everett, 
Mr. Eastlick, Mrs. Eastlick, Mrs. Everett, and sev- 
eral children were shot. The Indians now told 
the women t(^ come out of the slough, and they 
would not kill them or the children, if they would 
come out. They went out lo them with the children, 
when they shot Mrs. Everett, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. 
Ireland dead, and killed some of the children. 
Mrs. Eastlick was shot and left on the field, sup- 
posed to be dead, but she finally escaped, and two 
of her children, Merton and Johnny. Her inter- 
esting narrative will be found in the large work, 
from which this abridgment is made up. Mrs. 
Julia A. Wright, and Mrs. Duly, and the two chU- 
dreu of Mrs. Wright, and two of the children of 
Mrs. Duly were taken captive. Some of these 
were taken by the followers of Little Crow to the 
Missouri river, and were subsequently ransomed 
at Fort Pierre, by Major Galpin. All the men ex- 
cej^t Mr. Eastlick, being only wounded, escaped 
to the settlements. The brothers Burns remained 
on their claim, and were not molested. One 
sneaking Indian coming near them paid the for- 
feit with his life. 

Spirit Lake. — On or about the 25th day of 
August, 1862, the "Annuity Sioux Indians" made 
their appearance at Spirit Lake, the scene of the 
terrible Inkpaduta massacre of 1857. The inhab- 
itants rled in dismay from their homes; and the 
savages, after plundering the dwellings of the set- 



216 



niSTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



tiers, completed their fiendish work by scttiug fire 
to the country. 

Dakota. Tbbbitoet. — Portions of Dakota Ter- 
ritory -were visited by the Sioux in 18G2. At 
Sioux Falls City the following murders were com- 
mitted by the Sioux Indians on the 25th of Au- 
gust: Mr. Joseph B. and Mr. M. Amidon, father 
and son, were found dead in a corn-field, near 
which they had been making hay. The son was 
shot with both balls and arrows, the father with 
balls only. Their bodies lay some ten rods apart. 
On the morning of the 26th, about fifteen Indians, 
suppt)sed to be Sioux, attacked the camp of sol- 
diers at that j)lace. They were followed, but 
eluded the vigilant pursuit of our soldiers and es- 
cajDed. The families, some ten in number, were 
removed to Yankton, the capital, sixty-five miles 
distant. This removal took place before the mur- 
ders at Lake Shetek were known at Sioux Falls 
City. The mail carrier who carried the news from 
New Ulm had not yet arrived at Sioux Falls, on 
his return trip. He had, on his outward trip, 
found Mrs. Eastlick on the prairie, near Shetek, 
and carried her to the house of Mr. Brown, on the 
Cottonwood. 

In one week after the murders at the Falls, one- 
half of the inhabitants of the Missouri slope had 
fled to Sioux City, Iowa, six miles below the mouth 
of the Big Sioux. 

The Mukdee of Amos Huggins. — Amos Hug- 
gins (in the language of Rev. S. K. Eiggs, in his 
late work, 1880, entitled "Mary and I,") "was the 
eldest child of Alexander G. Huggins, who bad 
accompanied Dr. Williamson to the Sioux coun- 
try in 1835. Amos was born in Ohio, and was at 
this time (1862) over thirty years old. He was 
married, and two children blessed their home,- 
which for some time before the outbreak bad been 
at Lac qui Parle, near where the town of that 
name now stands. It was then an Indian village 
and planting jjlace, the principal man being Wa- 
kanmane — Spirit Walker, or Walking S23irit. If 
the people of the village had been at home Mr. 
Huggins and his family, which included Miss 
JuHa Laframlioise, who was also a teacher in the 
employ of the Government, would have been safe. 
But in the al.).sence of Spirit Walker's people three 
Indian men came — two of them fi-om the Lower 
Sioux Agency — and killed Mr. Huggins, and took 
from the house such thuigs as they wanted." pp. 
169-170. 

This apology for the conduct of Christian In- 



dians towards the missionaries and their assistants, 
who had labored among them since 1835 up to 
1802, a period of twenty-seven years, shows a 
truly Christian spirit on the part of the Rev. S. K.. 
Riggs; but it is scarcely satisfactory to the general 
reader that the Christian Indians were entirely in- 
nocent of all blame in the great massacre of 1862. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



OcCUr.KENOES PEEVIOUe TO THE ATTACK ON THE 

TOWN OF NEW TTLM — THE ATTACK BT INDIANS 

JUDGE FLANDEATT ARRIVES WITH REINFORCEMENTS 
EVACUATION OF NEW DLM. 

On the ISth of August, the day of the outbreak, 
a volunteer recruiting jjarty for the Union army 
went out from New Ulm. Some eight miles west 
of that place several dead bodies were found on 
the road. The party turned back toward the town, 
and, to the surprise of aU, were fired upon by In- 
dians in ambush, kOling several of their party. 
Another party leaving New Ulm for the Lower 
Agency, when seven miles above the town some 
fifty Indians near the road fired upon them, killing 
three of these men. This party returned to town. 
One of these parties had seen, near the Cotton- 
wood, Indians kill a man on a stack of grain, and 
some others in the field. The people of the sur- 
rounding country fled for their lives into the town, 
leaving, some of them, portions of their families 
killed at their homes or on the way to some place 
of safety. 

During the 18th and 19th of August the In- 
dians overran the country, burning buildings and 
driving off the stock from the farms. 

The people had no arms fit for use, and were 
perfectly panic-gtricken and helpless. But the 
news of the outbreak had reached St. Peter, and at 
about one o'clock of August 19th, T. B. Thompson, 
James Hughes, Charles Wetherell, Samuel Coffin, 
IMerriok Dickinson, H. Cay wood, A. M. Bean, James 
Parker, Andrew Friend, Henry and Frederick Otto, 
C. A. Stein, E. G. Covey, Frank Kennedy, Thomas 
and Griffin Williams, and the Hon. Henry A. Swift, 
afterwards made Governor of Minnesota, by opera- 
tion of the organic law, and William G. Hayden, 
organized themselves into a comp.iny, by the elec- 
tion of A. M. Bean, Captain, and Samuel Coffin, 
Jjieutenant, and took up p3sition at New Ulm, in 
the defense of that Ijeleaguered place. They at once 
advanced upon the Indians, who were posted behind 



BATTLE OF AViMl' UJJ/. 



Ill 



the houses in the outer portions of the place. By 
this opportime arrival the savage foe wore hold in 
check. These were soon joineil by another arrival 
from St. Peter: L. M. Bordman, J. B. Trogdon, J. 
K. Moore, Horace Austin (since Governor), V. M. 
Bean, James Homer, Japob and Philip Stotzer, 
William Wilkinson, Lewis Patch. S. A. Bnoll, and 
Henry Snyder, all mouuted, as well as a few from 
tlio'surrounding country. 

By the time these several parties had arrived, 
the savages had retired, after burning five build- 
ings on the outskirts of the town. In the first 
battle several were killed, one Miss Paule of the 
place, standing on the sidewalk opposite the Da- 
• kota House. The enemy's loss is not known. 

On the same evening Hon. Charles E. Flandrau, 
at the head of about one hundred and twenty -five 
men, volunteers from St. Peter and vicinity, en- 
tered the town; and reinforcements continued to 
arrive from Mankato, Le Sueur, and other points, 
uutil Thursday, the 21st, when about three hun- 
dred and twenty-five armed men were in Now Ulm, 
under the command of Judge Flandrau. Cap- 
tain Bierbauer, at the head of one hundred men, 
from Mankato, arrived and participated in the de- 
fense of the place. 

Some rude barricades around a few of the 
houses in the center of the village, fitted iip by 
means of wagons, boxes and waste lumber, par- 
tially protected the volunteer soldiery operating 
now under a chosen leader. 

On Saturday, the 22d, the commandant sent 
across the river seventy-five of his men to dislodge 
some Indians intent on burning buildings and 
grain and hay stacks. First Lieutenant William 
Huey, of Traverse des Sioux, commanded this 
force. This officer, on reaching the opposite 
shore, discovered a large body of Indians in ad- 
vance of him; and in attempting to return was 
completely intercepted by large bodies of Indians 
on each side of the river. There was liut one way 
of escape, and that was to retreat to tlie compimy 
of E. St. Julien Cox, known to be approaching 
from the direction of St. Peter. This force, thus 
cut oiT, returned with the command of Captain E. 
St. Julien Cox; and with this increased force of 
one hundred and seventy-five, Captain Cox soon 
after entered the town to the relief of both citizens 
and soldiers. 

The Indians at the siege of New Ulm, at the 
time of the principal attack before the arrival of 
Captain Cos, were estimated at about five hundred. 



coming from the dirwtion of the Lower Agency. 
The movement is thus described by Judge Flan- 
drau: 

"Their advance upon tlio slyjnng prairie in the 
briglit sunlight was a very fine spectacle, and to 
such inexperienced soldiers as we all were, intense- 
ly exciting. When within about one mile of us 
the mass began to expand like a fan, and increas- 
ing in the velocity of its apjiroach, continued 
this movement until within about double rifle-shot, 
when it covered our entire front. Then the sav- 
ages uttered a teriific yell and came down upon 
us like the wind. I had stationed myself at a 
point in the rear where communication could be 
had with me easily, and awaited the fir.,t discharge 
witli great anxiety, as it. seemed to me that to 
yield was certain desi ruction, as the enemies would 
rush into the town and drive all betoi-e them. The 
yell unsettled the men a httle, and just before the 
rifles began to crack they fell back along the whole 
Ime, and committed the error of passing the outer 
houses without taking possession of them, a mis- 
take which the Indians immediately took advan- 
tage of by themselves occupying them in squads 
of two, three and up to ten. They poured into 
us a sharp and rapid fii-e as we fell back, and 
opened from the hi luses in every direction. Sev- 
eral of lis rode up to the hill, endeavoring to rally 
the men, and with good eflect, as they gave three 
cheers and sallied out of the various houses they 
had retreated to, and cheeked the advance effect- 
ually. The firing from both sides then became 
genera], sharp and rapid, and it got to be a regu- 
lar Indian skirmish, in which every man did his 
own work after his own fashion. The Indians had 
now got into the rear of our men, and nearly on 
all sides of them, and the tire of the enemy was 
becoming very galling, as they had possession of 
a large number of buildings." 

Fight at the Wind-Mill.— Rev. B. G. Coff n, 
of Mankato, George B. Stewart, of Le Sueur, and 
J. B. Trogdon, of Nicollet, and thirteen others, 
fought their way to the wind-mill. This they 
held during the battle, their unerring shots tell- 
ing fearfully upon the savages, and finally forcing 
them to retire. At night these brave men set fire 
to the budding, and then retreated within the bar- 
ricades, m the vicinity of the Dakota House. 
During the firing from this mill a most detei-mined 
and obstinate fight was kept up from the brick 
])ost-office, where Governor Swift was stationed, 
which told most fatally upon the foe, and from 



218 



III8T0RT OF TUE SIOUX M^iSSACRE. 



this point many an Indian fell before the deadly 
aim of the true men stationed there. 

Captain William B. Dodd. — When the attack 
was made upon the place the Indians had suc- 
ceeded in reaching the Lower Town. The wind 
was favoring them, as the smoke of burning build- 
ings was carried into the main portion of the town, 
behind which they were advancing. "Captain 
Wilbam B. Dodd, of St. Peter, seeing the move- 
ment from that quarter, supposed the expected re- 
inforcements were in from that direction. He 
made at once a superhuman effort, almost, to en- 
courage the coming troops to force the Indian 
line and gain admittance into the town. He had 
gone about seventy-five yards outside the lines, 
when the Indians from buildings on either side of 
the street poured a full volley into the horse and 
rider. The Captain received three balls near his 
heart, wheeled his horse, and riding within twenty- 
five yards of our lines fell from his horse, and was 
assisted to walk into a house, where in a few mo- 
ments he died, 'the noblest Roman of them all.' 
He dictated a short message to his wife, and re- 
marked that he had discharged his duty and was 
ready to die. No man fought more courageously, 
or died more noblyr Let his virtues be forever re- 
membered. He was a hero of the truest type!" 
— St. Peter Statesman. 

At the stage of the battle in which Captain 
Dodd was killed, several others also were either 
killed or wounded. Captain Saunders, a Baptist 
minister of Le Sueur, was wounded, with many 
others. Howell Houghton, an old settler, was 
killed. The contest was continued until dark, 
when the enemy began to carry off their dead and 
wounded. In the morning of the nest day (Sun- 
day) a feeble firing was kept up for several hours 
by the sullen and retiring foe. The battle of New 
Ulm had been fought, and the whites were masters 
of the field; but at what a fearful price! The 
dead and dying and woimded filled tlie buildings 
left standing, and this beautiful and enterprising 
German town, which on Monday morning con- 
tained over two hundred buildings, had been laid 
in ashes, only some twenty-five houses remaining 
to mark the spot where Now Ulm once stood. 

On Sunday afternoon. Captain Cox's command, 
one hundred and fifty volunteers from Nicollet, 
Sibley and Le Sueur, armed with Austrian rifles, 
shot-guns and hunting rifles arrived. The Indians 
retreated, and returned no more to make battle 
with the forces at New Ulm. 



But strange battle field. The Indians deserted 
it on Sunday, and on Monday the successful de- 
fenders also retire from a place they dare not at- 
tempt to hold! The town was evacuated. All 
the women and children, and wounded men, 
making one hundred and fifty-three wagon loads, 
while a considerable number composed the com- 
pany on foot. All these moved with the command 
of Judge riandrau towards Mankato. 

The loss to our forces in this engagement was 
ten killed, and about fifty wounded. The loss of the 
enemy is unknown, but must have been heavy, as 
ten of their dead were found on the field of battle, 
which they had been unable to remove. 

AVe might fill volumes with incidents, and mi- 
raculous escapes from death, but our limits abso- 
lutely forbid their introduction in this abridge- 
ment. The reader must consult the larger work 
for these details. The escape of Oovernor Swift, 
Flandrau and Bird, and J. B. Trogdon and D. G. 
Shellack and others fi'om perilous positions, are 
among the many exciting incidents of the siege of 
New Ulm. 

Omitting the story of John W. Young, of won- 
derful interest, we refer briefly to the weightier 
matters of this sad chapter, and conclude the same 
by the relation of one short chajiter. 

THE EXPEDITION TO LEAVENWORTH. 

During the siege of New Ulm, two expeditions 
were sent out from that place toward the settle- 
ments on the Big Cottonwood, and although not 
really forming a part of the operations of a de- 
fensive character at that place, are yet so connect- 
ed with them that we give them here. 

On Thursday morning, the 21st of August, a 
party went out on the road to Leavenworth for the 
purpose of burying the dead, aiding the wounded 
and brmging them in, should they find any, and 
to act as a scouting party. They went out some 
eight miles, found and buried several bodies, and 
returned to New Ulm, at night, without seeing 
any Indians. 

On Fiiday, the 22d, another party of one hun- 
dred and forty men, under command of Captain 
George M. Tousley, started for the purpose of res- 
cuing a party of eleven persons, women and child- 
ren, who, a refugee informed the commandant, 
were hiding in a ravine out toward Leavenworth. 
Accompanying this party were Drs. A. W. Daniels, 
of St. Peter, and Ayer, of Le Sueur. 

On the way out, the cannonailiug at Fort 
' Kidgely was distinctly heard by them, and then 



STATEMENT OF RALPH TUOMAS. 



219 



Dr. Daniels, who had resided among the Sioiis 
several years as a physiciau to the lower bauds, 
had, for the first time, some conceiition of the ex- 
tent and magnitude of the outbreak. 

As the main object of the expedition had alrea- 
dy been accomplished- — i. e., the rescue of the wo- 
men and children — Dr. Daniels urged a return to 
New TJhn. The question was submitted to the 
company, and they decided to go on, and proceed- 
ed to within four miles of Leavenworth, the de- 
sign being to go to that place, remain there all 
night, bury the dead next day, and return. 

It was now nearly night; the cannonading at 
the fort could still be heard; Indian spies were, 
undoubtedly, watching them; only about one 
hundred armed men were left in the town, and 
from his intimate knowledge of the Indian char- 
acter. Dr. Daniels was convinced that the safety of 
their force, as well as New Dim itself, required 
their immediate return. 

A halt was called, and this view of the case was 
presented to the men by Drs. Daniels, Ayer, and 
Mayo. A vote was again taken, and it was deci- 
ded to return. The return march commenced at 
about sundown, and at one o'clock a. m. they re- 
entered the village. 

Ralph Thomas, who resided on the Big Cotton- 
wood, in the county of Brown, had gone with 
many of his neighbors, on Monday, the 18th of 
August, into New Ulm for safety, while William 
Carroll and some others residing further up the 
river, in Leavenworth, had gone to the same place 
to ascertain whether the rumors they had heard 
of an uprising among the Sioux were true. Mr. 
Thomas makes the following statement of the do- 
ings of this little party, and its subsequent fate: 

"There were eight of us on horseback, and the 
balance of the party were in three wagons. We 
had gone about a mile when we met a German 
going into New Ulm, who said he saw Indians at 
my place skinning a heifer, and that they drove 
him off, chasing him with spears. He had come 
from near Leavenworth. We kept on to my place, 
near which we met John Thomas and Almon Par- 
ker, who had remained the niglit before in a grove 
of timber, one and a half fniles from my place. 
About eight o'clock the evening before, they had 
seen a party o£ ten or twelve Indians, mounted on 
ponies, coming toward them, who chased them into 
the grove, the savages passing on to the right, 
leaving them alone. They stated to us that they 
had seen Indians that morning traveling over the 



prairie southward. We stopped at my place and 
fed our horses. While the horses were eating, I 
called for three or four men to go with me to the 
nearest houses, to see what had become of the peo- 
ple. We went first to the house of Mr. Mey, where 
we found him and his family lying around the 
house, to all appearance dead. We also found 
here Josejoh Emery and a Mr. Heuyer, also appa- 
rently dead. We had been here some five minutes 
viewing the scene, when one of the children, a girl 
of seven years, rose up from the ground and com- 
menced crying piteously. I took her in my arms, 
and told the other men to examine the other bodies 
and see if there were not more of them alive. 
They found two others, a twin boy and girl about 
two years old; all the rest were dead. 

" We next proceeded to the house of Mr. George 
Eaeser, and found the bodies of himself and wife 
lying near the house by a stack of grain. We 
went into the house and found their cliild, eighteen 
months old, alive, trying to get water out of the 
pail. We then went back to my place, and sent 
.John Thomas and Mr. Parker with an ox-team to 
New Ulm with these children. Mr. Mey's three 
children were wounded with blows of a tomahawk 
on the head; the other child was uninjured. We 
then went on toward Leavenworth, seeing neither 
Indians nor whites, until we arrived at the house 
of Mr. Seaman, near which we found an old gen- 
tleman named Riant concealed in a slough among 
the tall grass. He stated to us that a party of 
whites with him had been chased and fired upon 
by a party of Indians. It consisted of himself, 
Luther Whiton, George W. Co\'ill and wife, Mrs. 
Covin's son, Mrs. Hough and child, Mr. Van Guil- 
der and wife and two children, and Mr. Van Guil- 
der's mother. AU these Mr. Riant said had scat- 
tered over the ^jrairie. We remained about two 
hours, hunting for the party, and not finding 
them, turned back toward New Ulm, taking Mr. 
Riant with us. We proceeded down opposite my 
place, where we separated, eleven going down on 
one side of the Big Cottonwood, to Mr. Tuttle's 
place, and .seven of us proceeded down on the 
other, or north side of the stream. The design 
was to meet again at Mr. Tuttle's house, and all 
go back to New Ulm together; but when we ar- 
rived at Tuttle's, they had gone on to town with- 
out waiting for us, and we followed. When near 
Mr. flibbard's place we met Mr. .Takes going west. 
He said that he had been within a mile of N6w 
Ulm, anil saw the other men of our party. He 



220 



UISrORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



farther iurormed us that he saw grain-stacks and 
sh^ds ou fire at that distance from the place. 

"When we came to the burning stacks we halted 
to look for Indians. Our comrades were half an 
hour ahead of lis. When they got in sight of the 
town, one of them, Mr. Hinton, rode up on an ele- 
vation, where he could overlook the place, and saw 
Indians, and the town on fire in several places. He 
went back and told them that the Indians had at- 
tacked the' town, and that he did not consider it 
safe for them to try to get in, and proposed cro.ss- 
ing the Cottonwood, and goiug toward the Man- 
kato road, and entering town on that side. His 
proposition was opposed by several of the party, 
who thought him frightened at the sight of half a 
dozen Indians. They asked him how many he had 
seen. He said some forty. They came up and 
looked, but could see but three or four Indians. 
Mr. Carroll told them they had better go on, and, 
if opposed, out their way through. He told Hin- 
ton to lead, and they -would follow. They passed 
down the hill, and met with no opposition until 
they came to a slongh, halt a mile from the town. 
Here two Indians, standing on a large stone by the 
side of the road, leveled their double-barreled 
guns at Mr. Hinton. He, drew his revolver, placed 
it between his horse's ears, and made for them. 
The balance of the company followed. The Indi- 
ans retired to cover without firing a shot, and the 
company kept on until they had crossed the slough, 
when the savages, who were lying in ambush, 
arose from the grass, and filing upon them, killed 
five of their number, viz. : William Carroll, Almond 
Loomis, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Riant, and a Norwegian, 
and chased the balance into the town. 

"We came on about half an hour afterward, and 
passing down the hill, crossed the same slough, 
and unconscious of danger, appi'oached the fatal 
spot, when about one hundred and fifty savs^ges 
sprang up ont of the grass and fired upon us, 
killing five horses and six men. My own horse 
was shot through the body, close to my leg, killing 
him instantly. My feet were out of the stirrups in 
a moment, and I sprang to the ground, striking 
on my hands and feet. I dropped my gun, jump- 
ed up, and ran. An Indian, close behind, dis- 
charged the contents of both barrels of a shot-gun 
at me. The charge tore up the gi-ound at my feet, 
throwing dirt all around me as I ran. I made my 
way into town ou foot as fast as I could go. No 
other of our party escaped; all the rest were 
killed. Reinforcements fiom St. Peter came to 



the relitf of the place in about half an hour after 
I got in, and the Indians soon after retired." 



CHAPTiin XXX\III. 

BATTLE AT LOWER AGENCY FERET SIEGE OF FORT 

RIDGBLT BATTLE OF WEDNESDAY JACK FRAZER 

— BATTLE OF FRIDAY liEINFOKCEMENTS ARRIVE. 

On Monday morning, the 18th of August, 1862, 
at about 9 o'clock, a messenger arrived at Tort 
Kidgely, from the Lower Sioux Agency, bringing 
the startling news that the Indians were massacre- 
ing the whites at that place. Captain John S. 
Marsh, of Company B, Fifth Regiment Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, then in command, immediately 
dispatched me.-sengers after Lieutenant Sheehan, 
of Company C, of the same regiment, who had left 
that post on the morning before, with a detach- 
ment of his company, for Fort Eipley, on the 
Upper Mississipi, and Major T. J. Galbraith, Sioux 
Agent, who had also left the fort at the same time 
with fifty men, afterwards known as the Ren- 
ville Rangers, for Fort Snelling, urging them to 
return to Fort Ridgely with all possible dispatch, 
as there were then in the fort only Company B, 
numbering about seventy- five or eighty men. The 
gallant captain then took a detachment of forty- 
six men, and acccmpanied by Interpreter Quinn, 
immediately started for the scene of blood, distant 
twelve miles. They made a very rapid manh. 
When within about four miles of the ferry, op- 
posite the Agency, they met the ferryman, Mr. 
Martolle, who informed Captain Marsh that the In- 
dians were in considerable force, and were mur- 
dering all the people, and advised him to return. 
He replied that he was there to protect and defend 
the frontier, and he should do so if it was in bis 
power, and gave the order "Forward !" Between 
this point and the river they passed nine dead 
bodies on or near the road. Arriving near the 
ferry the company was halted, and Corporal 
Ezekiel Rose was sent forward to examine the ferry, 
and see if all was right. The captain and inter- 
preter were mounted on mules, the men were on 
foot, and formed in two ranks in the road, near 
the ferry-hou'.e, a few rods from the banks of the 
river. The corporal had taken a pail with him to 
the river, aiKl returned, reporting the ferry all 
right, bringing with him water for the exhausted 
and thiisty men. 



CM'TAiy MAUSJI KIJ.LED. 



221 



In the meantime an Indian Lad made his ap- 
pearance on the opposite liank, and ealhng to 
Quinn, nrged tlieni to come across, telling him all 
Wixs right on that side. The suspicions of the cap- 
tain were at once aroused, and he ordered the men 
to remain in their places, and not to move on to 
the boat until he could ascertain whether the In- 
dians were in ambush in the ravines on the oppo- 
site shore. The men were in the act of drinking, 
when the savage on the opposite side, seeing they 
were not going to cross at once, fired his gun, as a 
signal, when instantly there arose out of the grass 
and brush, all around them, some four or five hun- 
dred warriors, who poured a terrific volley upon 
the devoted band. The aged interpreter fell from 
his mule, pierced by over twenty balls. The cap- 
tain's mule fell dead, but he himself sprang to the 
ground unhaimed. Several of the men fell at this 
first fire. The testimony of the survivors of this 
sanguinary engagement is, that their brave com- 
mander W'as as cool and collected as if on dress pa- 
rade. They retreated down the stream about a 
mile and a half, fighting their way inch by inch, 
when it was discovered that a body of Indians, 
taking advantage of the fact that there was a benil- 
in the river, had gone across and gained the bank 
below them. 

The heroic little band was ab-eady reduced to 
about one-half its original number. To cut their 
way through this large number of Indians was 
impossible. Their only hope now was to cross the 
river to the reservation, as there' ajipoared to be no 
Indians on that shore, retreat down that side and 
recross at the fort. The river was supposed to be 
fordable where they were, and, accordingly, Capt. 
Marsh gave the order to cross. Taking his sword 
in one hand and his revolver in the other, accom- 
panied by his men, he waded out into the stream. 
It was very soon ascertained that they must swim, 
when these who could not do so returned to the 
shore and hid in the grass as best they could, 
while those who could, dropped their arms and 
struck out for the ojiposite side. Among these 
latter was Capt. Marsh. When near the opposite 
shore he was struck by a ball, and immediately 
sank, but arose again to the surface, and grasped 
the shoulder of a man at his side, but the garment 
gave wav in his grasp, and he again sank, this 
time to Hse no more. 

Thirteen of the men reached the bank in safety. 
a-1 returned to the fort that night. Those of 



tl;em who wore unaliln to cross remained in the 

grass and bushes mitil night, when they made 
their way, alno, to flie fort or settlements. Some 
of them were badly wounded, and were out two or 
tlirce days befm-e they got in. Two weeks after- 
ward, Josiah P. Marsh, brother of the cap- 
tain, with a mounted escort of thirty men — his 
old neighljors from Fillmore county — made search 
for his body, but without success. On the day 
before and the day after this search, as was sub- 
sequently ascertaiued, two hundred Indians were 
scouting along the river, upon the the very groimd 
over which these thirty men passed, in their fruit- 
less search for the remains of their dead brother 
and friend. Tn-o weeks later anotlier search was 
made with boats along the river, and this time the 
search was successful. His body was discovered 
a mile and a half bslow where he was killed, under 
the roots of a tree standing at the water's edge. 
His remains were borne by his sorrowing com- 
panions to Fort Ridgdy, and deposited in the 
military burial-ground at tliat place. 

This gallant officer demands more than a pass- 
ing notice. When the Southern rebellion broke 
out, in 1861, .John S. Marsh was resiiliug in Fill- 
more county, Minnesota. A company was re- 
cruited in his neighborhood, designed for the gal- 
lant 1st Minnesota, of which he was made first 
lieutenant. Before, however, this conijjauy reach- 
ed Fort Snelling, the place of rendez\ous, the reg- 
iment N\as fuU, and it w^as disbanded. The patri- 
otic fire still burned in the soul of young Marsh. 
Going to La Crosse, he volunteered as a private in 
the 2d Wisconsin regiment, and served some ten 
months in the ranks. In the following winter his 
brother, J. F. Marsh, assisted in raising a com- 
pany in Fillmore county, of which John S. was 
elected first lieutenant, and he was therefore trans- 
ferred, by order of the Secretary of War, to his 
company, and arrived at St. Paul about the 12th 
of March, 18G2. In the meantime, Captain Gere 
was promoted to majoi-, and on the 21th Lieuten- 
ant Marsh was promoted to the captaincy of his 
company, and ordered to report at Fort Ridn-ely 
and take comnii^iid of that imjjortant frontier post. 
Captain Marsh at once reixiired to his post of 
duty, where he remained in command until the 
fat;il encounter lu the ISth terminated both his 
usefulness and life. He was a brave and accom- 
])Iishril soldier, and a noble man, 

'None knew him but to love him, 
Nr.ne named liim but to praise." 



222 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



SIEGE OF FORT KIDGELY. 

Foiled in their attack on New Ulm by the 
timely arrival of reinforeements under Flandraii, 
the Indians turned their attention toward Fort 
Kidgely, eighteen miles north-west. On Wednes- 
day, at three o'clock P. M., the 20th of August, 
they suddenly appeared in great force at that 
post, and at once commenced a furious assault 
upon it. The fort is situated on the edge of the 
prairie, about half a mile from the Minnesota river, 
a timbered bottom intervening, and a wooded ra- 
vine running up out of the bottom around two 
sides of the fort, and within about twenty rods of 
the buildings, affording shelter for an enemy on 
three sides, within easy rifle or musket range. 

The first Itnowledge the garrison had of the 
presence of the foe was given by a volley from the 
ravine, which drove in the pickets. The men were 
instantly formed, by order of Lieutenant Sheehan, 
in line of battle, on the parade-ground inside the 
works. Two men, Mark M. Grear, of Company 
C, and "William Goode, of Company B, fell at the 
first fire of the concealed foe, after the line was 
formed; the former was instantly killed, the latter 
badly woimded, both being shot in the head. 
Robert Baker, a citizen, who had escajied from the 
massacre at the Lower Agency, was shot through 
the head and instantly killed, while standing at a 
window in the barracks, at about the same time. 
The men soon broke for shelter, and from behind 
boxes, from windows, from the shelter of the 
buildings, and from every spot where concealment 
was possible, watched their opportunities, wasted 
no ammunition, but poured their shots with deadly 
effect upon the wily and savage foe whenever he 
suffered himself to be seen. 

The forces in the tort at this time were the rem- 
nant of Company B, 5th Eegiment M. V., Lieu- 
tenant Culver, thirty men; about fifty men of 
Company C, same regiment. Lieutenant T. J. 
Sheehan; the Renville Rangers, Lieutenant James 
Gorman, numbering fifty men, all under command 
of Lieutenant T. J. Sheehan. 

Sergeant John Jones, of the regular army, a 
brave and skillful man, was stationed at this fort 
as post-sergeant, in charge of the ordnance, and 
took immediate command of the artillery, of which 
there were in the fort six pieces. Three only, how- 
ever, were used — two six-pounder howitzers and 
one twenty-four-poundcr iield-piece. A sidEcient 
number of men had been detailed to work these 



guns, and at the instant of the first alarm were 
promptly at their posts. One of the guns was 
placed in charge of a citizen named J. 0. Whipple, 
an old artUlerist, who had seen service in the Mex- 
ican war, and in the United States navy, and bad 
made his escape from the massacre at the Lower 
Agency, and one in charge of Sergeant McGrew, 
of Company C; the other in charge of Sergeant 
Jones in person. In this assault there were, prob- 
al)ly, not less than five hundred warriors, led by 
their renowned chief, Little Crow. 

So sudden had been the outbreak, and so weak 
was the garrison that there had been no time to 
construct any defensive works whatever, or to re- 
move or destroy the wooden structures and hay- 
stacks, behind which the enemy could take position 
and shelter. The magazine was situated some 
twenty rods outside the main works on the open 
prairie. Men were at once detailed to take the 
ammunition into the fort. Theirs was the post of 
danger; but they passed through the leaden storm 
unscathed. 

In the rear of the barracks was a ravine up which 
the St. Peter road passed. The enemy had poses- 
sion of this ra^'ine and road, while others were 
posted in the buildings, at the windows, and in 
sheltered portions in the sheds in the rear of the 
officer's quarters. Here they fought from 3 o'clock 
until dark, the artillery all the while shelling the 
ravine at short range, and the rifles and muskets 
of the men dropping the yelling demons like au- 
tunm leaves. In the meantime the Indians had 
got into some of the old out-buildings, and had 
crawled up behind the hay-stacks, from which they 
poiu-ed heavy volleys into the fort. A few well-di- 
rected shells from the howitzers set them on fire, 
and when night closed over the scene the lurid 
light of the burnmg buildings shot up with a fit- 
ful glare, and served the purpose of revealing to 
the wary sentinel the lurking foe should he again 
appear. 

The Indians retired with the closing day, and 
were seen in large numbers on their ponies, mak- 
ing their way rapidly toward the Agency. The 
great danger feared by all was, that, under cover 
of the darkness, the savages might creep up to the 
buildings and with fire-arrows ignite the dry roofs 
of the wooden structures. But about ^midnight 
the heavens opened and the earth was deluged 
with rain, effectually preventing the constimma- 
tion of such a design, if it was intended. As the 
first great drops fcU on the faces upturned to the 



FOUT 111 DG ELY ATTACKED. 



223 



gathering beavous the glad shout ot "Rain! rain! 
thauk God! thank God!" went round the boloag- 
uered garrison. Stout-hearted, strong-armed men 
brcatlied free again; and weary, frightened women 
and ehildren slept once more in comparative safety. 

In this engagement there were two men killed, 
and nine wounded, and all the government mules 
were stampeded by the Indians. Jack Prazer, an 
old resident in the Indian country, volunteered as 
a bearer of dispatches to Governor Ramsey, and 
availing himself of the darkness and the furious 
storm, made his way safely out of the fort, and 
reached St. Peter, where he met Colonel Sibley and 
his command on their way to the relief of the fort. 

Rain continued to fall until nearly night of 
Thursday, when it ceased, and that night the stars 
looked down iipon the weary, but still wakeful and 
vigilant watchers in FortKidgely. On that night 
a large quantity of oats, in sacks, stored in the 
granary near the stable, and a quantity of cord- 
wood piled near the fort, were disposed about the 
works in sueh a manner as to alford protectirm to 
the men, in case of another attack. The roof of 
the commissary building was covered with earth, as 
a protection against fire-arrows. The water in the 
fort had given out, and as there was neither well 
nor cistern in the works, the garrison were depend- 
ent upon a spring some sixty rods distant in the 
ravine, for a supply of that indispensable element. 
Their only resource now was to dig for water, 
which they did at another and less exposed point, 
and by noon had a supply sufficient for two or 
three days secured inside the fort. 

In the meantime the small arm's ammunition 
haTang become nearly exhausted in the battle of 
Wednesday, the l)alls were removed from some of 
the spherical case-shot, and a party of men and 
ivo^en made them up into cartridges, which were 
jrr^atly needed. Small parties of Indians had 
ty5en seen about the fort, out of range, during 
Thursday and Friday forenoon, watching the fort, 
to report if reinforcements had reached it. At 
about 1 o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, the 22d, 
they appeared again in force, their numbers greatly 
augmented, and commenced a furious and most de- 
termined assault. They came apparently from the 
Lower Agency, passing down the Minnesota bot- 
tom, and round into the ravine surrounding the 
fort. As they passed near the beautiful residence 
of K. H. Randall, post sutler, they applied the 
torch and it was soon wrapj^ed in flames. On came 
the painted savages yelling like so many demons 



let loose from the bottomless pit; but the brave 
men in that sore pn>ssed garrison, knowing full 
well that to be taken alive was certain death to 
themselves and all within the doomed fort, each 
man was pi'omptly at his post. 

The main attack was directed against that side 
of the works next to the river, the buildings here 
being frame structures, and the most vulnerable 
jiart of the fort. This side was covered by the 
stable, gi-anary, and one or two old buildings, 
besides the sutler's store on the west side, yes 
standing, as well as the buildings named above. 
Made bold by their augmented number.s, and the 
non-arrival of reinforcements to the garrison, tlie 
Indians pressed on, seemingly determined to rush 
at once into the works, but were met as they 
reached the end of the timber, and swept round 
up the ravine with such a deadly fire of musketry 
poured upon them from behind the barracks and 
the windows of the quarters, and of grape, canister 
and shell fi'om the guns of the brave and heroic 
Jones, AVhipple, and McGrew, that they beat a 
hasty retreat to the friendly shelter of the bottom, 
out of musket range. But the shells continued to 
scream wildly through the air, and burst around 
and among them. They soon rallied and took 
possession of the stable and other 0Tit-buildin"-s 
on the south side of the fort, from which they 
poured terrific yoUeys upon the frail wooden 
buildings on that side, the bullets actually 25assing 
through their sides, and through the partitions 
inside of them. Here .Josejih Vanosse, a citizen, 
was shot through the body by a ball which came 
through the side of the building. They were 
soon driven from these buildings by the artillery, 
which shelled them out, setting the buildings on 
fire. The sutler's store was in like m.anner 
shelled and set on fire. The scene now became 
grand and terrific. The flames and smoke of the 
burning buildings, the wild and demoniac yells of 
»the savage besiegers, the roaring of cannon, the 
screaming of sheUs as they hurtled through the 
air, the sharp crack of the rifle, and the unceasing 
rattle of musketry presented an exhibition never 
to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. 

The Indians retired hastily from the buruinr' 
buildings, the men in the fort sending a shower of 
bullets among them as they disappeared over the 
bluffs toward the bottom. With wild yells they 
now circled round into the ravine, and from the 
tall grass, lying on their faces, and from the 
shelter of the timber, continued the battle till 



2'Zi 



UIsrORY OF THE SIOUX ilASSAGRE. 



night, their leader, Little Crow, vainly ordering 
them to charge on the guns. They formed once 
for that purpose, about sundown, but a shell and 
round of canister sent into their midst closed the 
contest, when,with an unearthly yell of rage and dis- 
appointment, they left. These shots, as was after- 
wards ascertained, killed and wounded seventeen 
of their number. Jones continued to shell the 
ravine and timber around the fort until after dark, 
when the firing ceased, and then, as had been 
done on each night before, since the investment of 
the fort, the men all went to their several posts to 
wait and -watch for the coming of the wily foe. 
The night waned slowly ; but they must not sleep; 
their foe is sleepless, and that wide area of dry 
shmgled roof must be closely scanned, and the 
approaches be vigilantly guarded, by which he 
may, under cover of the darkness, creep upon 
them unawares. 

Morning broke at last, the sun rode up a clear 
and cloudless sky, but the foe came not. The day 
passed away, and no attack; the night again, and 
then another day ; and yet other days and nights 
of weary, sleepless watching, but neither friend nor 
foe api^roached the fort, until about daylight on 
Wednesday morning, the 27th, when the cry was 
heard from the look-out on the roof, "There are 
horsemen coming on the St. Peter road, across the 
ravine!" Are they friends oi- foes? was the ques- 
tion on the tongues of all. By their cautious 
movements they were evidently reconnoitering, 
and it was yet too dark for those in the fort to be 
able to tell, at that distance, friends from foes. 
But as daylight advanced, one hundred and fifty 
mounted men were seen dashing through the ra- 
vine ; and amidst the wild hurras of the assembled 
garrison. Colonel Samuel McPhail, at the head of 
two companies of citizen-cavalry, rode into the 
fort. In command of a company of these men 
were Anson Northrup, from Minneapolis, an old 
frontiers-man, and K. H. Chittenden, of the Fir,st 
Wisconsin Cavalry. This force had ridden all 
night, having left St. Peter, forty-five miles dis- 
tant, at 6 o'clock the night before. From them 
■(he garrison learned that heavy reinforcements 
were on their way to thjir relief, under Colonel 
(now Brigadier-General) H. H.Sibley. The worn- 
out and exhaust d garrison could now sleep with 
a feeling of comparative security. The number 
of killed and wounded of the enemy is not known, 
Imt must have been considerable, as, at the close 
I.: each battle, they were seen carrying away their 



dead and wounded. Our own fallen heroes were 
buried on the edge of the prairie near the fort; 
and the injuries of the wounded men wei'e care- 
fully attended to by the skillful and excellent posl- 
surgeon, Dr. Alfred Muller. 

We close our account of this protracted siege 
by a slight tribute or behalf of the sick and 
wounded in that garrisi^n, to one whose name wiU 
ever be mentioned by them with love and respect. 
The hospitals of Sebastopol had their Florence 
Nightingale, and over every blood-stained field of 
the South, in our own struggle for national hfe, 
hovered angels of mercy, cheering and soothing 
the sick and wounded, smoothing the pillows 
and closing the eyes of our fallen braves. 
And when, in after years, the brave men who fell, 
sorely wounded, in the battles of Fort Kidgely, 
Birch Coolie, and Wood Lake, fighting against 
the savage hordes who overran the borders of our 
beautiful State, in August and September, 1862, 
carrying the flaming torch, the gleaming toma- 
hawk, and bloody scalping-knife to hundreds of 
peaceful homes, shall tell to their children and 
cldldren's childi'en the story of the "dark and 
bloody ground" of Minnesota, and shall exliibit to 
them the scars those wounds have left; they will 
tell, with moistened cheek and swelling hearts of 
the noble, womanly deeds of Mrs. Eliza Muller, 
the "Florence Nightingale" of Fort Eidgely. 
[Mrs. Muller several years since died at the asylum 
at St. Peter.] 

SERGEANT JOHN JONES. 

We feel that the truth of history will not be fully 
vindicated should we fail to bestow upon a brave 
and gallant officer that meed of praise so justly 
due. The only officer of experience lelt in the fort 
by the death of its brave commandant was Ser- 
geant John Jones, of the regular artillery; and it 
is but just to that gallant officer that we should 
say that but for the cool courage and discretion of 
Sergeant Jones, Fort Kidgely would, in the first 
day's battle have become a funeral pyre for all 
within its doomed walls. And it gives . us more 
than ordinary pleasure to record the fact, that the 
services he then rendered the Gavernment, in the 
defense of the frontier wm'e fully recognized and 
rewarded with the commission of Captain of the 
Second Mkmesota Battery. ^ 



CAPrAiy winrcoMB at fuukst city. 



225 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

CAPTAIN WniTCOMB's ARRIVAL AT ST. PAUL— PASSES 

THROOGn MEEKER OOUNTV A FORT CONSTRUOTEU 

— ENQAGEMENT WITU INDIANS ATTACK ON I'OREST 

CITV CONDITION OP THE COUNTKY — C:APTAIN 

STRODT AT GLENCOE — ATTACKED NEAR ACTON BY 
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY INDIANS — ATTACK ON 
HUTCHINSON. 

This cLaptei- will be devoted to the iijiper por- 
tion of the state, aud the movements of troops for 
the relief of the frontier, not immediately con- 
nected with the main expedition under Colonel 
Sibley; and to avoid repetition, the prominent in- 
cidents of the massacre in this portion of the state 
■will be given in connection witli the movements of 
the troops. We quote from the Adjutant-Gen- 
eral's Report: 

The 19th day of August the first news of the 
outbreak at Eedwotid was received at St. Paul. 
On the same day a messenger arrived from Meeker 
county, with news of murders committed in that 
county by the Indians, and an earnest demand for 
assistance. The murders were committed at Ac- 
ton, about twelve miles from Forest City, on Sun- 
day, the 17th day of the month. The circnm- 
Btauces under which these murders were committed 
are fully detailed in a previous chajjter. 

George C. Whitcomb, commander of the state 
forces raised in the county of Meeker, was sta- 
tioned at Forest City. On the 19th of August, 
Mr. Whitcomb arrived at St. Paul, and received 
from the state seventy-five stand of arms and a 
small quantity of ammunition, for the purpose of 
enabling the settlers of Meeker county to stand on 
the defensive, until other assistance could be sent 
to their aid. With these in his possession, he 
started on liis return, and, on the following day he 
met Col. Sibley at Shakopee, by whom he was or- 
dered to raise a company of troops and report with 
command to the Colonel, at Fort Kidgely. On ar- 
riving at Hutchinson, in McLeod county, he found 
the whole country on a general stampede, and 
small bands of Indians lurking in the border of 
Meeker county. 

Captain Richard Strout was ordered, under date 
of August 2-4, to proceed with a company of men 
to Forest City, in the county of Meeker, for the 
protection of that locality. 

In the meantime Captain Whitcomb arrived at 
Forest City with the arms funiished him by the 

15 



state, with the excoplitm of those left by him at 
Hutchinson. Upon his arrival he sjjeedily en- 
listed, for temporary service, a company of fifty- 
three men. twenty-five of whom were mounted, 
and the remainder were to act as infantry. 

Captain Whitcomb, with the mounted portion of 
his company, made a rapid march into the county 
of Monongalia, to a point about thirty miles from 
Forest City, where he foiindtho bodies of two men 
who had been shot by the Indians, who had muti 
lated the corpses by cutting their throats and 
scalping them. In the same vicinity he found the 
ruins of three houses that had been burned, and 
the carcasses of a large number of cattle that had 
been wantonly killed and devoted to destruction. 

Owing to rumors received at this point, he pro- 
ceeded in a north-westerly direction, to the distance 
of ten miles further, and found on the route the 
remains of five more of the settlers, all of whom 
had been shot and scalped, and some of them were 
otherwise mutUated by having their hands cut ofi' 
and gashes cut in their faces, done apparently with 
hatchets. 

On the return to camp at Forest City, when 
within about four miles of Acton, he came to a 
point on the road where a train of wagons had been 
attacked on the 23d. He here found two more 
dead bodies of white men, mutilated in a shocking 
manner liy having their hands cut oiT, being dis- 
emboweled and otherwise disfigured, having knives 
still remaining in their abdomens, where they had 
been left by the savages. The road at this place 
was, for three miles, lined with the carcasses of 
dead cattle, a great portion of which belonged to 
the train upon which the attack had been made. 
On this excursion the company were about foui' 
days, during which time they traveled over- one 
hundred miles, and buried the bodies of nine per- 
sons who had been murdered. 

On the next day after having returned to the 
camp, being the 28th of the month, the same 
party made a circuit through the western portion 
of Meeker county, aud buried the bodies of three 
more men that were found mutilated and disfigm-ed 
in a similar manner to those previously mentioned. 
In addition to the other services rendered by the 
company thus far, they had discovered and re- 
moved to the camp several persons found wounded 
and disabled in the vicinity, and two, who had 
been very severely woimded, had been sent by 
them to St. Cloud for the purpose of receiving 
surgical attention. 



226 



BISTORT OF THE SIOUX MAS SAC HE. 



The company, in addition to their other labors, 
were employed in the construction of a stockade 
fort, to be used if necessary for defensive purposes, 
and for the protection of those who were not capa- 
ble of bearing arms. It was formed by inserting 
the ends of pieces of rough timber into the earth 
to the depth of three feet, and leaviug them from 
ten to twelve feet above the surface of the groimd. 
In this way an area was inclosed of one hundred 
and forty feet in length and one hundred and 
thirty in width. Witliin the fortitication was in- 
chided one frame dwelling-house and a well of 
water. At diagonal comers of the inclosure were 
erected two wings or bastions provided with port- 
holes, from each of which two sides of the main 
work could be guarded and raked by the rilles of 
the company. 

Information was received by Captain Whitcomb 
that a family at Green Lake, in Monongalia county, 
near the scenes visited by him in his expedition ti 
til. t county, had made their e.-cape from the In- 
dians, and taken refuge upon an island in the lake. 
In attempting to rescue this family Captain Whit- 
comb had a severe encounter with Indians found 
in ambush near the line of Meeker county, and 
after much skirmishing and a brisk engagement, 
which proved very much to the disadvantage of 
the Indians, they succeeded in effecting their es- 
cape to the thickly -timbered region in the rear of 
their first position. The members of the company 
were nearly all experienced marksmen, and the 
Springfield rifles in their hands proved very gall- 
ing to the enemy. So anxious was the latter to 
effect his retreat, that he left three of his dead 
upon the ground. No loss was sustained on the 
part of our troops, except a flesh-wound in the leg 
received by one of the company. As it was 
deemed uuadvisable to pursue the Indians into the 
heavy timber with the small force at command, the 
detachment fell back to their camp, arriving the 
same evening. 

On the following day, Captain Whitoomb, 
taking with him twenty men from his company, 
and twenty citizens who volunteered for the occa- 
sion, proceeded on the same route taken the day 
previous. With the increase in his forces he 
expected to be able, without much difficulty, to 
overcome the Indians previously encountered. 
After proceeding about ten mUes from the camp, 
their further progress was again disputed by the 
Indians, who had likewise been reinforced since 
their last encounter. Owing to the great superi- 



ority of the enemy's forces, the Captain withdrew 
his men. They tell gradually back, fighting 
steadily on the retreat, and were pursued to within 
four miles of the encampment. In this contest, 
one Indian is known to have been killed. On the 
part of the whites one horse and wagon got mired 
in a slough, and had to be abandoned. No other 
injury was suffered from the enemy; but two men 
were wounded by the accidental discharge of a 
gun in their own ranks. 

A fortification was prepared, and the citizens, 
with their families, were removed within the 
inclosure. Captain Whitcomb quartered his com- 
pany in the principal hotel of the place, and 
guards were stationed for the night, while all the 
men were directed to be prepared for any contin- 
gency that might arise, and be in readiness for 
usuig their arms at any moment. 

Between 2 and 3 o'clock the following morning, 
the guards discovered the appioach of Indians, 
and gave the alarm. As soon as the savages per- 
ceived that they were discovered, they uttered the 
war-whoop, and poured a volley into the hotel 
where the troops were quartered. The latter 
iramediiitoly retired to the stockade, taking with 
them all the ammunition and iquipments in their 
possession. They had scarcely effected an en- 
trance when fire was opened upon it from forty or 
fifty Indian rifles. Owing to the darkness of the 
morning, no distinct view could be obtained of the 
enemy, and, in consequence, no very effective fire 
could be opened upon him. 

While one party of the Indians remained to keep 
up a fire upon the fort and harass the gariison, 
another portion was engaged in setting fire to 
buildings and haystacks, while others, at the same 
time, were engaged in collecting horses and cattle 
found in the place, and driving them off. Occa- 
sional glimpses could be obtained of those near 
the fires, but as soon as a shot was fired at them 
they would disappear in the darkness. Most of 
the biiildings burned, however, were such a dis- 
tance from the fort as to be out of range of the 
guns of the garrison. The fire kept up from that 
point prevented the near approach of the incen- 
diary party, and by that means the principal part 
of the town was saved from destruction. On one 
occasion an effort was made to carry the flames 
into a more central part of the town, and the 
torches in the hands of the party were seen 
approaching the office of A. C. Smith, Esq. 
Directed by the light of the torches, a volley was 



CAPTAIN STllOUrS I'AUVY ATTAC Kh'J). 



227 



poured into their midst from the fort, whereupon 
the braves hastily abandoned their incendiary 
implements and retreated from that (juarter of the 
village. From signs of blood afterward found 
upon the ground, some of the Indians were sup- 
posed to have met the fate intended for them, but 
no dead were left behind. 

The fight continued, without other decided re- 
sults, until about daylight, at which time the prin- 
cipal part of the forces retired. As the light in- 
creased, so that objects became discernible, a small 
party of savages were observed engaged in dri- 
ving oif a number of cattle. A portion of the 
garrison, volunteering for the purpose, sallied 
out to recover the stock, which they accomplish- 
ed, with the loss of two men wounded, one of them 
severely. 

Tliis company had no further encounters with 
the Indians, but afterward engaged in securing 
the grain and other- property belonging to the set- 
tlers who had abandoned, or been driven from, their 
farms and homes. Nearly every settlement be- 
tween Forest City and the western frontier had, by 
this time, been deserted, and the whole country 
was in the hands of the savages. In speaking of 
his endeavors to save a portion of the property 
thus abandoned, Captain Whitcomb, on the 7th of 
September, wrote as follows : 

'•It is only in their property that the inhabitants 
can now be injured; the people have all fled. 
The country is totally abandoned. Not an inhab- 
itant remains in Meeker county, west of this place. 
No white person (unless a captive) is now living 
in Kandiyohi or Monongalia county." 

On the 1st of September, Captain Strout, who 
had previously arrived at Glencoe, made prepara- 
tions for a further advance. Owing to the vigor- 
ous measures adopted by General John H. Stevens, 
of the State militia, it was thought unnecessary 
that any additional forces should be retained at 
this point. Under his directions no able-bodied 
man having deserted the country further to the 
westward, had been permitted to leave the neigh- 
borhood, or pass through. All such were re- 
quired to desist from further flight, and assist 
in making a stand, in order to check the further 
advance of the destroyers of their homes. The 
town of Glencoe had been fortified to a certain 
extent, and a military company of seventy-three 
members had been organized, and armed with such 
guns as were in possession of the settlers. With 
Glencoe thus provided for. General Stevens did 



not hesitate to advise, nor Ca])tain Strout to at- 
tempt a further advanco into the overrun and 
threatened territory. 

The company of the latter, by this time, had 
been increased by persons, principally from Wright 
county, who volunteered their services for the ex- 
pedition, until it numbered about seventy-five men. 
With this force he marched, as already stated, on 
the 1st day of September. 

Passing through Hutchinson on his way, no op- 
position was encountered until the morning of the 
3d of Septembei'. On the night previous, he had 
arrived at and encamped near Acton, on the west- 
ern border of Meeker county. 

At about half-past five o'clock the next morning 
his camp was attacked by a force comprising about 
one hundred and fifty Indians. The onset was 
made fi'om the direction of Hutchinson, with the 
design, most probably, of cutting off the retreat 
of the Company, and of precluding the jDossibility 
of sending a messenger after reinforcements. They 
fought with a spirit and zeal that seemed determ- 
ined to annihilate our little force, at whatever cost 
it might require. 

For the first half hour Caj^tnin Strout formed 
his company into four sections, in open order, and 
pressed against them as skirmishers. Finding their 
forces so much superior to his own, he concentra- 
ted the force of his company, and hurled them 
against the main body of the enemy. In this 
manner the fight was kept up for another hour 
and a half, the Indians falling slowly back as they 
were pressed, in the direction of Hutchinson, but 
maintaining all the while their order and line of 
battle. At length the force in front of the compa- 
ny gave way, and falling upon the rear, continued 
to harrass it in its retreat. 

About one-half of the savages were moimted, 
partly on large, fine horses, of which they had 
plundered the settlements, and partly on regular 
Indian ponies. These latter were so well trained 
for the business in which they were now engaged, 
that their riders would drive them at a rapid rate 
to within any desirable distance of our men, when 
pony and rider would both instantly lie down in 
the tall grass, and thus become concealed from the 
aim of the sharp-shooters of the company. 

With the intention, most likely, of creating a 
panic in our ranks, and causing the force to scat- 
ter, and become separately an easy prey to the 
pursuers, the Indians would at times, uttering the 
most terrific and unearthly yells of which their 



228 



mSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSAUUE. 



lungs and skill were capable, charge in a mass 
upon the little band. On none of these occasions, 
however, did a single man falter or attempt a 
flight; and, after approaching within one hundred 
yards of the retreating force, and perceiving that 
they still remained firm, the Indians would halt 
the charge, and seek concealment in the grass or 
elsewhere, from 'which places they would continue 
their fire. 

After having thus hung upon and harrasscd the 
rear of the retreating force for about half an hour, 
at the end of which time the column- had arrived 
within a short distance of Cedar City, in the 
extreme north-west corner of McLeod county, the 
pursuit was given up, and the company continued 
the retreat without fiu'ther opposition to Hutchin- 
son, at which place it arrived at an early hour in 
the same afternoon. 

The loss of the company in the encounter was 
three men killed and fifteen wounded, some of 
them severely. AH were, however, brought from 
the field. 

In addition to this they lost most of their ra- 
tions, cooking utensils, tents, and a portion of 
their ammunition and arms. Some of their horses 
became unmanageable and ran away. Some were 
mired and abandoned, making, with those killed 
by the enemy, an aggregate loss of nine. The 
loss inflicted upon the enemy could not be de- 
termined with any degree of certainty, but Cap- 
tain Strout was of the opinion that their killed and 
wounded were two or three times as great as ours. 

At Hutcliiuson a military company, consisting of 
about sixty members, had been organized for the 
purpose of defending the place against any attacks 
from the Indians. Of this company Lewis Har- 
rington was elected captain. On the first appre- 
hension of danger a house was barricaded as a 
last retreat in case of necessity. The members of 
the company, aided by the citizens, afterward con- 
structed a small stockade fort of one hundred feet 
square. It was built after the same style as that 
at Forest City, with bastions in the same position, 
and a wall composed of double timbers rising to 
the height of eight feet above the ground. The 
work was provided with loop-holes, from which a 
musketry fire cotild be kept up, and was of suffi- 
cient strength to resist any jjrojectiles that the sav- 
ages had the means of throwing. At this place 
Captain Strout halted his company, to await far- 
ther develiipments. 

At about nine o'clock on the next morning, the 



4th of September, the Indians approached the 
town thus, garrisoned and commenced the attaek. 
They were replied to from the fortification; but. 
as they were careful not to come within close 
range, and used every means to conceal their per- 
sons, but little punishment was inflicted upon 
them. They bent their energies more in attempts 
to burn the town than to inflict any serious injury 
upon the military. In these endeavors they were 
so far successful as to burn all the buildings sit- 
uated on the blufl' in the rear of the town, includ- 
ing the college building, which was here located. 
They at one time succeeded in reaching almost the 
heart of the village, and applying the incendiary 
torch to two of the dwelling-houses there situated, 
which were consumed. 

Our forces marched out of the fort and engaged 
them in the open field; but, owing to the superior 
numbers of tlie enemy, and their scattered and 
hidden positions, it was thought that no advantage 
could be gained in this way, and, after driving 
them out of the town, the soldiers were recalled to 
the fort^ The day was "spent in this manner, the 
Indians making a succession of skirmishes, but at 
the same time endeavoring to maintain a sufficient 
distance between them and the soldiers to insure 
an almost certain impunity from the fire of their 
muskets. At about five o'clock in the evening 
their forces were withdrawn, and our troo23s rested 
on their arms, in expectation of a renewal of the 
fight in a more desperate form. 

As soon as General Stevens was informed of the 
attack made upon Captain Strout, near Acton, and 
his being compelled to fall back to Hutchinson, 
he directed Captain Davis to proceed to the com- 
mand of Lieutenant Weinrhann, then stationed 
near Lake Addie, in the same county, to form a 
Junction of the two commands, and proceed to 
Hutchinson and reinforce the command of Cajitain 
Strout. 

On the morning of the 4th of September the 
pickets belonging to Lieutenant Weinmann's com- 
mand reported having heard firing in the direction 
of Hutchinson. The Lieutenant immediately as- 
cended an eminence in the vicinity of his camp, 
and from that point could dis'.inguish the smoke 
from six different fires in tlic same direction. 
Being satisfied from these indications that an at- 
tack had been made upon Hutohinfa?n, he deter- 
mined at once to march to the assistance of the 
place. Leaving behind him six men to collect the 
teams and follow with the wagons, he started with 



MORE SAVAGE BAHB.UtlTIES. 



229 



the romaiiiilor of his Toreo iiV the direction iuili- 
e;iti'(i. 

Some time aftci- lie had commenced his march 
the company of Captain Davis arrived at the camp 
he liad just left. 

Upon learning the state of affairs, the mounted 
company followed in the same direction, and, in a 
■j'lort time, came up with Lieutenant Weinmann. 
A jiinction of their f(.)rces was immediately eflfect- 
etl. and they proceeded in a body to Hutchinson, 
at which pla(;e they arrived about 6 o'clock in the 
trveuing. No Indians had been encountered on 
the march, and the battle, so long and so diligently 
kept up during most of the day, had just been 
terminated, and the assailing forces withdrawn. 
A. reconnoissanco, in the immediate vicinity, was 
made from the fort on the same evening, but none 
of the Indians, who, a few hours before, seemed to 
be everywhere, could be seen; but the bodies of 
three of tlieir victims, being those of one woman 
and two cliildren, were found and brought to the 
village. 

On the following morning, six persons arrived 
at the fortification, who had been in the midst of 
and surrounded by the Indians during the greater 
part of the day before, and had succeeded in con- 
cealing themselves until they retired from before 
the town, and finally effected their escape to 
the place. 

The companies of Captain Davis and Lieuten- 
ant Weinmann made a tour of examination in the 
direction that the Indians were supposed to have 
taken. All signs discovered seemed to indicate 
that they had left the vicinity. Their trail, indi- 
cating that a large force had passed, and that a 
number of horses and cattle had been taken 
along, was discovered, leading in the direction of 
Redwood. As the battle of Birch Coolie had been 
fought two or three days previous, at which time 
the Indians first learned the great strength of the 
column threatening them in that quarter, it is 
most likely that the party attacking Hutchinson 
had been called in to assist in the endeavor to 
repel the forces under Colonel Sibley. 

On the 23d of September the Indians suddenly 
reapi^eared in the neighborhood. About 3 o'clock 
in the afternoon a messenger arrived, with dis- 
patches from Lieutenant Weinmann, informing 
Captain Strout that Samuel White and family, 
residing at Lake Addie, had that day been brutally 
murdered by savages. 

At about 11 o'clock P. M., the scouts from the 



direction of Cedar CUty came in, liaving been at- 
tacked near Greenleaf, and one of their number, a 
member of Captain Harringt<m's company, kille. i 
and left upon the ground. They reported h.nint; 
seen about twenty Indians, having killed one. ai 
their belief that more were in the party, 
scouts from nearly every direction reporteil h v 
seen Indians, some of them in consider ' i- ii . 
bers. and the country all around seemed ,.t lii.c 
to have become infe.sted with them. 

On the 5th of September, Lieutenant William 
Byrnes, of the Tenth Regiment Minnesota Volun- 
teers, with a command of forty-seven men, started 
from Minneapolis, whore his men were recruited, 
for service in Meeker and McLeod counties. Upon 
his arrival in the couutiy designated, he was 
finally stationed at Kingston, in the county of 
Meeker, for the purpose of affording protection to 
that place and vicinity. He quartered his men in 
the storehouse of Hall & Co., which had been pre- 
viously put in a state of defense by the citizens of 
the place. He afterward strengthened the place 
by means of earth-works, and made daily examina- 
tions of the surrounding country by means of 
scouts. 

Capt. Pettit, of the Eighth Regiment Minnesota 
Vohmteers, was, about the same time, sent to re- 
inforce Captain Whitcomb, of Forest City, at which 
place he was stationed at the time of the sudden 
reappearance of the Indians in the country. On 
the 22d of September word was brought to Forest 
City that the Indians were committing depreda- 
tions at Lake Ripley, a point some twelve miles to 
the westward of that place. Captain Pettit there- 
upon sent a messenger to Lieutenant Byrnes, re- 
questing his co-operation, with as many of his 
command as could lea%-e their post in safety, for 
the purpose of marching into the invaded neigh- 
borhood. 

In pursuance of orders. Lieutenant Byrnes, with 
thirty-sis men, joined the command of Capt Pettit 
on the same evening. On the next morning, the 
23d of September, the same day that Captain 
Strout's scouting party was attacked at Greenleaf, 
Captain Pettit, with the command of "Lieutenant 
Byrnes and eighty-seven men, from the post at 
Forest City, marched in the direction in which the 
Indians had been reported as committing depre- 
dations on the previous day. Four mounted men 
of Captain Whitcomb's force accompanied the party 
as guides. 

On arriving at the locality of reported depreda- 



230 



EISTOBT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



tions, they found the mutilated corpse of a citizen 
by the name of Oleson. He had received three 
shots through the body and one through tlie 
hand. Not even satisfied with the death thus in- 
flicted, the savages had removed his scalp, beaten 
out his brains, cut his throat from ear to ear, and 
cut out his tongue by the roots. Leaving a de- 
tachment to bury the dead, the main body of ex- 
pedition continued the march by way of Long 
Lake, and encamped near Acton, where Captain 
Strout's command was first attacked, and at no 
great distance from the place where his scouts were 
attacked. 

Scouts were sent out by Captain Pcttit, all of 
whom returned without having seen any Indians. 
Two dwelling-houses had been visited that had 
been set on fire by the Indians, but the flames had 
made so little progress as to be capable of being 
extinguished by the scouts, which was done ac- 
cordingly. Three other houses on the east side of 
Long Lake had been fired and consumed daring 
the same day. Three women were found, who had 
been lying in the woods for a number of days, 
seeking concealment from the savages. They were 
sent to Forest City for safety. Darmg the early 
part of the night, Indians were heard driving or 
collecting cattle, on the opposite side of Long 
Lake from the encampment. 

During the 24th of September the march was 
continued to Diamond Lake, in Monongalia county. 
AU the houses on the route were found to be ten- 
antless, all the farms were deserted, and every thing 
of value, of a destructible nature, belonging to the 
settlers, had been destroyed by the savages. Only 
one Indian was seen during the day, and he being 
mounted, soon made his escape into the big woods. 
The carcasses of cattle, belonging to the citizens, 
were found in aU directions ujJon the jirairie, where 
they had been wantonly slaughtered and their 
flesh abandoned to the natural process of decom- 
position. 

At break of day, on the morning of the 25th, 
an Indian was seen by one of the sentinels to rise 
from the grass and attempt to take a survey of 
the encampment. He was immediately fired upon 
when he uttered a yell and disappeared. Captain 
Pettit thereupon formed his command in order of 
battle and sent out skirmishers to reconnoiter; but 
the Indians had decamped, and nothing further 
could be ascertained concerning them. 

At seven o'clock the return march to Forest City 
was commenced, by a route different from that 



followed in the outward march. About ten o'clock 
the expedition came upon a herd, comprising sixty- 
five head of cattle, which the Indians had collected, 
and were in the act of driving off, when they were 
surjjrised by the near approach of volunteers. As 
the latter could be seen advancing at a distance 
of three miles, the Indians had no difficulty in 
making their escape to the timber, and in this way 
eluding pursuit from the expedition by abandon- 
ing their plunder. The cattle were driven by the 
party to Forest City, where a great portion of the 
herd was found to belong to persons who were 
then doing military duty, or taking refuge from 
their enemies. 

At Rockford, on the Crow river, a considerable 
force of citizens congregated for the purpose of 
mutual protection, and making a stand against the 
savages in case they should advance thus far. A 
substantial fortification was erected at the place, 
affording ample means of shelter and protection to 
those there collected; but we are not aware that it 
ever became necessary as a place of last resort to 
the people, nor are we aware that the Indians 
committed any act of hostilities within the county 
of Wright. 

On the 24th of August rumors reached St. 
Cloud that murders and other depredations had 
been commi'.ted by the Indians near PayuesviUe, 
on the border of Stearns county, and near the di- 
viding line between Meeker and Monongalia coun- 
ties. A public meeting of the citizens was called 
at four o'clock in the afternoon, at which, among 
other measures adopted, a squad, well armed and 
equipped, was instructed to proceed to Paynes- 
ville, and ascertain whether danger was to be ap- 
prehended in that direction. This party immedi- 
ately entered upon the discharge of their duty, 
and started to PayuesviUe the same evening. 

On the evening of the following day they re- 
turned, and reported that they met at PayuesviUe 
the fugitives from Norway Lake, which latter 
place is situated in Monongalia county, and about 
seventeen miles in a south-west direction from the 
former. That, on Wednesday, the 20th day of 
August, as a family of Swedes, by the name of 
Lomberg, were returning from church, they were 
attacked by a party of Indians, and three brothers 
killed, and another one, a boy, wcnnded. The 
father had fourteen shots fired at him, but suc- 
ceeded in making his escape. One of his sons, 
John, succeeded in bearing off his wounded 
brother, and making their escajie to PayuesviUe. 



COMPANY FORMED AT ST. CLOUD. 



231 



On the 24tli, a party went out from Pnyuesville 
for the purpose of burying the dead at Norway 
Lake, where they found, in addition to those of 
the Lomberg family, two other entire families 
murdered — not a member of either left to tell the 
tale. The clothes had all been burned from tlieir 
bodies, while from each had been cut either the 
nose, an ear or a finger, or some other act of muti- 
lation had been committed upon it. 

The party, having buried the dead, thirteen in 
number, were met by a little boy, who informed 
them that bis father had that day been killed by 
the savages while engaged in cutting hay in a 
swamp. They proceeded with the intention of 
burying the body, but discovered the Indians to 
bo in considerable force arormd the marsh, and 
they were compelled to abandon the design. 

The party beheld the savages in the act of driv- 
ing oflf forty-four head of cattle, a span of horses, 
and two wagons; but the paucity of their num- 
bers compelled them to refrain from any attempt 
to recover the property, or to inflict any puniyh- 
ment upon the robbers and murderers having it 
in their possession. A scouting party had been 
sent to Johanna Lake, about ten miles from Nor- 
way Lake, where about twenty persons had been 
living. Not a single person, dead or alive, could 
there be found. Whether they had been killed, 
escaped by hasty flight, or been carried off as 
prisoners, could not be determined from the sur- 
rounding circumstances. As the party were re- 
turning, they observed a man making earnest en- 
deavors to escape their notice, and avoid them by 
flight, under the impression that they were Indi- 
ans, refusing to be convinced to the contrary by 
any demonstrations they could make. Upon their 
attempting to overtake him, he plunged into a 
lake and swam to an island, from which he could 
not be induced to return. His family were dis- 
covered and brought to PaynesvUle, but no infor- 
mation could be derived from them respecting the 
fate of their neighbors. 

When this report had been made to the citizens 
of St. Cloud by the returned party, a mounted 
company, consisting of twenty-five members, was 
immediately formed, for the purpose of co-oper- 
ing with any forces from Paynesville in efforts to 
recover and rescue any citizens of the ravaged 
district. Of this company Ambrose Freeman was 
elected captain, and they proceeded in the direc- 
tion of Paynesville the next morning at 8 o'clock. 

At Maine Prairie, a point to the south-west of 



St. Cloud, and about fifteen miles distant from 
tliat place, a determined band of farmers imited 
together with a determination never to leave until 
driven, and not to be driven by an inferior force. 
Their locality was a small prairie, entirely sur- 
rounded by timber and dense thickets, a circum- 
stance that seemed to favor the near approach of 
the stealthy savage. 

By concerted action they soon erected a sub- 
stantial fortification, constructed of a double row 
of timbers, set vertically, and inserted firmly in 
the ground. The budding was made two stories 
in height. The upper story was fitted up for the 
women and children, and the lower was intended 
for purposes of a more strictly military character. 
Some of their number were dispatched to the State 
Capital to obtain such arms and supplies as cuuld 
be furnished them. Provisions were laid in, and 
they soon expressed their confidence to hold the 
place against five hundred savages, and to stand 
a siege, if necessary. Their determination was 
not to be thus tested, however. The Indians 
came into their neighborhood, and committed 
some small depredations, but, so far as reported, 
never exhibited themselves within gunshot of tie 
tort. 

At PaynesviUe, the citizens and such others as 
sought refuge in the town constructed a fortiticH- 
tion for the purpose of protecting themselves and 
defending the village; but no description of the 
work has ever been received at this office, and, I 
believe, it was soon abandoned. 

At St. Joseph, in the Watab Valley, the citizens 
there collected erected three substantial fortifica- 
tions. These block-houses were built of solid 
green timber, of one foot in thickness. The 
structure was a pentagon, and each side was fifty 
feet in length. They were located at different 
points of the town, and completely commanded 
the entrance in all directions. In case the savages 
had attacked the town, they must have sufl'ered a 
very heavy loss before a passage could be effected, 
and even after an entry had been made, they would 
have become fair targets for the riflemen of the 
forts. Beyond them, to the westward, every house 
is said to have become deserted, and a great por- 
tion of the country ravaged, thus placing them 
upon the extreme frontier in that direction; but, 
owing, no doubt, to their activity in preparing the 
means for effective resistance, they were permitted 
to remain almost undisturbed. 

Sauk Center, near the north-western comer of 



232 



EISTOBT OF TEE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



Uae couDt_y,and situated on the lieuJ-waters of the 
Saiik river, is, perhajis, the most extreme point in 
this direction at which a stand was made by the 
settlers. Early measures were taken to perfect 
a military organization, which was effected on the 
25th of August, by the election of Sylvester 
Kamsdell as captain. The company consisted of 
over fifty members, and labored under discourag- 
ing circumstances at the outset. The affrighted 
and panic-stricken settlers, from all places located 
stiU further to the north and west, came pouring 
past the settlement, almost communicating the 
same feeling to the inhabitants. From Holmes 
City, Chippewa Lake, Alexandria, Osakis, and West 
Union, the trains of settlers swept by, seeking 
safety only in flight, and apparently willing to re- 
ceive it in no other manner. 

Assistance was received from the vaUey of the 
Ashley river, from Grove Lake, and from West- 
port, in Pope county. 

A small stockade fort was constructed, and 
within it were crowded the women and children. 
The haste with which it was constructed, and the 
necessity for its early completion, prevented its 
either being so extensive or so strongly built as 
the interest and comfort of the jjeople seemed to 
require. 

Upon being informed of the exposed situation 
of the place, and the determination of the settlers 
to make a imited effort to repel the destroyers from 
their homes, orders were, on the 30th day of Au- 
gust, issued to the commandant at Fort Snelling, 
directing him, with aU due speed, to detail from 
his command two companies of troops, with in- 
structions to proceed to Sauk Center, for the pur- 
pose of protecting the inhabitants of the Sauk 
Valley from any attack of hostile Indians, and to 
co-operate as far as possible with the troops sta- 
tioned at Fcrt Abercrombie. 

In obedience to these orders, the companies 
under command respectively of Captains George 
G. McCoy, of the Eighth Begiment Minnesota 
Volunteers, and Theodore H. Barrett, of the Ninth 
Begiment, were sent forward. Their arrival at the 
stockade created a thrill of joy in the place, espe- 
cially among the women and children, and all, even 
the most timid, took courage and rejoiced in their 
security. Captain Barrett was, shortly afterward, 
sent with his conmiand in the expedition for the 
relief of Fort Abercombie, and a short time after- 
ward Captain McCoy, in obedience to orders from 
General Pope, fell back to St. Cloud. 



Upon the departure of these troojis, many of the 
more timid were again almost on the verge of 
despair, and would willingly have retreated from 
the position they so long held. More courageous 
councils prevailed, and the same spirit of firmness 
that refused safety by flight in the first instance, 
was stiU unbroken, and prompted the company to 
further action, and to the performance of other 
duties in behalf of themselves and those who had 
accepted their proffers of protection. Disease was 
beginning to make its appearance within the stock- 
ade, where no other enemy had attempted to 
penetrate, and this fact admonished the company 
that more extensive and better quarters were 
required in order to maintain the health of the 
people. 

Several plans were submitted for a new stock- 
ado, from which one was selected, as calculated to 
secure the best means of defense, and at the same 
time, to afford the most ample and comfortable 
quarters for the women, children, and invalids, 
besides permitting the horses and cattle to b© 
secured within the works. In a few days the new 
fort was completed, inclosing an area of about one 
acre in extent, the walls of which were constructed 
of a double row of timbers, principally tamarack 
jjoles, inserted firmly in the ground, and rising 
eleven feet above tlie surface. These were prop- 
erly prepared with loopholes and other means of 
protection to those within, and for the repulsion 
of an attacking party. 

When the people had removed their stock and 
other projjerty within the new fortification, and 
had been assigned to their new quarters, they for 
the first time felt really secure and at ease in 
mind. Had any vigorous attack been made upon 
the party in their old stockade, they might have 
saved the lives of the peo23le, but their horses and 
cattle would most certainly have been driven off 
or destroyed. Now they felt that there was a 
chance of safety for their property as well as 
themselves. 

A short time after this work had been completed 
Captain McCoy, after having rendered services in 
other parts of the country, was ordered back to 
Sauk Center. A company from the Twenty- 
fifth Wisconsin Eogiment was sent to the same 
place upon its arrival in the state, and remained 
there until about the first of December. 

Two days after the citizens from Grove Lake — 
a point some twelve miles to the south-west of 
Sauk Center — had cast their lot with the people 



PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENSE. 



233 



of the latter place, the night sentinels of Captain 
Ramsdell's company discovered fires to the south- 
west. Fearing that all w;is not right in the 
vicinity of Grove Lake, ;i party was sent out the 
next morning to reconnoiter in that neighborhood. 
They found one dwelling-house burned, and 
others plundered of such things as had attracted 
the fancy of the savages, while all furniture was 
left broken and destroyed. A numlier of the 
cattle which had not been taken with the settlers 
when they left, were found killed. 

A Mr. Van Eaton, who resided at that place, 
about the same time, started from Sauk Center, 
with the intention of revisiting his farm. He is 
supposed to have fallen into the hands of the sav- 
ages, as he never returned to the fort. Several 
parties were sent in search of him, but no pasitive 
trace could evt r be found. 

At St. Cloud, in the upper part of the town, a 
small but sulstautial fortification was erected, and 
"Broker's Block" of buildings was surrounded 
with a breastwork, to be used in case the citizens 
should be compelled to seek safety in this manner. 
In Lower Town a small work was constructed, 
called Fort Holes. It was located iipon a ridge 
overlooking the "flat" and the lower landing on 
the river. It was circular in form, and was fortv- 
five feet in diameter. The walls were formed by 
two rows of posts, deeply and firmly set in the 
ground, with a space of four feet between the 
rows. Boards were then nailed ujx)n the sides of 
the posts facing the opposite row, and the inter- 
space filled and packed with earth, thus forming 
an earthen wall of four feet in thickness. The 
structure was then covered with two-inch plank, 
supported by heavy timbers, and this again with 
sods, in order to render it fire-proof. In the cen- 
ter, and above all, was erected a bullet-proof tower, 
of the "monitor" style, but without the means of 
causing it to revolve, prepared with loop-holes for 
twelve sharp-shooters. This entire structure was 
inclosed with a breastwork or wall similar to that 
of the main building, two feet in thickness and ten 
in height, with a projection outward so as to ren- 
der it ditficult to be scaled. It was pierced for 
loop-holes at the distance of every five feet. 
Within this fortification it was intended that the 
inhabitants of Lower Town should take refuge in 
case the Indians shouJd make an attack in any 
considerable force, and where they expected to be 
able to stand a siege iintil reinforcements would 
be able to reach them. They were not put to 



this test, however; but tlic construction of tlie 
fort served to give conliilence to the citizens, 
and prevented some from leaving the place that 
otherwise would have gone, and were engaged in 
the prepai'ation at the time the work was com- 
menced. 

On tlie 22d of September a messenger arrived 
at St. t'l(jud from Richmond, m the same county, 
who reported that, at four o'clock the same morn- 
ing, the Indians had appeared within a mile of the 
last-mentioned town, and had attacked the house 
of one of the settlers, killing two children and 
wounding one woman. Upon the receipt of this 
intelligence Captain McCoy, who was then sta- 
tioned at St. Cloud with forty men of his com- 
mand, got under way for the reported scene of dis- 
turbance at ten o'clock a. m., and was followed 
early in the afternoon by a mounted company of 
home-guards, under command of Captain Cramer. 
Upon arriving at Richmond the troops took the 
trail of the Indians in the direction of Paynes- 
ville, and all along the road f<jund the dwellings 
of the settlers in smouldering ruins, and the stock 
of their farms, even to the poultry, kdled and 
lying in all directions. Seven of the farm-hous s 
between these two towns were entirely consumed, 
and one or two others had been fired, but were 
reached before the flames had made such progress 
as to be incapable of being extinguished, and 
these were saved, in a damaged condition, through 
the exertions of the troops. On arriving at Paynes- 
viUe they found eight dwelling-houses either con- 
sumed or so far advanced in burning as to pre- 
clude the hope of saving them, and all the out- 
buildings of every description had been commit- 
ted to the flames and reduced to ruins. Only two 
dwelling-houses were left standing in the viUage. 

At Clear Water, on the Mississippi river, beljw 
St. Cloud, and in the county of Wriglit, the citizens 
formed a home guard and built a fortification for 
their own protection, which is said to have been a 
good, substantial structure, but no report has been 
received in regard either to their military force or 
preparations for defense. 

Morrison county, which occupies the extreme 
frontier in this direction, there being no organized 
county beyond it, we believe, was deserted by but 
few of its inhabitants. They collected, however, 
from the various portions of the county, and took 
position in the town of Little Falls, its capital, 
where they fortified the court-house, by strength- 
ening its walls and digging entrenchments around 



234 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



it. During the uigbt the women and children 
occupied the inside of the building, while 
the men remained in quarters or on guard on the 
outside. In the morning the citizens of the town 
would return to their habitations, taking with them 
such of their neighbors as they could accommo- 
date, and detachments of the men would proceed 
to the farms of some of the settlers and exert them- 
selves in securing the produce of the soO. In- 
dians were seen on several occasions, and some of 
the people were fired upon by them, but so far as 
information has been communicated, no lives were 
lost among the settlers of the county. 



CHAPTER XL. 

HoSTILTTIES IN THE VALIiET OF THE BED EIVEB OF 
THE NORTH CAPTAINS FKEBMAN AND DAVI8 OR- 
DERED TO GO TO THE BELIEF OF ABEECROMBIE 

INDIANS APPEAR NEAR THE FOET IN LABOB NUM- 

BEES — THE ATTACK- -INDIANS EETIRE SECOND 

ATTACK ON THE FORT — UNION OF FORCES AN- 
OTHER ATTACK UPON THE FORT — EFFECT OF THE 

HOWITZER RETURN OF CAPTAIN FREEMAN TO ST. 

CLOUD. 

On the 23d of August the Indians commenced 
hostilities in the valley of the Red River of the 
North. This region of country was protected by 
the post of Fort Abercrombie, situated on the west 
bank of the river, in Dakota Territory. The troops 
that had formerly garrisoned the forts had been 
removed, and sent to aid in suppressing the 
Southern rebellion, and their place was supplied, 
as were all the posts within our state, by a de- 
tachment from the Fifth Regiment Minnesota Vol- 
unteers. But one company had been assigned to 
this point, which was under the command of Cap- 
tain John Van der Horck. About one-lialt of the 
company was stationed at Georgetown, some fifty 
miles below, for the purpose of overawing the In- 
dians in that vicinity, who had threatened some 
opposition to the navigation of the river, and to de- 
stroy the property of the Transportation Company. 
The force was thus divided at the commencement 
of the outbreak. 

The interpreter at the post, who had gone to 
Yellow Medicine for the purpose of attending the 
Indian payment, returned about the 20th of Au- 
gust, and reported that the Indians were becoming 
exasperated and that he expected hostilities to be 



immediately commenced. Upon the receipt of this 
intelligence the guards were doubled, and every 
method adopted that was likely to insure protec- 
tion against surprises. 

The Congress of the United States had author- 
ized a treaty to be made with the Red Lake In- 
dians, (Chippewas,) and the officers were already 
on their way for the purpose of consummating such 
treaty. A train of some thirty wagons, loaded 
with goods, and a herd of some two hundred head 
of cattle, to be used at the treaty by the United 
States Agent, was likewise on the way, and was 
then at no great distance from the fort. 

Early in the morning of the 23d a messenger 
arrived, and informed the commandant that a band 
of nearly five hundred Indians had already crossed 
the Otter Tail river, with the intention of cutting 
off and capturing the train of goods and cattle in- 
tended for the treaty. Word was immediately sent 
to those having the goods in charge, and request- 
ing them to take refuge in the fort, wliich was 
speedily complied with. Messengers were like- 
wise sent to Breckenridge, Old Crossing, Graham's 
Point, and all the principal settlements, urging 
the inhabitants to flee to the fort for safety, as 
from the weakness of the gamson, it was not pos- 
sible that protection could be afforded them else- 
where. 

The great majority of the people from the set- 
tlements arrived in safety on the same day, and 
were assigned to quarters within the fortification. 
Three men, however, upon arriving at Brecken- 
ridge, refused to go any further, and took posses- 
sion of the hotel of the place, where they declared 
they would defend thimselves and their property 
without aid from any source. On the evening of 
the same day a detachment of six men was sent 
out in that direction, in order to learn, if possible, 
the movements of the Indians. Upon their arriv- 
ing in sight of Breckenridge they discovered the 
place to be occupied by a large force of the sav- 
ages. They were likewise seen by the latter, who 
attempted to surround them, but being mounted, 
and the Indians on toot, they were enabled to make 
their escape, and returned to the fort. 

The division of the company at Georgetown 
was immediately ordered in; and, on the morning 
of the 24th, a detachment was sent to Brecken- 
ridge, when they found the place deserted by the 
Indians, but discovered the bodies of the three 
men who had there determined to brave the vio- 
lence of the war party l)y themselves. They had 



FulW AUEliCUOMBIE. 



235 



l)een brutally miirderetl, and, wlien found, had 
chains bound around their ankles, by which it ap- 
peared, from signs upon the floor of the hotel, 
their bodies at least had been dragged around in 
the savage war-dance of their murderers, and, per- 
liaps, in that very mode of torture they had suf- 
fered a lingering death. The mail-coach for St. 
Paul, which left the fort on the evening of the 
22d, had fallen into the hands of the Indians, the 
driver killed, and the contents of the mail scat- 
tered over the prairie, as was discovered by the 
detachment on the 24th. 

Over fifty citizens capable of bearing arms had 
taken refuge with the garrison, and willingly lie- 
came soldiers for the time being; but many of 
them were destitute of arms, and none could be 
furnished them from the number in the possession 
of the commandant. There was need, however, 
to strengthen the position with outside intrench- 
ments, and all that could be spared from other 
duties were employed in labor of that character. 

On the morning of the 25th of August, messen- 
gers were dispatched from the post to head-quar- 
ters, stating the circumstances under which the 
garrison was placed, and the danger of a severe 
attack; but, as all troops that could be raised, and 
were not indispensable at other points, had been 
sent to Colonel Sibley, then on the march for the 
relief of Fort Kidgely, it was impossible at once to 
reinforce Fort Abercrombie with any troops al- 
ready reported ready for the field. Authority had 
been given, and it was expected that a con.^idera- 
ble force of mounted infantry for the State ser- 
vice had been raised, or soon would be, at St. 
Cloud. 

As the place was directly upon the route to Ab- 
ercrombie, it was deemed advisable to send any 
troops that could be raised there to the assistance 
ot Captain Van der Horck, relying upon our abil- 
ity to have their places shortly filled with troops, 
then being raised in other parts of the State. Ac- 
cordingly, Captain Freeman, with his company, of 
about sixty in number, started upon the march; 
but upon arriving at Sauk Center, he became con- 
vinced, from information there received, that it 
would be extremely dangerous, if not utterly im- 
possible, to make the march to the fort with so 
small a number ot men. He then requested Cap- 
tain Ramsdell, in command of the troops at Sauk 
Center, to detail thirty men from his command, to 
be united with his own company, and, with his 
force so strengthened, he proposed to make the 



attempt to reach the fort. Captain Ramsdell 
thought that, by complying with this request, he 
would so weaken his own force that he would be 
imable to hold position at Sauk Center, and that 
the region of country around would become over- 
run by the enemy, and he refused his consent. 
Captain Freeman then deemed it necessary to 
await reinforcements before proceeding any further 
on his perilous journey. 

On the same day that orders were issued to the 
mounted men then assembling at St. Cloud, simi- 
lar orders were issued to those likewise assembling 
in Goodhue county, under the command of Cap- 
tain David L. Davis, directing them to complete 
their organization with all speed, and then to pro- 
ceed forthwith to the town of Carver, on the Min- 
nesota river, and thence through the counties of 
McLeod, Meeker, and Stearns, until an intersec- 
tion was made with the stage-route from St. Cloud 
to Fort Abercrombie, and thence along such stage- 
route to the fort, unless the officers in command 
became convinced that their services were more 
greatly needed in some other quarter, in which 
case they had authority to use discretionary pow- 
ers. This company, likewise, marched pursn:ni 
to orders; but, in consequence of the attack- i 
being made upon Forest City, Actou, and Hut. 
inson, they deemed it their duty to render 
sistance to the forces then acting in that pait 
the country. 

The first efforts to reinforce the gan-ison on thi- 
Eed River had failed. Upon the fact becommg 
known at this office, there were strong hopes that 
two more companies of infantry could be put into 
the field in a very short time, and, therefore, on 
the 30th day of August, orders were issued to the 
commandant of Fort Snelling, directing him to 
detail two companies, as soon as they could be 
had, to proceed to S.uik Center, and thence to 
proceed to Fort Abercrombie, in case their ser- 
vices were not urgently demanded in the Sauk 
Valley. These companies were, soon after, dis- 
patched accordingly, and it was hoped that, bv 
means of this increased force on the north-western 
frontier, a sufficiently strong expedition might be 
formed to effect the reinforcement of Abercrombie. 

Upon the arrival of these troops at the rendez- 
vous, however, they still considered the forces in 
that vicinity inadequate to the execution of the 
task proposed. Of this fact we first had notice on 
the 6th day of September. Two days previously, 
the effective forces of the state had been strength- 



236 



niSTORV OP THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



eneil liy tlie :irriv:il of the Third Regiment Minne- 
sota Volunteers, without any commissioned officers 
and being but a wreck of that once noble regi- 
ment. Three hundred of the men had already 
been ordered to the field, under^he command of 
Major Welch. It was now determined to send 
forward the remaining available force of the regi- 
ment, to endeavor to effect the project so long 
delayed, of reinforcing the command of Captain 
Van der Horck, on the Red River of the North. 
Orders were accordingly issued to the commandant 
at Port Snelling, on the 6th day of September, 
directing him to fit out an expedition for that pur- 
pose, to be composed, as far* as possible, of the 
troops belonging to the Third Regiment; and 
Colonel P nith, the commandant at the post, im- 
mediately entered upon the discharge of the duties 
assigned him in the order. 

Daring the time that these efforts had been 
making for their relief, the garrison at Fort Aber- 
crombie was kept in a state of siege by the sav- 
ages, who had taken possession of the surrounding 
country in large numbers. On the 25th of August, 
tho same day that the first messengers were sent 
from that post. Captain Van der Horck detailed a 
squad, composed of six men from his company and 
six of the citizens then jn the fort, to proceed to 
Breckenridge and recover the bodies of the men 
who had there been murdered. They proceeded, 
without rneeting with any opposition, to the point 
designated, where they found the bodies, and con- 
signed them to boxes or rough coffins, prepared 
for the purpose, and were about starting on the 
return, when they observed what they suj^posed to 
be an Indian in the saw-mill, at that place. A 
further examination revealed the fact that the 
object mistaken for an Indian was an old lady by 
the name of Scott, from Old Crossing, on the 
Otter Tail, a point distant fifteen mile^ from 
Breckenridge. 

When discovered, she had throe wounds on the 
breast, which she had received from the Indians, 
at her residence, on the morning of the previous 
day. Notwithstanding the severity of her wounds, 
and the fact that she was sixty-five years of age, 
she made her way on foot and alone, by walking 
or crawling along the banks of the river, untU she 
arrived, in a worn-out, exhausted, and almost dy- 
ing condition, at the place where she was found. 
She stated that, on the 2l:th of August, a party of 
Indians came to her residence, where they were 
met by her son, a young man, whom they instantly 



shot dead, and immediately fired upon her, inflict- 
ing the wounds upon her person which she still 
bore. That then a teamster in the employment of 
Burbank & Co. appeared in sight, driving a wagon 
loaded with oats, and they went to attack him, 
taking with them her grandchild, a boy about 
eight years of age. That tliey fired upon the 
teamster, wounding him in the arm, after which he 
succeeded in making his escape for that time, and 
they left her, no doixbt believing her to be dead, 
or, at least, in a dying condition. She was con- 
veyed to the fort, where her wounds were dressed, 
after which she gradually recovered. A party was 
sent out, on the 27th of August, to the Old Cross- 
ing, for the purpose of burying the body of her 
son, which was accomphshed, and on their way to 
that point they discovered the body of another 
man who had been murdered, as was supposed, on 
the 24th. 

On Saturday, the 33th of August, another 
small party were sent out, with the intention of 
going to the Old Crossing for reoonnoitering pur- 
poses, and to collect and drive to the fort such 
cattle and other live stock as could there be found. 
They had proceeded ten miles on their way, when 
they cane upon a party of Indians, in ambush, by 
whom they were fired upon, and one of their party 
killed. The remainder of the squad made their 
escape unhurt, but with the loss of their baggage 
wagon, five mules, and their camp equipage. 

At about two o'clock in the afternoon of the 
same day, the Indians appeared in large numbers 
in sight of the fort. At this time nearly all the 
live stock belonging to the jjost, as well as that 
belonging to the citizens then quartered within 
the work, together with the cattle that had been 
intended for the treaty in contemplation with the 
Red Lake Indians, were all grazing upon the 
prairie in rear of the fort, over a range extending 
from about one-half mile to three miles from it. 
The Indians approached boldly within this dis- 
tance, and drove off the entire herd, about fifty 
head of which afterward escaped. They succeeded, 
however, in taking between one hundred and sev- 
enty and two hundred head of cattle, and about 
one hundred horses and mules. They made no 
demonstration against the fort, except their appa- 
rently bold acts of defiance; but, from the weak- 
ness of the garrison in men and arms, no force 
was sent out to dispute with them the possession 
of the property. It was mortifying in tho ex- 
1 treme, especially to the citizens, to be compelled 



UNSUCCESSFUL ATTACK. 



237 



to look thus quietly on, while they were being 
robbed of their property, and dare not attempt its 
rescue, lest the fort should be filled with their ene- 
mies in their absence. 

On the 2d day of September, another reconnoi- 
tering party of eight were sent out in the direction 
of Breckenridge, who returned, at four o'clock r. M. 
without having encountered any opposition from 
the ludiaus, or 'without having even seen any; but 
brought with them the cattle above spoken of as 
having escaped fi'om their captors, which were 
found running at large during their march. 

At daybreak on the following morning, the 3d 
of September, the garrison" was suddenly called to 
arms by the report of alarm-shots fired by the sen- 
tinels in the vicinity of the stock-yard belonging 
to the post. The firing soon became sharp and 
rapid in that direction, showing that the enemy 
were advancing upon that point with considerable 
force. The command was shortly after given for 
all those stationed outside to fall back within the 
fortification. About the same time, two of the 
haystacks were discovered to be on fire, which 
greatly emboldened and inflamed the spirits of the 
citizens, whose remaining stock they considered to 
be in extreme jeopardy. They rushed with great 
eagerness and hardihood to the stables, and as the 
first two of them entered on one side, two of the 
savages had just entered from the other. The fore- 
most of these men killed one of the Indians and 
captured his gun. The other Indian fired upon 
the second man, wounding him severely in the 
shoulder, notwithstanding which, he afterward 
shot the Indian and finished him with the bayonet. 
By this time two of the horses had been taken 
away and two killed. 

The fight was kept up for about two hours and 
a half, during which time three of the inmates of 
the fort were seriously wounded (one of whom af- 
terward died from the wound) by shots from the 
enemy; and the commandant received a severe 
wound in the right arm from an accidental shot, 
fired by one of his o^vn men. The Indians then 
retired without having been able to effect an en- 
trance into the fort, and without having been able 
to succeed in capturing the stock of horses and 
cattle, which, most probably, had been the jirinei- 
pal object of their attack. 

Active measures were taken to strengthen the 
outworks of the fort. The principal materials at 
hand were cord-wood and hewn timber, but of 
this there was a considerable abundance. By 



moans of these the barracks were surrounded with 
a breastwork of cord-wood, well filled in with 
earth to the height of oigljt feet, and this capped 
with hewn oak timbers, eight inches square, and 
having port-holes between them, from which a fire 
could be opened on the advancing foe. This was 
designed both as a means of protection, in case of 
attack, and a place of final retreat in case the 
main fort should by any means be burned or de- 
stroyed, or the garrison should iii any manner be 
driven from it. 

On Saturday, the Cth day of September, the 
same day that an expedition to that point was or- 
dered from the Third Regiment, the fort was a se- 
cond time attacked. Immediately after daybreak 
on that morning, the Indians, to the number of 
about fifty, mounted on horseback, made their ap- 
pearance on the open prairie in the rear of the 
fort. Their intention evidently was, by this bold 
and defiant challenge, with so small a force, to in- 
duce the garrison to leave their fortifications and 
advance against them, to punish their audacity. 

In beco min g satisfied that our troops could not 
be seduced from their intrenchmeuts, the Indians 
soon displayed themselves in different directions, 
and in large numbers. Their prmeipal object ol 
attack in this instance, as on the former occasion, 
seemed to be the Government stables, seeming de- 
termined to get possession of the remaining honses 
and cattle at almost any sacrifice, even if they 
should^nake no other acquisition. 

The stables were npon the edge of the prairie, 
with a grove of heavy timber lying between them 
and the river. The savages were not slow in per- 
ceiving the advantage of making their approach 
upon that point fi-om this latter direction. The 
shores of the river, on both sides, M-ere lined with 
Indians for a considerable distance, as their war- 
whoops, when they concluded to commence the 
onset, soon gave evidence. They seemed determ- 
ined to frighten the garrison into a cowardly sub- 
mission, or, at least, to drive them from the out- 
posts, by the amount and uuearthhness of their 
whoops and yells. They, in turn, however, were 
saluted and partially quieted by the opening upon 
them of a six-pounder, and the explosion of a shell 
in the midst of their ranks. 

A large force was led by one of their chiefs 
from the river through the timber imtil they had 
gained a close proximity to the stables, still under 
cover of large trees in the grove. When no nearer 
position could be gained without presenting them- 



238 



HISTORT OP TEE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



selves in tbe open ground, they were urged by 
their leader to make a charge upon the point thus 
sought to be gained, and take the place by storm. 
They appeared slow in rendering obedience to his 
command, whereby they were to expose themselves 
in an open space intervening between them and 
the stables. When at length he succeeded in cre- 
ating a stir among them (for it assuredly did not 
approach the grandeur of a charge), they were 
met by such a volley from the direction in which 
they were desired to march that they suddenly re- 
versed their advance, and each sought the body of 
a tree, behind which to screen himself from the 
threatened storm of flying bullets. 

As an instance of the manner in which the fight 
was now conducted, we would mention a part of 
the personal adventures of Mr. Walter P. Hills, 
a citizen, who three times came as a messenger 
from the fort during the time it was in a state of 
sie^e. He had just returned to the post with dis- 
patches the evening before the attack was made. 
He took part in the engagement, and killed his 
Indian in the early portion of the fight before 
the enemy was driven across the river. 

He afterward took position at one of the port- 
holes, where he paired oif with a particular Sioux 
warrior, posted behind a tree of his own selection. 
He, being acquainted with the language to a con- 
siderable extent, saluted and conversed with his 
antagonist, and as the opportunity was presented, 
each would fii'e at the other. This was kept up 
for about an hour without damage to either party, 
when the Indian attempted to change his position, 
so as to open fire from the opposite side of his tree 
from that which he had been using hitherto. In 
this maneuver he made an unfortunate exposure of 
his person in the direction of the upper bastion of 
the fort. The report of a rifle from that point was 
heard, and the Indian was seen to make a sudden 
start backward, when a second and third shot fol- 
lowed in rapid succession, and Mr. Hills beheld his 
polite opponent stretched a corpse upon the 
ground. He expressed himself as experiencing a 
feeling of dissatisfaction at beholding the death of 
his enemy thus inflicted by other hands than his 
jwn, after he had endeavored so long to accom- 
plish the same object. 

Several of the enemy at this point were killed 
■while in the act of skulking from one tree to an- 
other. The artillery of the post was used with 
considerable effect during the engagement. At 
one time a number of the enemy's horsemen were 



observed collecting upon a knoU on the prairie, at 
the distance of about half a mile from the fort, 
with the apparent intention of making a charge. 
A howitzer was brought to bear ujjon them, and a 
shell was planted in their midst, which immediately 
afterward exploded, filling the air with dust, sand, 
and other fragments. When this had sufficiently 
cleared away to permit the knoll to be again seen, 
the whole troop, horses and riders, had vanished, 
and could nowhere be discovered. 

The fight lasted until near noon, when the enemy 
withdrew, taking with him nearly all his dead. 
The loss which he sustained could not be fully as- 
certained, but from the number killed in plain 
view of the works, and the marks of blood, broken 
guns, old rags, and other signs discovered where 
the men had fallen or been dragged away by their 
companions, it must have been very severe. Our 
loss was one man killed and two wounded, one of 
them mortally. 

Mr. Hills left the fort the same evening as bearer 
of di.spatches to headquarters at St. Paul, where 
he arrived in safety on the evening of the 8th of 
September. 

Cajitaiu Emil A. Buerger was appointed, by 
.sipecial order from headquarters, to take command 
of the expedition for the relief of Fort Abercrom- 
bie. He had served with some distinction in the 
Prussian army for a period of ten years. He after- 
ward emigrated to the United States, and be- 
came a resident of the state of Minnesota, 
taking the oath of allegiance to the Gov- 
ernment of the United States, and making a 
declaration of his intention to become a citizen. 
He enlisted in the second company of Minnesota 
Sharp-Shooters, and was with the company in the 
battle of Fair Oaks, in Virginia, where he was 
severely wounded and left upon the field. He was 
there found by the enemy, and carried to Bich- 
mond as a prisoner of war. After having in a 
great measure recovered from his wounds, he was 
paroled and sent to Benton Barracks, in the state 
of Missouri, where he was sojourning at the time 
the 3d Regiment was ordered to this state. As the 
regiment at that time was utterly destitute of com- 
missioned officers. Captain Buerger was designated 
to take charge and command during the passage 
from St. Louis, and to report the command at head- 
quarters in this state. 

From his known experience and bravery, he 
was selected to lead the expedition to the Bed 
Kiver of the North, for the relief of the garrison at 



REINFORCEMENTS. 



239 



Fort Abercrombie. On the 9th of September he 
was inrormed, by the commandant at Fort Snell- 
ing, that the companies commanded respectively 
by Captains George Atkinson and I'lolla Banks, 
together with about sixty men of the Third Kegi- 
meut, under command of Sergeant Dearliorne, had 
been assigned to his command, constituting an 
aggregate force of about 250 men. 

The next day (September 10 J arms and accou- 
trements were issued to the men, and, before noon 
of the 11th of September, Captam Atkinson's 
company and the company formed from tlie mem- 
bers of the Third Regiment were ready for the 
m:irch. With these Captain Buerger at once set 
out, leaving Captain Bank's company to receive 
their clothing, but with orders to follow after and 
overtake the others as soon as possible, which they 
did, arriving at camp and reporting about 3 o'clock 
the next morning. 

It wr.-i also deemed expedient to send the only 
r' maining field-piece belonging to the srat ' along 
with the expedition, and Lieutenant Robert J. 
McHenry was, accordingly, appointed to take 
command of the piece, and was sent alter the 
expedition, which he succeeded in overtaking, near 
Clear Water, on the 13th of September, and niime- 
diately repoi'ted for further orders to the cai^tain 
commanding the expedition. 

Being detained by heavy rains and muddy 
roads, the expedition was considerably delayed 
upon its march, but arrived at Richmond, in 
Steams county, on the 16th of September, and 
encamped in a fortification erected at that point by 
the citizens of the place. Upon his arrival. Cap- 
tain Buerger was informed that the night previous 
an attack had been made upon the neighboring 
village of Paynesville, and a church and school- 
house had been burned, and that, on the day of 
his arrival, a party of thirty Sioux warriors, well 
mounted, had been seen by some of the Richmond 
home-guards, about three miles beyond the Sauk 
river at that point. 

Captain Buerger thereupon detailed a party of 
twenty men to proceed to Richmond, to patrol up 
and down the bank of the river as far as the town 
site extended, and, in case of an attack being 
made, to render all possible or necessary assistance 
and aid to the home militia; at the same time he 
held the remainder of his command in readiness to 
meet any emergency that might arise. No In- 
dians appeared during the night, and, on the 
morning following, the march was resumed. 



On the 19th of September the expedition reached 
Wyman's Station, at the point where the road 
enters the "Alexandria Woods." At the setting 
out of the expedition it was next to impossible to 
obtain means of transportation for the baggage 
and supplies necessary for the force. The fitting 
out of so many other expeditions and detaclimeuts 
about the same time had drawn so heavily ujjon 
the resources of the country, that scarcely a horse 
or wagon could be obtained, either by contract or 
impressment. Altliough Jlr. Kimball, the quarter- 
master of the expedition, had been assidu(uisly 
engaged from the 8th of September in endeavor- 
ing to obtain such transportation, yet, on the 11th, 
he had but partially succeeded in liis endeavors. 

Captain Buerger had refused longer to delay, 
and started at once with the means then at hand, 
leaving directions for others to be sent forward as 
rapidly as circumstances would allow. The march 
was much less rapid, for want of this part of the 
train. These, fortunately, arrived while the com- 
mand was encamped at Wy man's Station, jn.st 
before the commencement of what was considered 
the dangerous part of the march. 

On the lith of September, Captains Barrett 
and Freeman, having united their commands, de- 
termined to make the attempt to relieve F(jrt 
Abercrombie, in obedience to previous orders. 
They broke up camp on the evening of that day, 
and by evening of the 15th, had reached Lake 
Amelia, near the old trail to Red River, where they 
encamped. During the night a messenger arrived 
at their camp, bearing dispatches from Cajitain 
McCoy, advising them of the advance of the expe- 
dition under command of Captain Buerger, by 
whom they were directed to await further orders. 

On the 18th they received orders directly from 
Captain Buerger, directing them to proceed to 
Wyman's Station, on the Alexandria road, and 
join his command at that point on the 19tb 
which was promptly executed. Captain Buerger 
expressed himself as being highly pleased with 
these companies, both officers and men. He had 
been directed to assume command over these 
companies, and believing the country in his rear 
to be then sufficiently guarded, and being so well 
pleased with both companies that he disliked to 
part with either, he ordered them to join the ex- 
pedition during the remainder of the march. 

By the accession of these companies the strength 
of the expedition was increased to something over 
four hundred effective men. This whole force, 



240 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



with tbe entire train, marched on the 20th of Sep- 
tember, and passed through the "Alexandria 
Woods" without seeing any Indians. After pass- 
ing Sauk Center, however, there was not an inhab- 
itant to be seen, and the whole country had been 
laid waste. The houses were generally burned, 
and those that remained had been plundered of 
their contents and broken up, until they were mere 
wrecks, while the stock and produce of the farms 
had been all carried off or destroyed. 

On the 21st they passed the spot where a Mr. 
Andrew Austin had been murdered by the Indiam 
a short time previous. His body was found, terri- 
ribly mutilated, the head having been severed from 
the body, and lying about forty rods distant from 
it. with the scalp torn off. It was buried by the 
expedition in the best style that circumstances 
would admit. Pomme de Terre river was reached 
in the evening. 

On the 22d they arrived at the Old Crossing, on 
the Otter Tail river, between Dayton and Breck- 
enridge, about fifteen miles from the latter place. 
On the 23d the marcli was resumed, and nothing 
woi'ihy of remark occurred until the expedition 
h.id approached within about a mile of the P.eJ 
;,ver, and almost within sight of Fort Abercro:ii- 
lie. At this point a dense smoke was observed in 
the direction of the fort, and the impression cre- 
ated among the troops was, that the post had al- 
ready fallen, and was now being reduced to ashss 
by the victorious savages, through the means of 
their favorite element of war. 

Upon ascending an eminence where a batter 
view could be obtained, a much better state of af- 
fairs was discovered to be e.fisting. There stood 
tlie little fort, yet uK)narch of the prairie, and the 
flag of the Union was still waving above its bat- 
tlements. The fire from which the smoke was 
arising was between the command and the post, 
and was occasioned by the burning of the prairie, 
which had been set on fire by the Indians, with the 
evident design of cutting off the expedition from 
the crossing of the river. After they had advanx'ed 
a short distance further toward the river, a party 
of thirteen Indians apjiearcd on the opposite bank, 
rushing in wild haste from a piece of woods. 
They hastily fired a few shots at our men from a 
distance of about fifteen hundred yards, inflictirg 
no injuries on any one of the command, after 
which they disappeared in great trepidation, be- 
hind some bushes on the river shore. 

A detachment comprising twenty mounted men 



of Captain Freeman's company, under command of 
Lieutenant Taylor, and twenty from the members 
of the Third Regiment, the latter to act as skir- 
mishers in the woods, was directed to cross the 
river with all jjossible celerity, and follow the re- 
treating enemy. The men entered upon the duty 
assigned them with the greatest zeal, crossed the 
river, and follovred in the direction taken by the 
Indians. 

Captain Buerger took with him the remaining 
force of the Third Kegiment and the field-piece, 
and proceeded up the river to a point where he sus- 
pected the Indians would pass in their retreat, and 
where he was able to conceal his men from their 
sight until within a very short distance. 

He soon discovered, however, that the savag s 
were retreating, under cover of the woods, across 
the prairie, in the direction of the Wild Eice river. 
The whole expedition was then ordered to cross the 
river, which was effected in less than an hour, the 
men not awaiting to be carried over in wagons, but 
pliiugiug into the water, breast-deep, and wading 
to the opposite shore. 

By this time the savages had retreated some 
three miles, and were about entering the heavy 
timbei' beyond the prairie, and further pursuit was 
considered useless. The mai-ch was continued to 
the fort, at which place the expedition arrived 
about 4 o'clock of the same day, to the great joy 
of the imprisoned garrison and citizens, who wel- 
comed their deliverers with unbounded cheers and 
demonstrations of delight. 

When the moving columns of the expedition 
were first descried from the ramparts of the fort, 
they were taken to be Indians advancing to an- 
other attack. All was excitement and alarm. 
The following description of the after-part of the 
scene is from the pen of a lady who was an inmate 
of the fort during the long weeks that they were 
besieged, and could not dare to venture beyond 
half cannon-shot from the post without being in 
imminent peril of her life: 

"About 5 o'clock the report came to quarters 
t'lat the Indians were again coming from up to- 
ward Bridges. With a telescope we soon discovered 
four white men, our messengers, riding at full 
speed, who, upon reaching here informed us that 
in one half hour we would be reinforced by three 
hundred and fifty men. Language can never ex- 
press the delight of all. Some wept, some 
laughed, others hallooed and cheered. The sol- 
I dicrs and citizens here formed in a line and went 



BARDAUITIES. 



241 



out to meet them. It wiis quite dark before all got 
iu. Wc all choercd so thiit the next day more than 
half of us could hardly speak aloud. The ladies 
all went out, and as they passed, cheered them. 
They were so dusty I did not know one of them." 

* ;{; ^ ;^ * * ;j: * 

On the same day that the expedition reached 
the fort, but at an early hour, it had been deter- 
mined to dispatch a messenger to St. Paul, with re- 
ports of the sanation of the garrison, and a leqiiest 
for assistance. The messenger was escorted a con- 
siderable distance by a force of twenty men, com- 
posed of soldiers and partly of the citizens quar- 
tered at the jicst. When returning, and within 
about a mile of the fort, they were tired upon by 
Indians in ambush, and two of the number, one 
citizen and one soldier, were killed, and fell into 
the hands of the enemy. The others, by extraor- 
dinary exertions, succeeded in making their es- 
cape, and returned to the garrison. 

The next morning, about two-thirds of the 
mounted company, under command of Captain 
Freeman, escorted by a strong infantry force, west 
out to search for the bodies of those slain on the 
day before. After scouring the woods for a con- 
siderable distance, the bodies were found upon the 
prairie, some sixty or eighty rods apart, mangled 
and mutilated to such a degree as to be almost de- 
prived of human form. The body of the citizen 
was found ripped open from the center of the ab- 
domen to the throat. The heart and liver were en- 
tirely removed, while the lungs were torn out and 
left upon the outside of the chest. The head was 
cut off, scalped, and thrust within the cavity of the 
abdomen, with the face toward the feet. The hands 
were cut off and laid side by side, with the palms 
downward, a short distance from the main portion 
of the body. The body of the soldier had been 
pierced by two balls, one of which must have oc- 
casioned almost instant death. When found, it 
was lying upon the face, with the ujiper part of the 
Lead completely smashed and beaten in with clubs 
■while the brains were scattered around upon the 
grass. It exliibited eighteen bayonet wounds in 
the back, and one of the legs had received a gash 
almost, or quite, to the bone, extending from the 
calf to the junction with the body. 

The citizen had lived in the vicinity for years. 
The Indians had been in the habit of visiting his 
father's house, sharing the hospitalities of the 
dwelling, and receiving alms of the family. He 
must have been well known to the savages who in- 



flicted such barbarities upon his lifeless form; 
neither could they have had aught against him, 
except his belonging to a different race, and his be- 
ing found in a country over which they wished to 
I'e-establish their supremacy. 

That his body had been treated with still greater 
indignity and cruelty than that of the soldier was 
in accordance with feeUngs previously expressed to 
some of the garrison. In conversation with some 
of the Sioux, previous to the commencement of 
hostilities, they declared a very strong hatred 
against the settlers in the country, as they fright- 
ened away the game, and thus interfered with 
their hunting. They objected, in similar terms, to 
having United States troops quartered so near 
them, but said they did not blame the soldiers, as 
they had to obey orders, and go wherever they 
were directed, but the settlers had encroached upon 
them, of their own free will, and as a matter of 
choice; for this reason the citizens should be se- 
verely dealt with. 

No more Indians were seen around the fort until 
the 26th of Septemlier. At about 7 o'clock of that 
day, as Captain Freeman's comjsany were water- 
ing their horses at the river, a volley was fired 
upon them by a party of Sioux, who had placed 
themselves in ambush for the purpose. One man, 
who had gone as teamster with the expedition, 
was mortally wounded, so that he died the suc- 
ceeding night; the others were unarmed. From 
behind the log-buildings and breastworks the tire 
was soon returned with considerable effect, as a 
number of the enemy were seen to fall and be car- 
ried off by their comrades. At one time two In- 
dians were observed skulking near the river. They 
were fired upon by three men from the fortifica- 
tion, and both fell, when they were dragged away 
by their companions. 

On another occasion, during the tight, one of 
the enemy was discovered perched on a tree, where 
he had stationed himself, either for the purpose of 
obtaining a view of the movements inside of the 
fort, or to gain a more favorable position for firing 
upon our men. He was fired upon by a member 
of Captain Barret's company, when he released 
his hold upon the tree and fell heavily into a fork 
near the ground, from which he was removed and' 
borne off by his comrades. In a very short time 
a howitzer was brought into position, and a few 
shells (which the Indians designate as rotten bul- 
lets) were thrown among them, silencing their fire- 
and causing them to withdraw. 



16 



242 



niSTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACliE. 



A detachment, comprising Captain Freeman's 
company, fifty men of the 3J Eegiment, and a 
squad in charge of a howitzer, were ordered in 
pursuit, and started over the prairie, up the river. 
At the distance of about two miles they came upon 
the Sioux camp, but the warriors fled in the great- 
est haste and consternation upon their approach. 
A few shots were fired at them in their flight, to 
wliich they replied by yells, but were in too great 
haste to return the fii-e. The howitzer was again 
opened upon them, whereupon their yelling sud- 
denly ceased, and they pished, if possible, with 
still greater celerity through the brush and across 
the river. 

Their camp was taken possession of, and was 
found to contain a considerable quantity of plun- 
der, composed of a variety of articles, a stock of 
hquors being part of the assortment. Everything 
of value was carried to the fort, and the remainder 
was burned upon the ground. 

On the evening of September 29th a light skir- 
mish was had with a small party of Sioux, who 
attempted to gain an ambush in order to fire upon 
the troops whfle watering their horses, as on a pre- 
vious occcasion. Fire was first opened upon them, 
which they returned, wounding one man. They 
were immediately routed and driven off, but with 
what loss, if any, was unkno^vn. 

On the 30th of September Captain Freeman's 
company and the members of the 3d Kegiment, 
together with a number of citizens and families, 
started on their return from Fort Aberorombie to 
St. Cloud. They passed by where the town of 
Dayton had formerly stood, scarcely a vestige of 
which was then found remaining. The dead body 
of one of the citizens, who had been murdered, 
was there found, and liuried in the best manner 
possible under the circumstances. The whole 
train arrived in safety at St. Cloud, on tlie 5th of 
October, without having experienced any consid- 
erable adventui-es on the journey. 



CHAPTER XLI. 

BOUTH-WESTEEN DEPARTMENT — HON. CH.^RLES E. 

FLANDBAC FEARS OF WINNEBAGOES AND SIOUX 

MANKATO RAISES A COMPANY FOR THE DEFENSE 

OF NEW ULM HEADQUARTERS AT SOUTH BEND 

WAKEFIELD SIOUX RAID IN WATONWAN COUNTS 

PURSUIT OF INDIANS STATE TROOPS RE- 
LIEVED FROM DDTT COLONEL SIBLEY ADVANCED 

FROM ST. PETER CONCLUSION. 

That portion of the State lying between the 



Minnesota river and the Iowa line, supjjosed in 
the early part of the military movement to occupy 
a position of extreme danger, was placed under 
the control of Hon. Charles E. Flandrau. In the 
division was the Winnebago Reservation. And it 
was reasonably supposed that the Winnebagoes 
would more readily unite with the Sioux than with 
the Ojibwas [Chippewas] in the northern part of 
the State, the former tribe being on good terms 
with the Sioux, while the latter held the Sioux as 
hereditary enemies, with whom an alliance offen- 
sive or defensive would hardly take place, unless 
under extraordinary conditions, such as a general 
war of the Indian tribes upon the white race. This 
peculiar condition did not mark the present out- 
break. 

In this portion of the State were distributed the 
following forces, subject to special duty as circum- 
stances required: a company of sixty-three mem- 
bers under the coromand of Captain Cornelius F. 
Buck, marched from Winona, Sept.l, 1861; on the 
26th of August, six days previous, Captain A. J. 
Edgerton, of the 10th Eegiment, with one hun- 
dred and nine men, arrived at the Winnebago 
Agency, where the inhabitants were in great ter- 
ror. After the evacuation of New Ulm, by Col- 
onel Flandrau, he encamped at Crisp's farm, half 
way between New Ulm and Mankato. On the 31st 
of August, a comjoany of forty-four members, from 
Mankato, took up position at South Bend, at 
which place Colonel Flandrau had established his 
headquarters. On the 23d of August a company 
of fifty-eight members, from Winnebago City, 
under command of Captain H. W. Holly, "was 
raised for special services in the counties of Bine 
Earth, Faribault, Martin, Watonwan, and Jackson. 
Tliis command, on the 7th of September, was re- 
lieved at Winnebago City by the Fillmore County 
Rangers, under the command of Captain Colburn. 
At Blue Earth City, a company of forty-two mem- 
bers, under command of Captain J. B. Wakefield, 
by order of Colonel Flandrau, remained at that 
point and erected fortifications, and adopted means 
for subsisting his men there during the term of 
their service. Major Charles R. Read, of the State 
militia, with a squad of men from south-eastern 
Minnesota, also reported to Colonel Flandrau at 
South Bend. Captain Dane, of the 9th Regi- 
ment, was by order of the Colonel in command, 
stationed at New Ulm. Captain Post, and Colonel 
John R. Jones, of the State militia, reported a 
company of mounted men from the county of Fill- 



FORT COX. 



243 



more, and were assignotl a position at Garden 
City. Captain Aklrich, of the 8th Regiment, re- 
ported his company at Soiith Bend, and was placed 
in position at New Ulm. Captain Ambler, of the 
10th Regiment, reported his company, and was 
stationed at Mankato. Cajitain Sanders, of the 
10th, also reported, and was stationed at Le Sueur. 
Captain Meagher likewise was assigned a position 
with his company at Mankato, where the company 
was raised. Captain Cleary, with a company, was 
stationed at Marysburg, near the Winnebago 
Reserve, and a similar company, under Captain 
Potter, was raised, and remained at camp near 
home. Captain E. St. Jalien Cox, with a com- 
mand composed of detachments from different 
companies, was stationed at Madelia. He here 
erected a fort commanding the country for some 
twenty miles. It was octagonal in form, two 
stories in height, with thirty feet between the walls. 
This was inclosed by a breastwork and ditch six 
feet deep, and four feet wide at the bottom, with 
projecting squares of similar thickness on the cor- 
ners, from which the ditch could be swept thi'ough 
its entire length. This structure was named Fort 
Cox, in honor of its i^rojector. 

From this disposition of forces in the depart- 
ment commanded by Colonel Flaudran, it will bo 
seen that the south-western jjortion of the State 
was provided with the most ample means of de- 
fense against any attack from any open enemy in 
any ordinary warfare; and yet on the 10th of Sep- 
tember, the wily Indian made an attack upon But- 
ternut Valley, near the line of Blue Earth an<l 
Brown counties and fired upiin the wliites, wound- 
ed a Mr. Lewis in the hand, killed James Edwards, 
and still further on killed Thomas J. Davis, a Mr. 
Mohr, and wounded Mr. John \V. Task and left 
him for dead. Mr. Task, however, survived. And 
again on the 21st of September, a party of Si(jux 
came into Watonwan county, killed John Arm- 
strong, two children of a Mr. Patterson, and a Mr. 
Peterson. 

The consequences of the massacre we have de- 
tailed in these pages to some extent can be easily 
imagined, and the task of the historian might here 
be transferred to the reader. But even the reader 
of fiction, much more the reader of history, re- 
quires some aid to direct the imagination in arriv- 
ing at proper conclusions. A few words in connec- 
tion with the facts already presented will suffice to 
exliibit this tragic epoch in our State's history in 
its proper light. 



MhnK'sota, the first State in the North-west, 
bound ..\ I on the east by the Great Father of Wa- 
ters, had taken her place in the fair sisterhood of 
states with prospects as flattci'iag as any that ever 
entered the American Union. The tide of hardy, 
vigorous, intelligent emigrants had come hither 
from the older states, as well as from England, 
Ireland, and the different countries on the Euro- 
pean continent, until a thri\'ing population of 
200,000 had taken up their abode upon her virgin 
soil, and were in the quiet and peaceable enjoy- 
ment of her salubrious climate. Her crystal lakes, 
her wooded streams, her bewitching water-falls, her 
island groves, her lovely prairies, would have added 
gems to an earthly paradise. Her Lake Superior, 
her Mississippi, her Red River of the North, and 
her Minnesota, were inviting adjun-ts to the com- 
merce of the world. Her abundant harvests and 
her fertile and enduring soil gave to the husband- 
man the highest hopes of certain wealth. Her po- 
sition in the track of the tidal human current 
sweeping across the continent to the Pacifio coast, 
and thence around the globe, placed her forever on 
the highway of the nations. 

Minnesota, thiis situated, thus lovely in her virgui 

youth, had one dark spot resting on the horizon of 

her otherwise cloudless sky. The dusky savage, 

as we have seen, dwelt in the land. And, when all 

was peace, without a note of warning, that one 

dark spot, moved by the winds of savage hate, 

suddenly obscured the whole sky, and poured out, 

to the bitter dregs, the vials of its wrath, without 

mixture of mercy. The blow fell like a storm of 

thunderbolts from the clear, bright heavens. The 

storm of fierce, savage murder, in its most horrid 

and frightful forms, rolled on. Day passed and 

night came; 

"Down rank the sun, nor ceased the carnage there- 
Tumultuous horrors rent the midnight air," 

until the sad catalogue reached the fearful nunilier 
of tioo thousand human victims, from the gray- 
haired sire to the helpless infant of a day, who lay 
mangled and dead on the ensanguined field! The 
dead were left to bury the dead; for 
"The dead reigned there alone." 
In two days the whole work of murder was done, 
with here and there exceptional cases in differ- 
ent settlements. And during these two days a 
population of thirty thousand, scattered over some 
eighteen counties, on the western border of the 
state, on foot, on horseback, with teams of oxen 
and horses, under the momentum of the panic thus 



2i4 



HISTOBT OP THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



created, were rushing wildly and frantically over 
the prairies to places of safety, either to Fort 
Eidgely or to the yet remaining towns on the Min- 
nesota and Mississippi rivers. Flight from an in- 
vading army of civilized foes is awful; but flight 
from the uplifted tomahawk, in the hands of sav- 
age fiends in pursuit of unarmed men, women and 
children, is a scene too horrible for the stoutest 
heart. The unarmed men of the settlements offer- 
ed no defense, and could offer none, but fled before 
the savage horde, each in his own way, to such 
places as the dictates of self preservation gave the 
slightest hope of safety. Some sought the protec- 
tion of the nearest slough; others crawled into the 
tall grass, hiding, in many instances, in sight of 
the lurking foe. Children of tender years, hacked 
and beaten and bleeding, fled from their natural 
protectors, now dead or disabled, and, by the aid 
of some trail of blood, or by the instincts of our 
common nature, fled away from fields of slaughter, 
cautiously crawling by night from the line of fire 
and smoke in the rear, either toward Fort Ridgely 
or to some distant town on the Minnesota or the 
Mississippi. Over the entire border of the State, 
and even near the populous towns on the river, an 
eye looking down from above could have seen a 
human avalanche of thirty thousand, of all ages, 
and in all possible pUght, the rear ranks maimed 
and bleeding, and faint from starvation and the 
loss of blood, continually falling into the hands of 
inhuman savages, keen and fierce, on the trail of 
the white man. An eye thus situated, if human, 
could not endure a scene so terrible. And angels 
fi'om the realms of peace, if ever touched with 
human woe, over such a scene might have shed 
tears of blood ; and, passing the empyreal sphere 
into the Eternal presence, we might see 
, . » * * "God lament, 
And draw a cloud of mourning round his throne." 

Who will say, looking on tliis picture, that the 
human imagination can color it at aU equal to the 
sad reality? Eeality here has outdone the highest 
flights to which fancy ever goes! The sober- 
minded Governor Sibley, not unused to the most 
horriV)le phases of savage life, seeing only a tithe 
of the wide field of ruin, giving utterance to his 
thoughts in official form, says: "Unless some 
crushing blow can be dealt at once upon these too 
successful murderers, the stat« is ruined, and some 
of its fairest portions will revert, for years, into the 
possession of these miserable wretches, who, of all 
devils in human shape, are among the most cruel 



and ferocious. To appreciate this, one must see, 
as I have, the mutilated bodies of their victims. 
My heart is steeled against them, and if I have 
the means, and can catch them, I will sweep them 
with the besom of death." Again, aUuding to the 
narrations of those who have escaped from the 
scenes of the brutal carnage, he says: "Don't 
tliink there is an exaggeration in the horrible 
pictures given by individuals — they fall far short 
of the dreadful reality." 

The Adjutant- General of the State, in an oflScial 
document, has attempted, by words of carefully- 
measured meaning, to draw a picture of the 
scenes we are feebly attempting to present on 
paper. But this picture is cold and stately com- 
pared with the vivid coloring of living reality. 
'■During the time thit this force was being mar- 
shaled and engaged in the march to this point 
(St. Peter), the greater portion of the country 
above was being laid waste by murder, fire, and 
robbery. The inhabitants that could make their 
escape were fleeing like affrighted deer before the 
advancing gleam of the tomahawk. Towns were 
deserted by the residents, and their places gladly 
taken by those who had fled from more sparsely- 
settled portions of the regions. A stream of 
fugitives, far outnumbering the army that was 
marching to their relief, came pouring down the 
valley. The arrivals from more distant points 
communicated terror to the settlements, and the 
inhabitants there fled to points still further in the 
interior, to communicate in turn the alarm to 
others stiU further removed from the scene of hos- 
tilities. This rushing tide of humanity, on foot, 
on horse, and in all manner of vehicles, came meet- 
ing the advancing columns of our army. Even 
this sign of protection failed to arrest their pro- 
gress. On they came, spreading panic in their 
course, and many never halted till they had 
reached the capital city of the state; while others 
again felt no security even here, and hurriedly 
and rashly sacrificed their jjroperty, and fled from 
the state of their adoption to seek an asylum of 
safety in some of our sister states further removed 
from the sound of the war-whoop." 

Thirty thousand panic-stricken inhabitants at 
once desert their homes in the midst of an indis- 
criminate slaughter of men, women, and children. 
All this distracted multitude, from the wide area 
of eighteen counties, are on the highways and 
byways, hiding now in the sloughs, and now in 
the grass of the open rrairie; some famishing for 



THE COUyTRY DEl'OPUl.ATKD. 



245 



water, and some dying for want of food; some 
barefooted, some in torn garments, and some en- 
tirely denuded of clothing; some, by reason of 
wounds, crawling on their hands, and dragging 
their torn limbs after them, were all making their 
way over a country in which no white man could 
offer succor or administer consolation. The varied 
emotions that struggled for utterance in that frag- 
mentary mass of humanity cannot be even faintly 
set forth in words. The imagination, faint and 
aghast, turns from the picture in dismay and hor- 
ror! What indelible images are burned in upon 
the tablets of the souls of thousands of mothers 
bereft of their children by savage barbarity! 
What unavailing tears fall unseen to the ground 
from the scattered army of almost helpless in- 
fancy, now reduced by cruel hands to a life of 
cheerless orphanage! How many yet linger 
around the homes they loved, hiding from the 
keen-eyed savage, awaiting the return of father, 
mother, brother, or friend, who can never come 
again to their relief I We leave the reader to his 
own contemplations, standing in view of this 
mournful picture, the narration of which the heart 
sickens to pursue, and turns away with more be- 
coming silence! 

The scene of the panic extended to other coun- 
ties and portions of the State remote from all ac- 
tual danger. The Territory of Dakota was de- 
populated, except in a few towns on the western 
border. Eastward from the Minnesota river to the 
Mississippi, the inhabitants fled from their homes 
to the to\vns of Ked Wing, Hastings, Wabasha, 
and Winona; and thousands again from these 
places to Wisconsin, Dlinois, Indiana, Ohio, and 
some to distant New England friends. 

Thirty thousand human beings, suddenly forced 
from their homes, destitute of all the necessaries 
of life, coming suddenly upon the towns in the 
Minnesota Valley, can easily be supposed to have 
been a burden of onerous and crushing weight. 
It came like an Alpine avalanche, sweeping down, 
in the wildness of its fury, upon the plain. No 
wisdom could direct it; no force could resist it. 
No power of description is equal to the task of 
presenting it in fitting words. It was horribly 
"grand, gloomy, and peculiar." One faint picture 
must here sufBce. 

St. Peter, on the morning of the 19th of August, 
1862, manifested some unwonted commotion. 
Couriers arrived before the dawn of that day, an- 
nouncing the alarming news that the neighboring 



town of New Ulm was on fire, and its inhal)itants 
were being massacred by the savages, led by Lit- 
tle Crow. At the same time, or a little previous, 
came the tidings that Fort Ridgely was in immi- 
nent danger; tliat Captain Marsh had Ijeen killed, 
and his command almost, if not entirely, cut off, 
in attempting to give succor to the Lower Agency, 
which had been attacked on the morning of the 
ISth, the day previous, and was then in ashes. 
By nine o'clock the news of tljese events began to 
meet a response from the surrounding country. 
Horsemen and footmen, from different parts of 
Nicollet and Le Sueur counties, came hurrying 
into town, some with guns and ammunition, but 
more without arms. Men were hurrying through 
the streets in search of guns and ammunition; 
some were running bullets, while others were fit- 
ting up teams, horses, and provisions. Busiest 
among the agitated mass were Hon. Charles E. 
Elandrau and Captain William B. Dodd, giving 
directions for a hasty organization for the purpose 
of defending New Ulm, or, if that was impossible, 
to hoW the savages in check, outside of St. Peter, 
sufBcieutly long to give the men, women, and 
children some chance to save their lives by hasty 
flight, if necessary. Every man, woman, and 
eliild seemed to catch the spirit of the alarming 
moment. Now, at about ten o'clock. Judge Flan- 
drau", as' captain, with quick words of command, 
aided by proper subalterns in rank, with one hun- 
dred and thirty-five men, armed as best they could 
be, with shot-guns, muskets, rifles, swords, and re 
volvers, took up the line of march for New Ulm. 
At an earlier hour, fifty volunteers, known as the 
Reu-ville Kangers, on their way to Fort Snelling, 
had turned their course toward Fort Ridgely, 
taking with them all the Government arms at St. 
Peter. 

With the departure of these noble bands went 
not only the wishes and prayers of wives, motherp, 
brothers, sisters, and chOdren for success, but with 
them all, or nearly all, the able-bodied citizens 
capable of bearing arms, together with aU the 
guns and ammunition St. Peter could muster. For 
one moment we follow these little bands of soldiers, 
the hope of the Minnesota Valley. Their march 
is rapid. To one of these parties thirty weary 
miles intervened between them and the burning 
town of New Ulm. Expecting to meet the savage 
foe on their route, flushed with their successful 
massacre at New Ulm, the skirmishers — a few men 
on horseback — were kept in advance of the hurry- 



246 



HISTORY OF TUB SIOUX MASSACRE. 



ing footmen. Before dark, the entire force des- 
tined for New Ulm reached the crossing of the 
Minnesota at the Eed Stone Ferry. Here, for a 
moment, a halt was ordered; the field of ruin lay 
in full view before them. The smoke of the burn- 
ing buildings was seen ascending over the town. 
No signs of life were visible. Some might yet be 
alive. There was no wavering in that little army 
of relief. The ferry was manned, the river was 
crossed, and soon New Ulm was frantic with the 
mingled shouts of the delivered and their deliv- 
erers. An account of the hard-fought battle 
which terminated the siege is to be found in 
another chapter of this work. Such expedition 
has seldom, if ever, been chronicled, as was exhib- 
ited by the deliverers of New Ulm. Thirty miles 
had been made in a little over half a day, travel- 
ing all the time in the face of a motley crowd of 
panic-stricken refugees, pouring in through every 
avenue toward St. Peter. 

The other party, by dusk, had reached Fort 
Eidgely, traveling about forty-flve miles, crossing 
the ravine near the fort at the precise point where 
one hundred and fifty Indians had lain in ambush 
awaiting their approach imtil a few moments be- 
fore they came up, and had only retired for the 
night; and, when too late to intercept them, the 
disappointed savages saw the Eenville Rangers 
enter the fort. 

But let us now return to St. Peter. What a 
night and a day have brought forth! Tlie quiet 
village of a thousand inhabitants thus increased 
by thousands, had become full to overflowing. 
Every private house, every public house, every 
church, school-house, warehouse, shed, or saloon, 
and every vacant structure is full. The crowd 
throng the public highways; a line of cooking- 
stoves smoke along the streets; the vacant lots are 
occupied, for there is no room in the houses. All 
is clatter, rattle, and din. Wagons, ponies, mules, 
oxen, cows and calves are promiscuously distrib- 
uted among groups of men, women and children. 
The live stock from thousands of deserted fanns 
surround the outskirts of the town ; the lowing of 
strange cattle, the neighing of restless horses, the 
crying cf lost and hungry children, the tales of 
horror, the tomahawk wounds undressed, the 
bleeding feet, the cries for food, and the- loud 
wailing for missing friends, all combine to bum 
into the soul the dreadful reality that some ter- 
rible calamity was upon the country. 

But the news of the rapid approach of the 



savages, the bodies of the recently-murdered, the 
burning of houses, the admitted danger of a 
sudden attack upon St. Peter, agitated and moved 
that vast multitude as if some volcano was ready 
to engulf them. The overflowing streets were 
crowded into the already overflowing houses. The 
stone buildings were barricaded, and the women 
and children were huddled into every conceivable 
place of safety. Between hope and fear, and 
prayer for succor, several weary days and nights 
passed away, when, on the 22d day of August, the 
force under Colonel Sibley, fourteen hundred 
sti'ong, arrived at St. Peter. 

Now, as the dread of immediate massacre was 
past, they were siezed with a fear of a character en- 
tirely diiJerent. How shall this multitude be fed, 
clothed and nursed? The grain was unthreshed 
in the field, and tlie iloiu in the only mill left 
standing on the Minnesota, above Belle Plaine, 
was almost gone. The flouring mill at Mankato, 
twelve miles above, in the midst of the panic, had 
been burned, and fears were entertained that the 
mill at St. Peter would share the same fate. Nor 
had this multitude any means within themselves 
to support life a single day. Every scheme known 
to liuman ingenuity was canvassed. Every device 
was suggested, and every expedient tried. The 
multitude was fearfully clamoring for food, rai- 
ment, and shelter. The sick and wounded were in 
need of medicine and skillful attention. Between 
six and seven thousand persons, besides the citi- 
zens of the place, were already crowding the town ; 
and some thousand or fifteen hundred more daily 
expected, as a proper quota from the two thousand 
now compelled to abandon New Ulm. The gath- 
ering troops, regular and irregular, were moving, 
in lai-ge numbers, upon St. Peter, now a frontier 
town of the State, bordering on the country under 
the full dominion of the Annuity Sioux Indians, 
with torch and tomahawk, burning and murdering 
in their train. 

A committee, aided by exjiert clerks, opened 
an office for the distribution of such articles 
of food, clothing and medical stores as the 
town could furnish, on their orders, trustin g to the 
State or General Government for pay at some fu- 
ture day. So great was the crowd pressing for 
relief, that much of the exhausting labor was per- 
formed while bayonets guarded the entrance to the 
building in which the office of distribution was 
held. A bakery was established, furnishing two 
thousand loaves of bread per day, while many pri- 



REFUGEES AT ST. PETER. 



217 



vate houses were put under requisition for the 
same purpose, and, aided by individual benevo- 
lence throughout the town, the hungry began to 
be scantily fed. A butcher-shop was pressed into 
the needed service, capable of supplying ten thou- 
sand rations a day over and above the citizens' 
ordinary demand. Still, there was a vast moving 
class, single persons, women, and children, not yet 
reached by these well-directed efforts. The com- 
mittee, feeling every impulse of the citizens, to 
satisfy the demand for food fitted up a capacious 
soup-house, where as high as twelve hundred 
meals were supplied daily. This institution was 
a great success, and met the entire approval of the 
citizens, while it suited the conditions of the pe- 
culiar population better than any other mode in 
which relief could be administered. Soup was al- 
ways ready; and its quality was superior. The 
aged and the young could here find relief, singly 
or in families; the well relished it, and the sick 
found it a grateful beverage. In this way the 
committee, aided by the extreme efforts of private 
charity, ever active and vigilant, continued for 
weeks to feed tlie refugees at St. Peter, taxing every 
energy of body and mind from twelve to sixteen 
hours per day. The census of the population was 
never taken; but it is believed that, after the arri- 
val of the refugees from New IJlm, and a portion 
of the inhabitants from Le Sueur county, east of 
the town, excluding the fourteen hundred troojJs 
under Colonel H. H. Sibley, who were here a part 
of the time, the population of St. Peter was at 
least nine thousand. This was an estimate made 
by the committee of supplies, who issued eight 
thousand rations of beef each day to refugees 
alone, estimating one ration to a person. The ra- 
tion was from a half-pound to a pound, varied to 
meet the condition of persons and families. 

But the task of feeding the living did not stop 
with the human element. The live stock, horses 
and oxen, with an innumerable herd of cattle fi'om 
a thousand prairies, ruly and unruly, furious from 
fright, so determined on food that in a few days 
not a green spot could be protected from their vo- 
racious demands. Fences offered no obstruction. 
Some bold leader laid waste the field or garden, 
and total destruction followed, until St. Peter was 
as barren of herbage, with scarce an exception, as 
the Great American desert. The committee could 
not meet successfully this new demand. The 
sixty tons of hay cut by their order was only an 
Bgfjravation to the teams of the Government and 



the necessary demands of the gathering cavalry. 
Some military power seemed needed to regulate 
the collection and distribution of food in this de- 
partment. This soon came in an official order 
from Col. H. H. Sibley to a member of the com- 
mittee, assigning him to the separate duty of col- 
lecting food for Government use at St. I'ctcr. A 
wider range of country was now brought under 
contribution, and such of the live stock as was re- 
quired for constant use was amply supplied. The 
cattle not required by the butchers were forced to 
a still wider extent of country. 

Not only food, such as the mill, the bakery, the 
butcher-shop, and the Boup-hou.se could furnish 
was required among this heterogeneous multitude, 
but the infirm, the aged and the sick needed other 
articles, which the merchant and druggist alone 
could furnish. Tea, coffee, sugar, salt, soap, can- 
dles, wine, brandy, and apothecaries' drugs, as 
well as shoes, boots, hats, and wear for men, 
women and children, and articles of bedding and 
hos])ital stores, were demanded as being abso- 
lutely necessary. The merchants and druggists 
of the town honored the orders of the committee, 
and this demand was partially supphed. In all 
these efforts of the town to meet the wants of the 
refugees, it was discovered that the limit of sup- 
ply would soon be reached. But the demand still 
continued inexorable. The fearful crisis was ap- 
proaching! PubHc exertion had found its limit; 
private benevolence was exhausted; the requisite 
stores of the merchant and the druggist were weU- 
nigh expended. It was not yet safe to send the 
multitude to their homes in the country. The 
fierce savage was yet in the land, thirsting for 
blood. What shall be done? Shall this vast 
crowd be sent to other towns, to St. Paul, or stiU 
further, to other States, to seek relief from pubhc 
charity ? or shall they be suffered to perish here, 
when all means of relief shall have failed ? 

On the 13th of September, 1862, after a month 
bad nearly expired, a relief committee, consisting 
of Pev. A. H. Kerr and F. Lange, issued an ap- 
peal, approved by M. B. Stone, Provost Marshal 
of St. Peter, from which we make a few extracts, 
showing the condition of things at the time it bears 
date. Previous to this, however, a vast number 
had left for other places, principally for St. Paul, 
crowding the steamboats on the Minnesota river to 
their utmost capacity. The appeal says: 

"Friends! Brethren! In behalf of the suf- 
fering, the destitute, and homeless— in behalf of 



248 



BISTORT OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



the widow, the fatherless, and the houseless, we 
make this appeal for help. A terrible blow has 
fallen upon this frontier, by the uprising of the 
Sioux or Dakota Indians. All the horrors of an 
Indian war; the massacre of families, the aged and 
the young; the burning of houses and the wanton 
destruction of property, all, indeed that makes an 
Indian war so fearful and terribly appalling, are 
upon the settlements immediately west and north- 
west of us. 

"In some cases the whole family have been mur- 
dered; in others the husband has fallen; in others 
the wife and children have been taken captive; in 
others only one child has escaped to tell the sad 
story. Stealthily the Indians came upon the set- 
tlements, or overtook families flying for refuge. 
Unprotected, alarm and terror siezed the people, 
and to escape with life was the great struggle. 
Mothers clasped their little ones in their arms and 
fled; if any lagged behind they were overtaken by 
a shot or the hatchet. Many, many thus left their 
homes, taking neither food nor clothing with them. 
The Indians immediately commenced the work of 
pillaging, taking clothing and bedding, and, in 
many instances giving the house and all it con- 
tained to the flames. Some have lost their all, 
and many, from comparative comfort, are left ut- 
terly destitute. A great number of cattle have 
been driven back into the Indian country, and 
where a few weeks ago plenty abounded, desolation 
now reigns. ****** 

"Friends of humanity — Christians, brethren, in 
your homes of safety, can you do something for 
the destitute and homeless? We ask for cast-off 
clothing for men, women and children — for shoes 
and stockings; caps for boys, anything for the lit- 
tle girls and infants; woolen underclothing, 
blankets, comfortables; anything, indeed, to alle- 
viate their sufferings. Can not a church or town 
collect such articles, fill a box and send it to the 
committee? It should be done speedily." 

Circulars, containing the appeal from which we 
have made the above quotations, were sent to 
churches in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 
New York, and throughout the towns and cities of 
New England. And similar appeals, from other 
places, were made, and met with universal re- 
sponse, worthy of men and women who honor the 
Christian profession. By these efforts, the 
refugees throughout the state were greatly 
relieved. In reply to these circulars about $20,000 



were received, to which was added $25,000 by the 
state, for general distribution. 

Other places on the frontier, such as Henderson, 
Chaska, Carver, and even Belle Plaine, Shakopee, 
and St. Paul, felt, more or less, the crushing 
weight of the army of refugees, as they poured 
across the coimtry and down the Minnesota Val- 
ley; but no place felt this burden so heavily as 
the frontier town of St. Peter. 

One reflection should here be made. Had New 
Ulm and Fort Kidgely fallen on the first attack, 
Mankato and St. Peter would have been taken be- 
fore the state troops could have offered the proper 
assistance. Had New Ulm fallen on the 19th, 
when it was attacked, and Fort Eidgely on the 
20th, when the attack was made on that place, 
Mankato and St. Peter could easily have been 
reached by the 21st, when the state troops were 
below, on their way to St. Peter. The successful 
defense of these places, New Ulm and Fort Bidge- 
ly, was accomjilished by the volunteer citizens of 
Nicollet, Le Sueur, and Blue Earth counties, who 
reached New Ulm by the 19th of August, and the 
Eenville Bangers, who timely succored Fort Eidge- 
ly, by a forced mirch of forty-five miles in one 
day, reaching the fort previous to the attack or 
that post. Whatever credit is due to the state 
troops, for the successful defense of the frontiei 
and the rescue of the white captives, should be 
gratefully acknowledged by the citizens of Min 
nesota. Such acts are worthy of lasting honor to 
all who were participants in those glorious deeds. 
But to the brave men who first advanced to the 
defense of New Ulm and Fort Eidgely, higher 
honor and a more lasting debt of gratitude are 
due from the inhabitants of the valley of the Min- 
nesota. Let their names be honored among men. 
Let them stand side by side with the heroes of 
other days. Let them rank with veteran brethren 
who, on Southern battle-fields, have fought nobly 
for constitutional freedom and the perpetuity of 
the Union of these states. These are aU of them 
worthy men, who like 

"Patriots have toiled, and in their country'.s canse 
Bled nobly, and their deeds, as they deserve. 
Ueceive proud recompense. We give in charge 
Their names to the sweet lyre. The Historic Muse. 
Proud of her treasure, marches with it down 
To latest times; and Sculpture, in her tuTi, 
Gives bond, in stone and cver-during brass. 
To guard them, and immortalize her trust." 



BATTLE OF JUJICII COOLIE. 



249 



CHAPTER XLn. 

BATTLE OF BIRCH COOLIE BATTLE OF WOOD LAKE 

—CAMP RELEASE — MILITAKT COMPANIES SUC- 

flESS OF THE EXPEDITION UNDEK GENERAL SIBLEY. 

The ninssaere being the main design of this his- 
tory, the movement of the troops, in the pursuit 
and pimishment of the Indians connected witli the 
atrocious murders initiated on the 18th of August, 
1862, must especially, in this abridgement, be ex- 
oeedingl}' brief. 

On the day after the outbreak, August 19th, 1862, 
an order was issued by the comman^lpr-in-cliief to 
Colonel H. H. Sibley, to proceed, with four cora- 
pa,uies, then at Fort SneUing, and such other 
forces as miglit join his command, to the protec- 
tion of the frontier coimties of the State. The 
entire force, increased by the separate commands 
of Colonels Marshall and McPhail, reached 
Fort Ridgeiy, August 28tb, 1862. A detachmcut 
made up of Company A, 6th Regiment Minnesota 
Volunteers, imder Captain H. P. Grant, some sev- 
entj mounted men under Captain JosepTi Andei- 
son, and a fatigue party, aggregating in all a 
force of over one hundred and fifty men, were sent 
in advance of the main army, to protect the set- 
tlements from further devastation, and at the same 
time collect and bury the dead yet lying on the 
field of the recent slaughter. On the first of Sep- 
tember, near the Beaver Creek, Captain Grant's 
party found .Justina Krieger, who had escaped 
alive from the murders committed near Sacred 
Heart. Mrs Krieger had been shot and dread- 
fvJly butchered. During this day this detachment 
buried fifty-five victims of savage barbarity, and 
in the evening went into camp at Birch Coolie. 
The usual precautions were taken, and no imme- 
diate fears of Indiaus were apprehended; yet at 
half-past four o'clock on the morning of the sec- 
ond of September, one of the guards shouted 
"Indians!" Instantly thereafter a sh iwer of bul- 
lets was poured into the encampment. A most 
fearful and terrible battle ensued, and for the num- 
bers engaged, the most bloody of any in which 
our forces had been engaged during the war. The 
loss of men, in proportion to those engaged, was 
extremely large; twenty-three were killed out- 
right, or mortally wounded, and forty-five so se- 
verely wounded as to require surgical aid, while 
scarce a man remained whose dress had not been 
pierced by the enemies' bullets. On the evening 
of the 3d of September the besieged camp was 



I'elieved by an advance movement of Colonel Sib- 
ley's forces at Fort Ridgeiy. 

This battle, in all probability, saved the towns 
of Mankato and St. Peter from the destruction in- 
tended by the savages. They had left Yellow 
Medicine with the avowed object of attacking 
these towns on the Minnesota. The signal defeat 
of the forces of Little Crow at Birch Coolie, not 
only saved the towns of Mankato and St. Peter, 
but in effect ended his efforts in subduing the 
whites on the borders. 

After the battle of Birch Coolie aU the maraud- 
ing forces under the direction of Little Crow were 
called in, and a retreat was ordered up the valley 
of the Minnesota toward Yellow Medicine; and on 
the 16th day of September Colonel Sibley ordered 
an advance of his whole column in pursuit of the 
fleeing foe; his forces now increased by the 3d 
Minnesota Volunteers, paroled prisoners returned 
from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, under command of 
Major Abraham E. Welch. 

On the evening of the 22d Colonel Sibley ar- 
rived at Wood Lake. On the morning of the 23d, 
at about seven o'clock, a force of three hundred 
Indiaus suddenly appeared before his camp, yell- 
ing as savages only can yell, and firing with great 
rapidity. The troops under Colonel Sibley were 
cool and determined, and the 3d Regiment needed 
no urging by officers. All our forces engaged the 
enemy with a will that betokened quick work with 
savages who had outraged every sentiment of hu- 
manity, and earned for themselves an immortality 
of infamy never before achieved by the Dakota 
nation. The fight lasted about two hours. 
We lost in killed four, and about fifty wounded. 
The enemy's loss was much larger; fourteen of 
their dead were left on the field, and an unknown 
number were carried off the field, as the Indiana 
are accustomed to do. 

The battle of Wood Lake put an end to all the 
hopes of the renowned chief. His warriors were 
in open rebellion against his schemes of warfare 
against the whites. He had gained nothin"-. 
Fort Ridgeiy was not taken. New Ulm was not 
in his possession. St. Peter and IMankato were 
intact, and at Birch Coolie and Wood Lake he had 
suffered defeat. No warrior would longer follow 
his fortunes in a war so disastroii;!. On the same 
day of the buttle at Wood Lake a deputation from 
the Wapeton band appeared under a flag of truce, 
asking terras of peace. The response of Colonel 
Sibley was a demand for the delivery of aU the 



250 



BISTORT OP TEE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



white captives in the possession of these savages. 
Wabasha, at the head of fifty lodges, immediately 
parted company with Little Crow, and established 
a camp near Lao qui Parle, with a view of sur- 
rendering his men on the most favorable terms. 
A flag of truce announced his action to Colonel 
S'ibley, who soon after, imder proper military 
guard, visited Wabasha's camp. After the formal- 
ities of the occasion were over. Colonel Sibley I'e- 
ceived the captives, in all, then and thereafter, to 
the number of 107 pure whites, and about 162 
half-breeds, and conducted them to his headquar- 
ters. The dilTerent emotions of these captives at 
their release can easily be imagined by the reader. 
This place well deserved the name given it, "Camp 
Release." 

A MrwTARY Commission was soon after inau- 
gurated to try the parties charged with the mur- 
der of white persons. The labors of this commis- 
sion continued until about the 5th of November, 
1862. Three hundred and twenty-one of the sav- 
ages and their allies had been found guilty of the 
charges preferred against them; three hundred 
and three of whom were recommended for capital 
punishment, the others to suffer imprisonment. 
These were immediately removed, under a guard 
of 1,500 men, to South Bend, on the Minnesota 
river, to await further order.i from the United 
States Government. 

PoRSDiT OF THj; Desertsrs. — After the disaster 
met with at Wood Lake, Little Crow retreated, 
with those who remained with him, in the direc- 
tion of Big Stone Lake, some sixty miles to the 
■westward. On the 5th of October, Colonel Sibley 
had sent a messenger to the principal camp of the 
deserters, to inform them that he expected to be 
able to pursue and overtake all who remained in 
arms against the Government; and that the only 
hope of mercy that they need expect, even for 
their wives and children, would be their early re- 
turn and surrender at discretitm. By the 8th of 
October the prisoners who had come in and sur- 
rendered amounted to upwards of 2,000. On the 
14th of October, Lieutenant Colonel Marshall, 
with 252 men, was ordered to go out upon the fron- 
tier as a scouting party, to ascertain whether there 
were any hostile camps of savages located within 
probable striking distance, from which they might 
be able, by sudden marches, to fall upon the set- 
tlements before the opening of the campaign in 
the coming sprLag. About this time. Colonel Sib- 
ley, hitherto acting under State authority, received 



the commission of Brigadier General of Volun- 
teers from the United States. 

The scouting party under Lieutenant-Colonel 
Marshall followed up the line of retreat of the fugi- 
tives, and near the edge of the Coteau de Prairie, 
about forty-five miles from Camp Eelease, found 
two lodges of straggling Indians. The males of 
these camps, three young men, were made prison- 
ers, and the women and children and an old man 
were directed to deliver themselves ujj at Camp 
Release. From these Indians here captured they 
received information of twenty-seven lodges en- 
camped near Chanopa (Two Wood) lakes. Al 
these lakes they found no Indians; they had left, 
but the trail was followed to the north-west, to- 
wards the Big Sioux river. At noon of the 16th, 
Lieutenant-Colonel Marshall took with him fifty 
mounted men and the howitzer and started in pur- 
suit, without tents or supjjlies of any kind, but 
leaving the infantry and supply wagons to follow 
after. Tliey crossed the Big Sioux river, passing 
near and on the north side of Lake Kamjieska. 

By following closely the Indian trail, they ar- 
rived at dark at the east end of a lake some six or 
eight miles long, and about eight miles in a north- 
westwardly direction from Lake Kampeska. Here 
they halted, without tents, fire or food, until near 
daylight, when reconnoitering commenced, and at 
an early hour in the morning they succeeded in 
surprising and capturing a camp composed of ten 
lodges, and thirteen Indians and their families. 
From those captured at this place information was 
received of another camp of some twelve or fifteen 
lodges, located at the distance of about one day's 
march in the direction of James river. 

Placing a guard over the captured camp, the re- 
maining portion of the force pressed on in the di- 
rection indicated, and at the distance of about ten 
miles from the first camp, and about midway be 
tween the Big Sioux and James rivers they came 
in sight of the second party, just as they were 
moving out of camp. The Indians attempted to 
make their escape by flight, but after an exciting 
chase for some distance they were overtaken and 
captured, without any armed resistance. Twenty- 
oue men were taken at this place. Some of them 
had separated from the camp previous to the cap- 
ture, and were engaged in hunting at the time. 
On the return march, which was shortly after com- 
menced, six of these foDowed the detachment, and, 
after making ineffectual efforts to recover their 
families, came forward and surrendered themselves 



INDIAN SYMPATHIZERS. 



251 



into oiu- hands The iufantry and wagons were 
met by the returning party about ten miles west of 
the Big Sioux. 

The men of this detachment, officers and pri- 
vates, evinced to a large degree the bravery and 
endurance that characterizes the true soldier. 
They willingly and cheerfully pressed on after the 
savages, a part of them without food, fire or shel- 
ter, and all of them knowing that they were 
thereby prolonging the period of tlieir absence 
beyond the estimated time, and subjecting them- 
selves to the certain necessity of being at least one 
or two days without r.'itions of any kind before the 
return to Camp Release could be effected. 

On the 7th of November, Lieutenant-Colonel 
Marshall, with a guard of some fifteen hundred 
men, started for Fort Snelling in charge of other 
captured Indians, comprising the women and 
children, and such of the men as were not found 
guilty of any heinous crime by the Military Com- 
mission, and arrived safely at their destination on 
the 13th. 

Prom the commencement of hostilities until the 
16th day of September the war was carried on 
almost entirely from the resources of the State 
alone, and some little assistance from our sister 
States in the way of arms and ammunition. On 
this latter date Major-General John Pope, who had 
been appointed by the President of the United 
States to take command of the Dapartment of the 
North-west, arrived and established his headquar- 
ters in the city of St. Paul, in this state. The 
principal part of the active service of the season's 
campaign had previously been gone through with; 
but the forces previously under the command of 
of the State authorities were imnrediately turned 
over to his command, and the after-movements 
were entirely under his control and direction. 

He brought to the aid of the troops raised in 
the State the 25th Wisconsin and the 27th Iowa 
Regiments, both infantry. These forces were 
speedily distributed at different points along the 
frontier, and assisted in guarding the settlements 
during the autumn, but they were recalled and 
sent out of the State before the closing in of the 
winter. 

It was contemplated to send the 6th and 7th 
Regiments Minnesota Volunteers to take part in 
the war against the rebels in the Southern States, 
. and orders to this effect had already been issued, 
but on the 6th of November, in obedience to the 
expressed wish of a large portion of the inhab- 



itants of the State, these orders v/ere counter- 
manded. They were directed to remain in tha 
state, and the 3d Regiment was ordered off instead. 

All the forces then remaining in the state were 
assigned to winter quarters at such p)int9 as it was 
thought expedient to keep guarded during the 
winter, and on the 2.'')th of November Major-Gen- 
eral Pope removed his headquarters to Madison, in 
the State of Wisconsin. Brigadier-General Sib- 
ley then remained in the immediate command of 
the troops retained in service against the Indians, 
and established his headquarters in the city of 
St. Paul. 

On the 9th of October the "Mankato Record" 
thus speaks of this expedition: 

"Considering the many serious disadvantages 
uniler which General Sibley has labored — a defi- 
ciency of arms and ammunition, scarcity of jiro- 
visious, and the total absence of cavalry at a time 
when he could have successfully pursued and cap. 
tnred Little Crow and his followers —the expedi- 
tion has been successful beyond the most sanguine 
anticipations. Of the three hundred white cap- 
tives in the hands of the Indians at the commence- 
ment of the war, all, or nearly all, have been 
retaken and returned to their friends. Much pri- 
vate property has been secured, and some fifteen 
hundred Indians, engaged directly or indirectly in 
the massacres, have been captured; and those who 
have actually stained their hands in the blood of 
our frontier settlers are condemned to suffer death. 
Their sentence will be carried into execution, un- 
less countermanded by authorities at Washington." 



CH.\PTER XLIIL 

INDIAN SYMPATHIZERS — MEMOBI.tl, TO THE PRESI- 
DENT—THE HANGING OP THJRTV-EIQHT ANNUL- 
LING THE TREATIES WITH CERT.AIN SIOUX RE- 
MOVAL OF WINNEBAGOES AND SIOITSTOTHE UPPER 
MISSOURI. 

After the campaign of 1862, and the guilty par- 
ties were confined at Camp Lincoln, near Mendota, 
the idea of executing capitally, three hundred In- 
dians, aroused the sympathy of those far removed 
from the scenes of their inhuman butcheries. 
President Lincoln was importuned, principally by 
parties in the East, for the release of these sav- 
ages. The voice of the blood of innocence crymg 
from the ground, the wailings of mothers bereft of 
their children was hushed in the tender cry of 



252 



HISTORY OF THE tilOUX MASSACRE. 



sympathy for the condemned. Even the Christian 
ministers, stern in the belief that, "Whosoever 
sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be 
shed," seemed now the most zealous for the par- 
don of these merciless outlaws, who, without cause 
had shed the blood of innocent women and chil- 
dren in a time of peace. 

Senator M. S. Wilkinson and Congressmen C. Al- 
drich and William Windom, made an urgent ap- 
peal to the President for the proper execution of 
the sentence in the case of these Indians. From 
this appeal the following extract will be sufficient 
to indicate its character: 

"The people of Minnesota, Mr. President, have 
stood firmly by you and your Administration. They 
have given both you and it their cordial support. 
They have not violated any law. They have borne 
these sufferings with patience, such as few people 
have ever exhibited under extreme trials. These 
Indians now are at their mercy; but our people 
have not risen to slaughter, because they believed 
their President would deal with them jitstly. 

"We are told, Mr. President, that the committee 
from Pennsylvania, whose families are living hap- 
pily in their pleasant homes in that state, have 
called upon you to pardon these Indians. We 
protest against the pardon of these Indians; be- 
cause if it is done, the Indians w;U become more 
insolent and cruel than they ever were before, be- 
lieving, as they certainly will, that their Great 
Father at Washington either justifies their acts or 
B afi-aid to punish them for their crimes. 

"We protest against it, because, if the President 
does not permit the execution to take place under 
the forms of law, the outraged people of Minne- 
sota will dispose of these wretches without law. 
These two people cannot live together. We do 
not wish to see mob law inaugurated in Minne- 
sota, as it certainly, will be, if you force the peo- 
ple to it. We tremble at the approach of such 
a condition of things in our state. 

"You can give us peace, or you can give us law- 
less violence. We pray you, as in view of all we 
have suffered, and of the danger which still awaits 
us, let the law be executed. Let justice be done to 
our people." 

The press of Minnesota, without a single excep- 
tion, insisteil that the condemned Indians should 
expiat« their dreadful crime upon the gallows, 
while the Eastern press, with some few exceptions, 
gave vent to the deep sympathy of the sentimen- 
tal philosophers and the fanciful strains of the im- 



aginative poets. It seemed to our Eastern neigh- 
bors that Minnesotians, in their contact with sav- 
age Ufe, had ceased to appreciate the 

• • * "Poor Indian, whose untutored mind 
Sees God in clouds, and hears Him in the wind;" 

that they had looked upon the modem race of sav- 
ages in their criminal degradation until they had 
well-nigh forgotten the renoun of Massasoit, and 
his noble sons Alexander and Philip. 

But two hundred years never fails to change 
somewhat the character and sentiments of a great 
people, and blot from its memory something of 
its accredited history. This may have happened 
in the case of our fellow-kinsmen in the Eastern 
and Middle States. They may not now fully enter 
into the views and sentiments of those who witness- 
ed the outrages of Philip and his cruel warriors 
in their conspiracies against the infant colonies; 
in their attacks upon Springfield, Hatfield, Lan- 
caster, Medfield, Seekong, Groton, Warwick, Marl- 
borough, Plymouth, Taunton, Scituate, Bridge- 
water, and Northfield. They seem not fully now 
to appreciate the atrocities of the savages 
of these olden times. The historian of the 
times of Philip was not so sentimental as some of 
later days. 

"The town of Springfield received great injury 
from their attacks, more than thirty houses being 
burned; among the rest one containing a 'brave 
library,' the finest in that part of the country, 
which belonged to the Rev. Pelatiah Glover." 

" This," says Hubbard, "did, more than any 
other, discover the said actors to be the children 
of the devil, full of all subtilty and malice." And 
we of the present can not perceive why the massacre 
of innocent women and children should not as 
readily discover these Minnesota savages, under 
Little Crow, to be children of the devil as the 
burning of a minister's library two hundred years 
ago. Minnesotians lost by these Indians splen- 
did, not to say hrave libraries; but of this minor 
evil they did not complain, in their demand for the 
execution of the condemned murderers. 

Indians are the same in all times. Two hun- 
dred years have wrought no change upon Indian 
character. Had King Philip been powerful 
enough, he would have killed all the white men 
inhabiting the New England Colonies. "Once an 
Indian, always an Indian," is fully borne out by 
their history during two hundred years' contact 
with the wliite race. 

Eastern writers of the early history of the conn- 



MEMOlifALS To TlIK PmCHI DKNT. 



253 



try spoke and felt in regard to Indians very rnucli 
us Minnesotians now speak and feel. Wlieu Wcet- 
auiore, queen of Pocasset, and widow of Alexan- 
der, Pbilii)'s eldest brother, in attempting to es- 
cape from the pursuit of Captain Church, had lost 
her life, her head was cut oil' by those who discov- 
ered her, and fixed upon a pole at Taunton ! Here, 
being discovered by some of her loving subjects, 
then in captivity, their unrestrained grief at the 
shocking sight is characterized by Mather as "n 
most horrid and diabolical lamentation!" Have 
Minnesotians exhibited a more unfeeling senti- 
ment than this, even agamst condemned murder- 
ers ? Mather lived, it is true, amid scenes of In- 
dian barbarity. Had he lived in the present day 
and witnessed these revolting cruelties, he would 
have said with Colonel H. H. Sibley, "Bly heart 
is steeled against them." But those who witness- 
ed the late massacre could truly say, in the lan- 
guage of an Eastern poet, 

" All died — the wailing babe — the shrieking maid — 
And in the flood of lire that scathed the glade, 
The roofs went down!" 

Early in December, 1862, while the final decis- 
ion of the President was delayed, the valley towns 
of Minnesota, led off by the city of St. Paul, held 
primary meetings, addressed by the most intelli- 
gent speakers of the different localities. An ex- 
tract from a memorial of one of the assemblages 
of the people is given as a sample of others of 
similar import. The extract quoted is from the 
Si. Paul meeting, drawn up by George A. Nourse, 
United States District Attorney for the District 
of Minnesota: 

"To the President of the United States: We, 
the citizens of St. Paul, in the State of Minnesota, 
respectfully represent that we have heard, with 
regret and alarm, through the public press, reports 
of an intention on the part of the United States 
Government to dismiss without punishment the 
Sioux warriors captured by our soldiers; and fur- 
ther, to allow the several tribes of Indians lately 
located upon reservations within this State to re- 
main upon the reservations. 

"Against any such policy we respectfully but 
firmly protest. The history of this continent pre- 
sents no event that can compare with the late Sioux 
outbreak in wanton, unprovoked, and fiendish 
cruelty. All that we have heard of Indian warfare 
in the early history of this country is tame in 
contrast with the atrocities of this late massacre. 
Without warning, in cold blood, beginning with ' 



the murder of their best friends, the whole body 
of the Annuity Sioux commenced a deliberate 
scheme to exterminate every white person upon the 
land once occupied by them, and by them long 
since sold to the United States. In carrying out 
I his bloody scheme they have spared neither ago 
nor sex, only reserving, for the gratification of 
tlieir brutal lust, the few white women whom the 
rille, the tomahawk and thescalping-knife spared. 
Nor did their fiendish barbarities cease with 
d"ath, as the mutilated corpses of their victims, 
disemboweled, cut limb from limb, or chopped 
into fragments, will testify. These cruelties, too, 
were in many cases preceded by a pretense of 
frieudsliip; and in many instances the victims of 
tliese more than murderers were shot down in cold 
blood as soon as their backs were turned, after a 
'•urdial shaking of the hand and loud professions 
of friendship on the part of the murderers. 

"We ask that the same judgment should be 
passed and exei-uted upon these deliberate mur- 
derers, these ravisliers, these mutilators of tlieir 
murdered victims, that would be passed upon 
white men guilty of the same offense. The blood 
of hundreds of our murdered and mangled fellow- 
citizens cries from the ground for vengeance. 
'Veugeance is mine; I will rejiay, .saith the Lord;" 
and the authorities of the United States are, we 
believe, the cho.sen instruments to execute that 
vengeance. Let them not neglect their plain duty. 

"Nor do we ask alone for vengeance. We de- 
mand security for the future. There can be no 
safety for us or for our families unless an example 
shall be made of those who have committed the 
horrilile murders and barbarities we have recited. 
Let it be once understood that these Indians can 
commit such crimes, and be pardoned upon sur- 
rendering themselves, and there is henceforth a 
torch for every white man's dwelling, a knife for 
every white man's heart upon our frontier. 

"Nor will even the most rigorous punishment 
give perfect security against these Indians so long 
as any of them are left among, or in the vicinity 
of our border settlements. The Indian's nature 
can no more be trusted than the wolf's. Tame 
him, cultivate him, strive to Christianize him as 
you will, and the sight of blood will in an instant 
call out the savage, wolfish, devili.sh instincts of 
the race. It is notorious that among the earliest 
and most murderous of the Sioux, in perpetrating 
their late massacre, were many of the 'civiHzed 
Indiana,' so called, with their hair cut sliort, wear- 



254 



HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE. 



ing white men's clothes, and dwelling in brick 
houses built for them by the Government. 

"We respecthilly ask, we demand that the cap- 
tive Indians now in the hands of our military 
forces, proved before a military commission to be 
guUty of murder, and even worse crimes, shall re- 
ceive the punishment due those crimes. This, too, 
not merely as a matter of vengeance, but much 
more as a matter of future security for our bordej 
settlers. 

"We ask, further, that these savages, proved to 
be treacherous, unreliable, and dangerous beyond 
example, may be removed from close proximity to 
our settlements, to sucli distance and such isola- 
tion as shall make the people of this State safe 
from their future attacks." 

DJSAPPOIKTMENT OP THE PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA. 

The final decision of the President, on the 1 7th 
of December, 1862, ordering the execution of thir- 
ty-nine of the three hundred condemned murderers, 
disappointed the people of Mmnesota. These 
thirty-nine were to be hung on Friday, the 26th 
of December. 

It was not strange that the people of Minnesota 
were disappointed. How had New England looked 
upon her Indian captives in her eaiiy history? 
Her history says: 

" King Philip was himted like a wild beast, his 
body quartered and set on poles, his head exposed 
as a trojDhy for twm'^y years on a gibbet, hi 
Plymouth, and one of his hands sent to Boston; 
then the ministers returned thanks, and one said 
that they had prayed a bullet into Philip's heart. 
In 1677, on a Simday, in Marblehead, the women, 
as they came out of the meeting-house, fell upon 
two Indians that bad been brought in as captives, 
and, in a very tumultuous way, murdered them, in 
revenge for the death of some fishermen." 

These Paritan ideas have greatly relaxed in the 
descendants of the primitive stock. But, as the 
sepidchers of the fathers are garnished by their 
children as an indorsement of theii' deeds, shall we 
not hojje that those who ha e in this way given 
vidence of their paternity will find some pallia- 
tion for a people who have sinned in the similitude 
of their fathers? 

On the 2'ith of December, at the request of the 
citizens of Mankato of a previous date. Colonel 
Miller, (Ex Governor Stephen Miller, whose death 
at Worthington, Minn., took place in August, 
1881 ), in order to secure the public peace, declared 



martial law over all the territory within a circle of 
ten miles of the place of the intended execution. 

On Monday, the 21st, the thirty-nine had been 
removed to apartments separate and distinct from 
the other Indians, and the death-warrant was made 
known to them through an interpreter — the Kev. 
Mr. Kiggs, one of the Sioux missionaries. Through 
tlie interjjreter. Colonel Miller addressed the pris- 
oners in substance, as follows: 

" The commanding oiKcer at this place has called 
to speak to you upon a very serious subject thit 
afternoon. Tour Great Father at Washington, 
after carefully reading what the witnesses have 
testified in your several trial.?, has come to the con- 
clusion that you have each been guilty of wantoulj 
and wickedly murdering his white children; and, 
for this reason, he has directed that you each be 
hanged by the neck until you are dead, on next 
Friday, and that order will be carried into effect on 
that day at ton o'clock in the forenoon. 

" Good ministers, both Catholic and Protestant, 
are here, from among whom each of you can se- 
lect your spiritual adviser, who will be permitted 
to commune with you constantly during the few 
days that you are yet to live." 

Adjutant Arnold was then instructed to read to 
them in English the letter of President Lincoln, 
which, in substance, stated the number and names 
of those condemned for execution, which letter 
was also read by Rev. S. R. Riggs, in Dakota. 

The Colonel further instructed Mr. Riggs to tell 
them that they had so sinned again.st their fellow- 
men that there is no hope of . clemency except in 
the mercy of God through tlie merits of the 
Blessed Redeemer, and that he earnestly exhorted 
them to apply to Him as their only remaining 
source of consolation. 

The number condemned was forty, but one died 
before the day fixed for the execution, and one, 
Henry Milord, a half breed, had his sentence com- 
muted to imprisonment for life in the penitentiary ; 
so that thirty-eight only were hung. 

On the 16th of February, 1863, the treaties be- 
fore that time existing between the United States 
and these annuity Indians were abrogated and an- 
nulled, and all lands and rights of occupancy 
within the state of Minnesota, and all annuities 
and claims then existing in favor of ^said Indians 
were declared forfeited to the United States. 

These Indians, in the language of the act, had, 
in the year 1862, "made unprovoked aggression 
and most savage war upon the United States, and 



REMOVAL OF INDT.mS. 



255 



massacred a large number of men, women and 
children within the state of Minnesota;" and as 
in this war and massacre they had "destroyed and 
damaged a hxrge amount of projierty, and thereby 
forfeited all just claims" to their "monies and an- 
nuities to the United Sfcites," the act provides that 
"two-thirds of the balance remaining unexpended" 
of their annuities for the fiscal year, not exceeding 
one hundred thousand dollars, and the further sum 
of one hundred thousand dollars, being two-thirds 
of the annuities becoming due, and payable during 
the next fiscal year, should be apjiropriated and 
paid over to three commissioners appointed by the 
President, to be by them apportioned among the 
heads of families, or their survivors, who suffered 
damage by the depredations of said Indians, or 
the troops of the United States in the war against 
them, not exceeding the sum of two hundred dol- 
lars to any one family, nor more than actual dam- 
age sustained. All claims for damages were re- 
quired, by the act, to be presented at certain 
times, and according to the rules prescribed by 
the commissioners, who should hold their first ses- 
sion at St. Peter, in the state of Minnesota, on or 
before the first Monday of April, and make 
and return their finding, and all the J3apers re- 
lating thereto, on or before the first Monday in 
December, 1863. 

The President appointed tor this duty, and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate, the 
Hons. Albert S. White, of the state of Indiana, 
Eli R. Chase, of Wisconsin, and Cyrus Aklrich, of 
Minnesota. 

The duties of this board were so vigorously 
prosecuted, that, by the 1st of November following 
their appointment, some twenty thousand sheets 
of legal cap paper had been consumed in reducing 
to writing the testimony under the law requiring 
the commissioners to report the testimony in 
writing, and proper decisions made requisite to the 
payment of the two hundred dollars to that class 
of sufferers designated by the act of Congress. 
Such dispatch in Government agents gives abund- 
ant evidence of national vigor and integrity. 

It was, no doubt, the object of this act of Con- 
gress to make such an appropriation as would re- 
lieve the sufferings of those who had lost all pres- 
ent means of supjiort, and for the further purpose 
of ascertaining the whole amonut of claims for 
damages as a necessary pre-requisite to future leg- 
islation. Regarded in this light, the act is one of 
wisdom and economy. 



On the 21st of February following the annulling 
of the treaty with the Sioux above named. Con- 
gress passed "An act for the removal of the Win- 
nebago Indians, and the sale of their reservation 
in Minnesota for their benefit." The money aris- 
ing from the sale of their lands, after paving 
their uidobtedness, is to be paid into the treasury 
of the United States, and expended, as the same is 
received, under the direction of the Secretary of 
the Interior, in necessary improvements upon their 
new reservation. The lands in the new reservation 
are to be allotted in severalty, not exceeding eighty 
acres to each head of a family, except to the chiefs, 
to whom larger allottments may be made, to be 
vested by patent in the Indian and his heirs, with- 
out the right of alienation. 

These several acts of the General Government 
moderated to some extent the demand of the peo- 
ple for the execution of the condemned Sioux yet 
in the mihtary prison at Mankato awaiting the 
iinal decision of the President. The removal of 
the Indians from tlie borders of Minnesota, and 
the opening up for settlement of over a million 
of acres of superior land, was a prospective ben- 
efit to the State of immense value, both in its do- 
mestic quiet and its rapid advancement in material 
wealth. 

In pursuance of the acts of Congress, on the 
22d of April, and for the purpose of carrying 
them into execution, the condemned Indians were 
first taken from the State, on board the steamboat 
Favorite, carried down the Mississippi, and con- 
fined at Davenport, in the e tate of Iowa, where 
they remained, with only such privileges as are 
allowed to convicts in the penitentiary. 

On the 4th of May, A. D. 18G3, at "six o'clock in 
the afternoon, certain others of the Sioux Indians, 
squaws and pappooses, in all about seventeen him- 
dred, left Fort Snelling, on board the steamboat 
Davenport, for their new reservation on the Upper 
Missouri, above Fort Randall, accompanied by a 
strong guard of soldiers, and attended by certain 
of the missionaries and emiJoyes, the whole beino- 
under the general direction of Supermtendent 
Clark W. Thompson. By these two shipments, 
some two thousand Sioux had been taken from the 
State and removed far fi-om the borders of Minne- 
sota. The expedition of 1863, fitted out against 
the scattered bands of the Sioux yet remainino- on 
the borders of the State, or still further removed 
into the D.ikota Territory, gave to the border set- 
tlements some assurance of protection and security 



25G 



uisTonr OF the .houx massacre. 



against any further disturbanes from these partic- 
ular bands of Indians. 

DEATH OF LITTLE CROW. 

On Friday evening, July 3, 1863, Mr. Lampson 
and his son Chauncey, while travehng along the 
road, about sis miles north of Hutchinson, discov- 
ered two Indians in a little prairie openmg in the 
woods, interspersed with clumps of bushes and 
vines and a few scattering poplars, picking berries. 
These two Indians were Little Crow and his son 
Wowinapa. 

STATEMENT BY HIS SON. 

"I am the son of Little Crow; my name is "Wo- 
winapa; I am sixteen years old; my father had 
two wives before he took my mother; the first one 
had one son, the second one a son and daughter; 
the third wife was my mother. After taking my 
mother he put away the first two; he had seven 
children by my mother — six are dead; I am the 
only one living now; the fourth wife had four 
children bom; do not know whether any died or 
not; two were boys and three were girls; the fifth 
wife had five children — three of them are dead, 
two are living; the sixth wife had three children; 
a'.l of them are dead; the oldest was a boy, the 
olher two were girls; the last four wives were 
sisters. 

"Father went to St. Joseph last spring. When 
we were coming back he said he could not fight 
the white men, but would go below and steal horses 
from them, and give them to his children, so that 
they could be comfortable, and then he would go 
away oif. 

"Father also told me that he was getting old, 
and wanted me to go with him to carry his bun- 
dles. He left his wives and his other children be- 
hind. There were sixteen men and one squaw in 
the party that went below with us. We had no 
horses, but walked all the way down to the settle- 
ments. Father and I were picking red-berries, 
near Scattered Lake, at the time he was shot. It 
was near night. He was hit the first time in the 
side, just above the hip. His gun and mine were 
lying on the ground. He took up my gun and 
fired it first, and then fired his own. He was shot 
the second time when he was firing his own gun. 
The ball struck the stock of his gun, and then hit 
him in the sidi\ near the shoulder. This was the 
shot that kiUed him. He told me that he was 
killed, and asked me for water, which I gave him. 
He died immediately after. When I heard the 



first shot fired I laid down, and the man did not 
see me before father was killed. 

"A short time before father was killed an Indian 
named Hiuka, who married the daughter of my 
father's second wife, came to him. He had a 
horse with him — also a gray-colored coat that he 
had taken from a man that he had killed to. the 
north of where father was killed. He gave the 
coat to father, telling him he might need it when 
it rained, as ho had no coat with him. Hiuka said 
he had a horse now, and was going back to the 
Indian country. 

"The Indians that went down with us separated. 
Eight of them and the squaw went north; the 
other eight went further down. I have not seen 
any of them since. After father was kiUed I took 
botli guns and the ammunition and started to go 
to Devil's Lake, where I expected to find some of 
my friends. When I got to Beaver creek I saw 
the tracks of two Indians, and at Standing 
Buffalo's village saw where the eight Indians that 
had gone north had crossed. 

"I carried both guns as far as the Sheyenne 
river, where I saw two men. I was scared, and 
threw my gun and the ammunition down. After 
that I traveled only in the night; and, as I had no 
ammunition to kill anything to eat, I had not 
strength enough to travel fast. I went on until I 
arrived near Devil's Lake, when I staid in one place 
three days, being so weak and hungry that I 
- could go no further. I had picked up a cartridge 
near Big Stone Lake, which I still had with me, 
and loaded father's gun with it, cutting the ball 
into slugs. With this charge I shot a wolf, ate 
some of it, which gave me strength to travel, and 
went on up the lake until the day I wa.s captured, 
which was twenty-six days from the day my 
father was killed." 

Here ends this wonderful episode in our contact 
with the Indian race in Minnesota. It commenced 
with Little Crow, in this instance, and it is proper 
that it should end with his inglorious life. With 
the best moans for becoming an exponent of In- 
dian civilization on this continent, he has driven 
the missionaries from his people and become a 
standing example of the assertion: "Once .an In- 
dian always an Indi.an." 

Little Crow has indeed given emphasis to the 
aphorism of Ferdousi, "For that which is unclean 
by nature, thou cans't entertain no hope; no wash- 
I ing will make the gypsy white." 



CHRONOLOOY. 



2 -.7 



CHRONOLOGY 



CHAPTER XLIV. 

PRINCirAI. EVENTS OHKONOLOtilOAIiljT ARRANGED. 

1659. Groselliers (Gro-zay-yay ) aud KaJisson 
visit Minnesota. 

1661. Menard, a Jesuit missionary, ascends 
the Mississippi, acconliug to Herrot, twelve years 
before Manpiette saw this river. 

1665. Allouez, a Jesuit, visited the Minnesota 
shore of Lake Superior. 

1679. Du Luth planted the arms of France, 
one hundred and twenty leagues beyond Mille 
Lacs. 

1680. Du Luth, the first to travel in a canoe 
from Lake Superior, by way of the St. Croix river, 
to the Mississippi. Descending the Mississippi, 
he writes to Signelay, 1688: "I proceeded in a 
canoe two days and two nights, and the next day, 
at ten o'clock in the morning, found Accoult, 
Augelle, and Father Hennepin, with a hunting 
party of Sioux." He writes: "The want of respect 
which they showed to the said Reverend Father 
provoked me, and this I showed them, telling 
them he was my brother, and I had placed him in 
my canoe to come with me into the villages of said 
Nadouecioux." In September, Du Luth and Hen- 
nepin w«re at the Falls of St. Anthony on their 
way to Mackinaw. 

1683. Perrot and Le Sueur visit Lake Pepin. 
Perrot, with twenty men, builds a stockade at the 
base of a bluff, upon the east bank, just above the 
entrance of Lake Pepin. 

1688. Perrot re-occupies the post on Lake 
Pepin. 

1689. Perrot, at Green Bay, makes a formal 
record of taking possession of the Sioux country 
in the name ( f the king of France 

17 



1693. Le Sueur at the extremity of Lake Su- 
perior. 

169i. Le Sueur builds a post, on a prairie 
island in the Mississippi, about nine miles below 
Hastings. 

169.5. Le Sueur brings the first Sioux chiefs 
who visit Canada. 

1700. Le Sueur ascends the Minnesota River. 
Fort L'Huillier built on a tributary of the Blue 
Earth River. 

1702. Fort L'Huillier abandoned. 

1727. Fort Beauharnois, in the fall of this 
year, erected in sight of Blaiden's Rock, Lajie 
Pejun, by La Perriere du Boucher. 

1728. Verendrye stationed at Lake Nepigon. 

1731. Verendrye's sons reach Rainy Lake. 
Fort St. Pierre erected at Rainy Lake. 

1732. Fort St. Charles erected at the south- 
west corner of the Lake of the Woods. 

1731. Fort Maurepas established on Winni|)eg 
River. 

1736. Verendrye's sons and others massacred 
by the Sioux on an isle in the Lake of the Woods. 

1738. Lort La Reine on the Red River estab- 
lished. 

1743. Verendrye's sons reach the Rocky Moun- 
tains. 

1766. Jonathan Carver, on November 17th, 
rerohes the Falls of St. Anthony. 

179i. Sandy Lake occupied by the Northwest 
Company. 

1802. William Morrison trades at Leach Lake. 

1804. William Morrison trades at Elk Lake, 
now Itasca. 

1805. Lieutenant Z. M. Pike purchases the 
site since occupied by Fort SnelUug. 

1817. Earl of Selkirk jiasscs through Minne- 
sota for Lake Winnipeg. 



258 



CnRONOLOGY. 



Major Stephen H. Long, U. S. A., visits Falls 
of St. Anthony. 

1818. Dakotah war party under Black Dog 
attack Ojibways on the Pomme de Terre River. 

1819. Col. Leavenworth arrives on the 2'lth of 
Angnst, with troo))S at Mendota. 

1820. J. B. Fnribanlt brings up to Mendota, 
horses for Col. Leavenworth. 

Laidlow, superintendent of farming tor Earl Sel- 
kirk, passes from Pembina to Prairie du Chien to 
purchase seed wheat. Upon the 15th of April, 
left Prairie du Chien with Mackinaw boats and 
ascended the Minnesota to Big Stone Lake, where 
the boats were placed on rollers and dragged a 
short distance to Lake Traverse, and on the 3d of 
June reached Pembina. 

On the 5th of May, Col. Leavenworth estab- 
lished summer quarters at Camp Coldwater, Hen- 
nepin county. 

In July, Governor Cass, of Michigan, visits the 
camp. 

In August, Col. Suelling succeeds Leavenworth. 

Sejjteraber 20th, corner-stone laid under com- 
mand of Col. Snelling. 

First white marriage in Minnesota, Lieutenant 
Green to daughter of Captain Gooding. 

Jj'irst white child born in Minnesota, daughter 
to Col. Suelling; died following year. 

1821. Fort St. Anthony was sufficiently com- 
pleted to be occupied by troops. 

Mill at St. Anthony Falls constructed for the 
use of garrison, under the supervision of Lieuten- 
ant McCabe. 

1822. Col. Dickson attempted to take a drove 
of cattle to Pembina. 

1823. The first steamboat, the Virginia, on 
May 10th, arrived at the mouth of the Minnesota 
river. 

Mill stones for grinding tiour sent to St. An- 
thony Falls. 

Major Long, U. S. A., visits the northern bound- 
ary by way of the Minnesota and Ked River. 

Beltrami, the Italian traveler, explores the 
northernmost source of the Mississijipi. 

1824. General Winfield Soott inspects Fort 
St. Anthony, and at his suggestion the War De- 
partment changed the name to Fort Snelling. 

1825. April 5th, steamboat Rufus Putnam 
reaches the Fort. May, steamboat Rufus Putnam 
arrives again and delivers freight at Land's End 
trading post on the Minnesota, about a mile above 
the Fort. 



1826. January 26th, first mail in five months 
received at the Fort. 

Deep snow during February and March. 

March 20tb, snow from twelve to eighteen inches. 

April 5th, snow-storm with flashes of lightning. 

April 10th, thermometer four degrees above zero. 

Ajjril 21st, ice began to move in the fiver at the 
Fort, and with twenty feet above low water mark. 

May 2d, first steamboat of the season, the Law- 
rence, Captain Reeder, took a pleasure party to 
within three' miles of the Falls of St. Anthony. 

1826. Dakotahs kill an Ojibway near Fort 
Snelling. 

1827. Flat Mouth's party of Ojibways attacked 
at Fort Snelling, and Sioux delivered by Colonel 
Snelling to be killed by Ojibways, and their bodies 
thrown over the bluff into the river. 

General Gaines inspects Fort Snelling. 
Troops of the Fifth'Regiment relieved by those 
of the First. 

1828. Colonel Snelling dies in Washington. 

1829. Rev. Alvin Coe and J. D. Stevens, Pres- 
byterian missionaries, visit the Indians around 
Fort Suelling. 

Major Taliaferro, Indian agent, establishes a 
farm for the benefit of the Indians at Lake Cal- 
houn, which he called Eatonville, after the Secre- 
tary of War. 

Winter, Spring and Summer very dry. One 
inch was the average monthly fall of rain or snow 
tor ten months. Vegetation more backward than 
it had been for ten years. 

1830. August 14th, a sentinel at Fort Snelling, 
just before daylight, discovered the Indian council 
house on fire. Wa-pa-sha's son-in-law was the 
incendiary. 

1831. August 17th, an old trader Rocque, and 
his son arrived at Fort Suelling from Prairie du 
Chien, having been twenty -six days on the journey. 
Under the influence of wliisky or stupidity, they 
ascended the St. Croix by mistake, and were lost 
for fifteen days. 

1832. May 12th, steamboat Versailles arrives 
at Fort Snelhng. 

June 16th, William Carr arrives from Missouri 
at Fort Snelling, with a drove of cattle and horses. 

Henry R. Schoolcraft explores the sources of 
the Mississippi. 

1833. Rev. W. T. Bout well establishes a mission 
among the Ojibways at Leech Lake. 

E. F. Ely opens a mission school for Ojibways 
at Aitkin's trading post, Sandy Lake. 



VUUUNOLOGY. 



259 



1834. May. Samuel W. aud Gideon H. Pond 
arrive at Lalto Calliouu as missiouaries among the 
Sioux. 

November. Henry H. Sibley arrives at Mciidota 
as agent of Fur Company. 

1835. May. Rev. T. S. Williamson and J. D. 
Stevens arrive as Sioux missionaries, with Alex- 
ander G. Huggius as lay-assistant. 

June. Presbyterian Church at Fort Suelliug 
organized. 

July 31st. A Red River train arrives at Fort 
Suelling with lifty or sixty head of cattle, and 
about twenty-five horses. 

Major J. L. Bean surveys the Sioux aud Cbip- 
peway boundary line under treaty of 1825, as far 
as Otter Tail Lake. 

November. Col. S. C. Stambaugh arrives; is 
sutler at Fort Snelling. 

1836. May Gth. "Missouri Fulton," first steam- 
boat, arrives at Fort Snelling. 

May 29th. "Frontier," Capt. Harris, arrives. 

June 1st. "Palmyra" arrives. 

July 2d. "Saint Peters" arrives with J. N. 
Nieollet as passenger. 

July 30. Sacs and Foxes kill twenty-four 
Wiunebagoes on Root River. 

1837. Rev. Stephen R. Riggs and wife join 
Lake Harriet Mission. 

Rev. A. Brunsou and David King establish 
Kaposia Mission. 

Commissioners Dodge and Smith at Fort Snel- 
ling make a treaty with tlie ChijJpeways to cede 
lands east of the Mississippi. 

Franklin Steele and others make claims at Falls 
of St. Croix and St. Anthony. 

Septemlier 29th. Sioux chiefs at Washington 
sign a treaty. 

November 10th. Steamboat Rolla arrives at 
Fort Snelling with the Sioux on their return from 
Washington. 

December 12th. Jeremiah RusseD and L. W. 
Stratton make the first claim at Marine, in St- 
Croix valley. 

1838. April, Hole-in-the-Day and party kill 
thirteen of the Lac-cjui-parle Sioux. Blartin Mc- 
Leod from Pembina, after twenty-eight days of 
exposure to snow, reaches Lake Traverse. 

May 25th, Steamboat Burlington arrives at Fort 
Snelling with J. N. Nieollet and J. C. Fremont on 
a scientific expediticm. 

June Ilth, Marryat, the British novelist, Frank- 



lin Steele and others rode from the Fort to view 
Palls of St. Anthony. 

July 12th, steamboat Palmyra arrives at Fort 
Snelling with an official notice of the ratification 
of treaty. Men arrived to develop the St. Croix 
Valley. 

August 2d, Hole-in the-Day encamped with a 
party of Cbippeways near Fort Snelling, and was 
attacked by Sioux from Mud Lake, and one killed 
and another wounded. 

August 27th, Steamboat Ariel arrives with com- 
missioners Pease aud Ewing to examine half-breed 
claims. 

Sejjtember 30th, steamboat Ariel makes the first 
trip ujj the St. Croix river. 

October 26th, steamboat Gypsy first to arrive at 
Falls of St. Croix with annuity goods for the 
Cbippeways. In pa.ssing tlirougb Lake St. Croix 
grounded near the townsite laid out by S. 0. 
Stambaugh and called Stambaughville. 

1839. April 14th, the first steamboat at Fort 
Snelling, the Ariel, Capt. Lyon. 

Henry M. Rice arriven at Fort Snelling. 

May 2d, Rev. E. G. Gear, of the Protestant 
Episcopal church, recently ai)poiuted chaplain, ar- 
rived at Fort Suelling in thesteanilioat Gipsy. 

May 12th, steamboat Fayette arrives on the Sf 
Croix, having been at Fort Suelling, with members 
of Marine Mill Company. 

May 21st, the Glancus, Gapt. Atchiuson, arrives 
at Fort Snelling. 

June 1st, the Pennsylvania, Capt. Stone, arrives 
at Fort Suelling. 

.June 5th, the Glancus arrives again. 

June Gth, the Ariel arrives. 

June 12th, at Lake Harriet mission. Rev. D. 
Gavin, Swiss missionary among the Sioux at Red 
Wing, was married to Cordelia Stevens, teacher at 
Lake Harriet mission. 

June 25th, steamboat "Knickerbocker,'" arrived 
at Fort Suelling. 

.June 26th, steanilxiat Ariel, on third trip. 

June 27th, a train of Rad River carts, under 
Mr. Sinclair, with emigrants, who encamped near 
the fort. 

July 2d, Cbippeways killed a Sioux of Lake Cal- 
houn band. 

July 3d. Sioux attack Cbippeways in ravine 
above Stillwater. 

1840. April, Rev. Lucian Galtier, of the Roman 
Catholic church, arrives at Meudola. 



260 



CHRONOLOGY. 



May 6th, squatters removed on military reser- 
vation. 

June 15th, Thomas Sim])son, Artie explorer, 
shoots himself near Turtle River, under aberration 
of the mind. 

June 17th, four Chippeways kiU and scalp a 
Sioux man and woman. 

1841. March 6th, wild geese appeared at the 
fort. 

March 20th, Mississippi opened. 

April 6th, steamboat Otter, Capt. Harris, arrived. 
Kaboka, an old chief of Lake Calhoun band, killed 
by Chippeways. 

May 24th, Sioux attack Chippeways at Lake 
Pokeguma, of Snake river. Methodist mission 
moved from Kaposia to Ked Eock, Kev. B. F. 
Kavenaugh, superintendent. 

November 1st, Father Galtier completes the log 
chapel of St. Paul, which gave the name to the 
capital of Minnesota. Kev. Augustin Bavoux ar- 
rives. 

1842. July, the Chippeways attack the Kapo- 
sia Sioux. 

1843. Stillwater laid out. Ayer, Spencer and 
Ely establish a Chippeway mission at Red lake. 

July 15th, Thomas Longly, brother-in-law of 
Rev. S. R. Riggs, drowned at Traverse des Sioux 
mission station. 

1844. August, Captain Allen with fifty dra- 
goons marches from Fort Des Moines through 
southwestern Minnesota, and on the 10th of Sep- 
tember reaches the Big Sioux River. Sisseton war 
party kill an .American named Watson, driving 
cattle to Fort Snelling. 

1845. June 25th, Captain Sumner reaches 
Traverse des Sioux, and proceeding northward 
arrested three of tlie murderers of Watson. 

1846. Dr. Williamson, Sioux missionary, moves 
from Lac-qui-parle to Kaposia. March 31st, 
steamboat Lynx, Ca])t. Atchinson, arrives at Fort 
Snelling. 

1847. St. Croix county, Wisconsin, organized. 
Stillwater the county seat. Harriet E. Bishop 
establishes a school at St. Paul. Saw-miUs begun 
at St. Anthony Falls. 

August, Commissioner Verplanck and Henry M. 
Rice make treaties with the Chippeways at Fond 
du Lac and Leech Lake. The town of St. Paul 
surveyed, jilatted, and recorded in the St. Croix 
county Register of Deeds office. 

1848. Henry H. Sibley Delegate to Congress 
from Wisconsin territory. 



May 29th, Wisconsin admitted, leaving Minne- 
sota (with its present boundaries) without a gov- 
ernment. 

August 26th, "Stillwater convention" held to 
take measures for a separate territorial organiza- 
tion. 

October 30tb, H. H, Sibley, elected Delegate to 
Congress. 

1849. March, act of Congress creating Minne- 
sota Territory. 

April 9th, Highhmd Mary, Capt. Atchinson, ar- 
rives at St. Paul. 

April 18th, James M. Goodhue arrives at St. 
Paul with first newspaper press. 

May 27th, Gov. Alexander Ramsey arrives at 
Mendota. 

June 1st, Gov. Ramsey issues proclamation de- 
claring the territory duly organized. 

August Ist, II. H. Sibley elected Delegate to 
Congress from Minnesota. 

September 3d, first Legislature convened. 

November, First Presbyterian church, St. Paul, 
organized. 

December, first literary address at Falls of St. 
Anthony. 

1850. January Ist, Historical Society meeting. 
June 11th, Lidian council at Fort Snelling. 
June 14th, steamer Governor Ramsey makes 

first trip above Falls of St. Anthony. 

June 26th, the Anthony Wayne reaches the 
Falls of St. Anthony. 

July 18th, steamboat Anthony Wayne ascends 
the Minnesota to the vicinity of Traverse des 
Sioux. 

July 25tli, steamboat Yankee goes beyond Blue 
Earth River. 

September, H. H. Sibley elected Delegate to 
Congress. 

October, Fredrika Bremer, Swedish novelist 
visits Minnesota. 

November, the Dakotah Friend, a monthly pa- 
per appeared. 

December, Colonel D. A. Robertson establishes 
Minnesota Democrat. 

December 26tli, first public Thanksgiving Day. 

1851. May, St. Anthony Express newspaper 
begins its career. 

July, treaty concluded with the Sioux at Tra- 
verse des Sioux. 

July, Rev. Robert Hopkins, Sioux missionary 
drowned. 



onRONOLoar. 



261 



August, treaty concluded with the Sioux at 

Maukato. 

September l9tb, the Mioiiesotian, of St. Paul, 
edited by J. P. Owens, appeared. 

November, .Terome Fuller, Chict' Justice in place 
of Aaron Goodrich, arrives. 

December 18th, Thanksgiving Day. 

1852. Hennepin county created. 

February 14th, Dr. Rae, Arctic explorer, anives 
at St. Paul with dog train. 

May 1-tth, laud slide at Stillwater. 

August, James M. Goodhue, pioneer editor, dies. 

November, Yuhazee, an Indian, convicted of 
munler. 

1853. April 27th, Chippewas and Sioux fight 
in streets of St. Paul. Governor Willis A. Gor- 
man succeeds Governor Kamsey. 

October, Henry M. Rice elected ilelegate to con- 
gress. Tlie Capitol building completed. 

1854. March 3d, Presbyterian mission house 
near Lac-c]Ui""-parle burned. 

June 8tli, great excursion from Chicago to St. 
Paul and St. Anthony Falls. 

December 27th, Yuhazee, the Indian, hung at 
St. Paul. 

1855. January, first bridge over Mississippi 
completed at Falls of St. Anthony. 

October, H. M. Rice re-elected to Congress. 

December 12, James Stewart arrives in St. Paul 
direct from Arctic regions, with relics of Sir John 
Franklin. 

1856. Erection of State University Iniilding 
was begun. 

1857. Congress passes an act authorizing peo- 
ple of Minnesota to vote for a constitution. 

March. Inkpadootah slaughters settlers in 
southwest Minnesota. 

Governor Samuel Medary succeeds Governor W. 
A. Gorman. 

March 5th. Land-grant by congress for rail- 
ways. 

April 27th. Special session of legislature con- 
venes. 

July. On second Monday convention to form 
a constitution assembles at Capitol. 

October 13th. Election for State ollicers, and 
ratifying of the constitution. 

H. H. Sibley first governor under the State con- 
stitutitm. 

December. On first Wednesday, first State 
legislature assembles. 



December. Henry M. Rice and James Shields 
elected United States senators. 

1858, April 15tli. Peoi)lo approve act of legis- 
lature loaning the public credit for five millions of 
dollars to certain railway companies. 

May 11th. Minnesota becomes one of the 
United States of America. 

June 2d. Adjourned meeting of legislature 
held. 

November. Supreme court of State orders Gov- 
ernor Sibley to issue Railroad bonds. 

1859. Normal school law passed. 

June. Burbank and Comjiany place the first 
steamboart on Red River of the North. 

August. Bishop T. L. Grace arrived in St. 
Paul. 

1859. October lltb. State election, Alexander 
Ramsey chosen governor. 

18G0. March 23d, Anna Bilanski hung at St. 
Paul for the murder of her husband, the first white 
person executed in Minnesota. 

1861. April 14th, Governor Ramsey calls upon 
President in Washington and oilers a regiment of 
volunteers. 

June 21st, First Minnesota Regiment, Col. W. 
A. Gorman, leaves for Washington. 

.luly 2l8t, First Minnesota iu battle of Bull 
Run. 

October 13th, Second Minnesota Infantry, Col. 
H. P. Van Cleve, leaves Fort Suelling. 

November 16th, Third Minnesota Infantry, H. 
C. Lester, go to seat of war. 

1862. January 19tli, Second Minnesota in bat- 
tle at Mill Spring, Kentucky. 

April 6th. First Minnesota Battery, Captain 
Munch, at Pittsburg Landing. 

April 21st, Second Minnesota Battery goes to 
seat of war. 

April 21st, Fourth Blinnesota Infantry Volun- 
teers. Col. J. B. Sanborn, leaves Fort Snelling. 

May 13th, Fifth Regiment Volunteers, Col. Bor- 
gensrode, leaves for the seat of war. 

May 28th, Second, Fourth, and Fifth in battle 
near Corinth, Mississippi. 

May 31st, First Minnesota in battle at Fair 
Oaks, Virginia. 

June 29th, First Minnesota in battle at Savage 
Station. 

June 30th, First Minnesota in battle near Wil- 
lis' Church. 

Julv 1st, First Minnesota iu battle at Malvern 
Hill. " 



262 



OERONOLOOT. 



August, Sixth Kcgiment, Col. Crooks, organized. 

August, Seventh Keginient, Col. Miller, organ- 
ized. 

August, Eighth Regiment, Col, Thomas, organ- 
ized. 

August, Ninth Regiment, Col. Wilkin, organ- 
ized. 

August 18th, Sioux attack whites at lower 
Sioux Agency. 

September 23(1, Col. Sibley defeats Sioux at 
Mud Lake. 

December 2Gth, Thirty-eight Sioux executed on 
the same scaffold at Mankato. 

18G3. January, Alexander Ramsey elected 
United States Senator. 

May 14th, Fourth and Fifth Regiment in battle 
near Jackson, Mississippi. 

July 2d, First Minnesota Infantry in battle at 
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

September 19 th, Second Minnesota Infantry en- 
gaged at Chickamauga, Tennessee. 

November 23d, Second Minnesota Infantry en- 
gaged at Mission Ridge. 

18G4. January, Col. Stephen MOler inaugur- 
ated Governor of Minnesota. 

March 30th; Third Minnesota Infantry engaged 
at Fitzhugh's Wooods. 

June 6th, Fifth Minnesota Infantry engaged at 
Lake Chicot, Arkansas. 

July 13th, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth, with por- 
tion of the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, engaged at 
Tupelo, Mississippi. 

July 14th, Col. Alex. Wilkin, of the Ninth, 
killed. 

October 15th, Fourth Regiment engaged near 
Altoona, Georgia. 

Decemlier 7th, Eighth Regiment engaged near 
Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Regiments at 
Nashville, Tennessee. 

1865. January 10th, Daniel S. Norton, elected 
United States Senator. 

April 9th, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and 
Tenth at the siege of Mobile. 

November 10th, Shakpedan, Sioux chief, and 
Medicine Bottle executed at Fort Snelling. 

186G. January 8th, Col. William R. Marshall 
inaugurated Governor of Minnesota. 

18()7. Preparatory department of the State 
University opened. 

18G8. January, Governor Marshall enters upon 
second term. 



1869. Bill passed by legislature, removing sea 
of Government to spot near Big Kandiyohi Lake 
— vetoed by Governor Marshall. 

1870. January 7th, Horace Austin inaugurated 
as Governor. 

1871. .January, Wm. Windom elected United 
States Senator. In the fall destructive fires, oc- 
casioned by high winds, swept over frontier coun- 
ties. 

1872. January, Governor Austin enters upon a 
second term. 

1873. January 7th, 8th, and 9th, polar wave 
sweeps over the State, seventy persons perishing. 

May 22d, the senate of Minnesota convicts State 
Treasurer of corruption in ofBoe. 

September, grasshopper raid began, and con- 
tinued five seasons. Jay Cooke failure occasions a 
financial panic. 

1874. January 9th, Cushman K. Davis inaug- 
urated Governor. William S. King elected to con- 
gress. 

1875. February 19th, S. J. R. McMillan elected 
United States senator. 

November, amendment to State constitution, al- 
lowing any women twenty-one yeai'sof age to vote 
for school officers, and to be eligible for school of- 
fices. Rocky Mountain locusts destroy crops in 
southwestern Minnesota. 

187G. January 7th, John S. Pillsbury inaug- 
urated Governor. 

September, 6th, outlaws from Missouri kill the 
cashier of the Northfield Bank. 

1879. November, State constitution amended 
forbidding public moneys to be used for the sup- 
port of schools wherein the distinctive creeds or 
tenets of any particular Christian or other religious 
sect are taught. J. H. Stewart, M. D., elected to 
congress. Biennial sessions of the legislature 
adopted. 

1878. January, Governor Pillsbury enters 
upon a second term. 

May 2d, explosion in the Washburn and other 
(lour mills at Minneapolis. (_)ne hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars appropriated to purchase seed 
grain for destitute settlers. 

1880. November 15tb, a portion of the Insane 
Asylum at St. Peter was destroyed liy fire and 
twenty-seven inmates lost their lives. 

1881. March 1st, Capitol at St. i"aul destroyed 
by fire. 

November. Lucius F. Hul)bard elected Gov- 
ernor. 



HISTORY 



OF 



BICE COUNTY 



CHAPTER XLV. 

DESOBIPTIVE — SITUATION AND AHEA SURFAI'E FEA- 

TUKES AND SOU, — TIMIiER GEOLOGICAL STUUC- 

TURE — MATERIAL RESOURCES — QUARRIES — LIME 
KILNS — BRICK. 

Eice county is one of the earliest and best set- 
tled counties in Minnesota, as well as one of the 
most prominent. It is well situated, has an 
abundance of wood and water, unexceptionally 
good soil, and excellent market facilities. The 
people are industrious and economical, and pro- 
vided with good homes, the average farming facil- 
ities being second to none in the State. 

The most important villages are Fariliault, 
Northfield, and Dundas, with several others of 
less pretensions. The two first mentioned have 
city charters, and each will be fully described 
under tlieir respective names. 

Numerous expeditions and reconnoisances had 
been made through this romantic region long be- 
fore and up to the time when the Sioux title to the 
land was extinguished by treaty stipulation. 
The point which became the nucleus for 
the fuial permanent settlement, tlie conflu- 
ence of the Straight with tlie Cannon Kiver, 
had been \'isited, and glowing accounts given of 
its natural advantages, its magnificent forest, its 
undulating prairie, the verdure covered banks of 
its rippling streams, its health giving climate, and 
indeed, of nature's handiwork here in her hap- 
piest moods, for the creation of all the conditions 
required by man for tlie planting of his home, and 
surrounding it with those institutions which dis- 
tinguish it from the wretched abode of the untu- 
tored savage. 



When the land was opened up to settlement, 
anil the vanguard of the pioneers began to arrive, 
they remained right here; no representations 
could lure them on in search of a better land, be- 
cause it was really unattainable, and the reports 
returned to the homes they had left were of such 
a glowing character, that others rapidly followed, 
and the whole country was soon taken up. Any 
person visiting this county to-day, with its ad- 
vanced civilization, and not knowing the facts, 
could hardly l)e persuaded to believe that not 
(piite a generation has passed since not a l)uilding 
stood anywhere on its territory, except a rude 
bark or skin shelter for the few scattered savages 
who lingered here with the depressing feeling of 
impending extermination. What has been accom- 
])lished is most wonderful, and the various steps 
that have been taken in this remarkable develop- 
ment will be seen as this work is perused. 



The following geological extracts are taken 
from the very able report by Mr. L. B. Sperry, 
dated 1878: 

The parallel of 44 degrees and 20 minutes north 
latitude runs through the center of the county. 
The surrounding counties are Scott and Dakota 
on the north, Dakota and Goodhue on the east, 
Steele and Waseca on the south, and Le Sueur on 
the west. The east line of the county is twenty 
miles from Hastings, on the Mississippi River; the 
north line is thirty-four miles south of St. Paul, 
and the south line is forty-eight miles from the 
northern boundary of Iowa. It is four govern- 
ment townships, or twenty-four miles in width, 
east ami west. The western portion of the county 

(263) 



264 



niSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



is of the same length — twenty-four miles north 
and south — but the eastern two tiers of townships 
are shorter by five miles. The county contains 
fourteen townships, each of them, except two, 
containing thirty-six square miles. Of these two 
exceptions, one, Bridgewater, contains forty square 
miles, and the other, Northfleld, forty-four square 
miles. Its area, then, is .330,240 acres, of which 
nearly one-half is timber land interspersed with 
many lakes. 

There is but very little laud in the county unfit 
for tillage. That portion east of the Straight and 
Cannon Elvers is the finest of prairie land, while 
most of that west of these rivers is, or was orig- 
inally, covered with valuable timber, which, on 
being removed, leaves a strong and fertile soil. 

NATURAL DH.VINAGE. 

The drainage of the county is to the north and 
east. Straight River enters the county two and one- 
half miles east of the middle of the southern border, 
and flowing northward about eight miles, forms 
a junction (where the city of Faribault now stands) 
with the Cannon River, which enters the county 
about two miles north of its southeast corner. 
From the junction of the Straight and Cannon 
Rivers — taking the latter name — the waters flow 
northward and leave the county four miles east of 
the meridian line upon which the Straight River 
enters its borders. The western half of the county 
contains about a score of shallow but pretty lakes, 
which receive the surface waters of their localities, 
and empty for the most part by very circuitous 
routes into the Cannon. The Straight and Cannon 
also receive the drainage from the eastern portions 
of the townships through which they flow; while 
the eastern tier of townships, for the most part, 
shed their waters through small streams into the 
Little Cannon and Zumbro Rivers in Goodhue 
county. The Straight River enters the county in 
the Lower Trenton formation, and cuts through 
into the St. Peter sandstone three miles north of 
the county line, near Walcott's mill. 

A short distance from Walcott's the river makes 
an extensive bend toward the south, and on reach- 
ing Faribault has cut eighty feet into the sand- 
stone. 

At a point near the line separating Bridgewater 
and Cannon City townships the river has cut 
through the St. Peter sandstone and begins its 
flow over the Shakojiee Umestone. into whicli it 



has cut about thirty feet when it leaves the north- 
ern boundary of the county. 

This descent of about 150 feet in crossing the 
county furnishes at least eleven or more available 
mill privileges which have been improved and are 
in operation. 

SURFACE FEATURES AND SOIL. 

The eastern portion of the connty is, tor the 
most part, a high and gently rolling prairie of 
great beauty and fertility. 

Skirting the small streams there is a little tim- 
ber, and along the east bank of the Straight River 
— and also of the Cannon, from its junction with 
the Straight northerly .to Dundas — there is a belt 
of timber averaging about three miles wide. The 
soil bearing, this belt of timber is sandy with grave 
subsoil, and is of comparatively little value for ag- 
ricultural purposes. 

The surface of the southwest part of the county 
lies above the Trenton formation, and is gently 
undulating. The surface of the northeast part is 
more broken because the Trenton is largely car- 
ried away, and the St. Peter sandstone is eroded 
to quite variable depths. The western portion of 
the county also is quite undulating — sometimes 
rough and hilly — and over the greater part is cov- 
ered with heavy timber, interspersed with many 
beautiful but shallow lakes. The surface soil is 
usually a dark loam, but is generally very thin. 
A strong and productive yellow clay overlying 
thick deposits of blue clay — which is frequently 
exposed — characterize the soil of this region. 
Maple, Elm, and Basswood characterize the timber. 

There are about twenty beautiful lakes in the 
western half of the county, ranging from one to 
ten square miles in area, and varying from ten to 
fifty feet in deptb. These lakes aljound in fish, 
and are much frequented by sportsmen. The 
southwestern 2Jart of the county, being lower and 
more sandy, furnishes better beaches for its lakes 
than are found further north whore clay deposits 
overlie and conceal the sand. 

I am under obligation to Surveyor Jewett, of 
Faribault, tlirough whose kiiulness I secured the 
following : 

TOWNSHIP 109, RANGE 19.— RICHLAND. 

Rolling prairie. Soil a black loam with clay 
subsoil. The north liranch of the Zumbro River 
flows easterly through the northern part, taking 
the surface water of nearly the whole town. 



GEOLOGY. 



265 



TOWNSHIP 110, BANOE 19. WHEELING. 

Surface rolling, becoming blufl'y along the 
creek. The east branch of Prairie Creek heads 
near the center of the town, where there is a l)'.)(ly 
of about one section of timber. This creek Hows 
northeasterly, and forms a valley froin one-eiglith 
to one-fourth of a mile wide, about fifty feet lielow 
the general level of the prairie. From the blulls 
along this valley in the north part of the town, 
limestone crops out with sandstone below. 

TOWNSHIP 111, RANGE 19. — NdRTHFIKljD. 

Surface mostly a high rolling prairie sloping 
toward Prairie Creek, which runs northeasterly 
through the township; a part of the town is 
drained northwesterly toward Cannon River. Soil 
a rich black loam ; clay suljsoil ; limestone in bluffs 
along the creek; sandstone below. 

TOWNSHIP 109, BANGE 20. WALCOTT. 

Surface rolling to hilly ; slEipes toward Straight 
River, which runs northerly through nearly the 
center of the town; a body of timber three to four 
miles wide lies on the east side of the river. Lime- 
stone appears in the bed of the river as tar north 
as section four. North of this point it appears 
in the blulTs from twenty to fifty feet aliove tli(^ 
river. Soil in the river valley light and sandy 
with gravel subsoil; rest of town black loam over 
clay. 

TOWNSHIP 110, KANGli 20. — CANNON CITY AND FARI- 
BAULT. 

Surface ipiite rolling; bluffy along the east side 
of river. The Straight River forms a junction with 
the Cannon River in section thirty, from which 
point the Cannon River runs northeasterly to the 
ceiter of the north boundary. The two eastern 
sections are prairie; the remainder of the town is 
timber land; soil a rich loam with clay subsoil. 
Limestone crops out of river bluffs with sandstone 
below; a small lake in section fifteen, containing 
forty-five acres. 

TOWN.SHIP 111, RANGE 20. — BRIDGEWATER 

Land rolUng; becomes bluffy along the river as 
far north as .section ten. Cannon River flows 
northeasterly through the eastern part of the 
town. About six sections on east side of town are 
prairie; rest of town timber land; soil black loam 
with clay subsoil, excepting on river bottoms, 
where the soil is light and sandy over a gravelly 
subsoil; limestone in the bluffs along the river 



south of section ten. In section one it appears in 

the bed of river. 

TOWNSHIP 109, RANGE 21. — WARS.\W. 

Surface rolling; drains toward the north; Can- 
non Lake, with an area of 1,475.28 acres, lies in 
the northwestern ])art of the township; four sec- 
tions of land northwest of lake are timber land; 
rest of town is prairie and brush land; soil black 
loam over clay subsoil. 

TOWNSHIP 110, RANGE 21. WELLS. 

All timber land excepting sections thirty -five and 
thirty-six; surface rolling; soil black loam with 
clay below; area of meandered lakes 2,114.44 
acres; drains toward the south. 

TOWNSHIP 111, RANGE 21. — FOREST. 

All timber land; surface rolling; draining east- 
ward; soil black loam, clay subsoil; area of lakes, 
1,694.41 acres. 

TOWNSHIP 112, RANGE 21. — WEBSTER. 

Timber and l)rush land; surface rolling; drains 
to the .south and east; .soil light-colored loam over 
clay; area of meandered lakes, 208.81 acres. 

TOWNSHIP 109, RANGE 22. MORIUSTOWN. 

Nine sections in southeast part prairie land ; re- 
mainder of town timber. Cannon River flows 
easterly through the center of the townshiji; sur- 
face rolling, slopes towards the river; soil a rich 
black loam with clay subsoil. Area of meandered 
waters, 935.70 acres. 

TOWNSHIP 110, RANGE 22. — SHIELDSVILLE. 

Surface rolling, becoming hilly in some parts of 
the town; soil black loam over clay. Area of 
lakes, 2,574.23 acres. The Cannon River heads in 
Tuft's Lake, in section three. 

TOWNSHIP 111, RANGE 22. — ERIN. 

Surface rolling to hilly, timber and brush lands; 
soil rich loam over clay. Area of lakes, 85(5.32 
acres. 

TOWNSHIP 112, RANGE 22.— WHEATLAND. 

Surface rolling and hilly; soil black loam on 
clay subsoil; timber and brush land. Area of 
lakes, 307.27 acres. 

TIMBER. 

As before stated the eastern portion of the 
county originally produced timber only along the 
streams. Through cultivation for shade, hedges, 
protcctit)n from winds, etc., timber is increasing 
over this area. The western half of the county 



266 



HISTORY OF RICE GOV NT Y. 



was originally covered with heavy timber — except- 
ing a few limited, enclosed spaces, which were 
open prairie, or sparsely covered with Oak and 
under-brush — and forms a part of what is de- 
nominated the "Big Woods." This region is be- 
ing cleared up rapidly and there are now many 
line farms in every towuship of the timber regions 
of this county. The following list embraces all 
the native trees and shrubs that were noticed dur- 
ing the survey. It is not believed, however, that 
it includes all that grow naturally in the limits of 
the county : 

Baswood. Till Americana. L. 

Smooth Sumach. Rhus glabra. L. 

Jersey Tea. Ceanothus Americanus. Ij. 

Sugar Maple. Acer saccharinum. Wnng. 

Sivery Blaple. A. dasycarpun, E/ir. 

Bed or Swamp Maple. Acer rubrum. L. 

Box-Elder. Negundo aceroides. MmiieJi. 

False Indigo. Amorpha fruticosa. L. 

Locust. Robina P.sendacacia. L. Cultivated. 

Cherry. Pruuns. 

Red Raspberry. Rubus strigosus. .]f/f/i.r. 

Blackberry. R. villosus. Ait. 

Crab. Pyrus arbutifolia. L. 

Dogwood. Coruus panieulata. IjIIii: 

Wolfberry. Symphoricarpus occideutalis. //. Hy. 

Ash. Fraxious. 

Slippery Elm. Ulmus fulva. Mich.v. 

Butternut. Juglaus cinerca. L. 

Walnut. Jnglans nigra. L. 

Hickory. Carya. 

Burr Oak. Quercus macrocarpa. .Ifii-h.r. 

Black Oak. Quercus coccinea. Wnng. Var 
tiuctoria. Bartram. 

Wild Hazle-nut. Corylus Americana. WhII. 

Iron-wood. Ostrya Virginica. Willd. 

American Aspen. Populus tremuloides. Mirli.r. 

Cottonwood. P. monilifera. Ait. 

Large-toothed Aspen. P. grandidentata. Micli.v. 

Balm of Gilead. P. balsmifera. L. Var. can- 
dicaus. Ait. 

Red Oak. (^uerciis rubra. L. 

White Oak. Quercus ;i!ba. I,. 

Wild Plum. Prunus Americana. 

American Elm. Ulmus .\mericana. ( Tl Cti/I. ) 
Willd. 

American Crab. Pyrus Coronaria. A. 

Black Cherry. Prunus serotina. Ahr. 

Bitternut. Carya aniara. NntL 

Wild lied Cherry. Prunus Pennsylvanica. L. 



Thorn Apple. Crataegus Crus-galli. L. 

White Birch. Betula alba. Var. populifolia. 
S2MIC/1. 

Small Cedar. Juniperas Sabina. L. Var. pro- 
cumbens. 

White Pine. Pinus Strobus. L. 

Water Beech. Carpinus Americana. Mieh.v. 

Cornel. Cornus panieulata. VHer. 

Cornel. Cornus circinata. VHer. 

American Woodbine. Lonicera grata. Aii. 

Juneberry. Amolanchier Canadensis. Torr & 
Onti/. 

Dwarf Wild Rose. Rosa lucida. 

Pipe Vine. Aristolochia Sipho. 

Grape. Vitis cordifolia. Miclw. 

Virginia Creeper. Ampelopsis quinquefolia. 
Mii-hx. 

Nine Bark. Spiraea opulifolia. L. 

Bittersweet. Celastrus scandens. /,. 

Rose. Rosa blanda. Ait. 

Lombardy Poplar. P. dilitata. Ait. 

Speckled Alder. Almus incanar Willd. 

GEOLOGICAL STRDCTnEE. 

In general the drainage of Rice county is 
toward the north and east, which fact indicates 
the relative elevations. 

The Chicago and Milwaukee railroad survey 
(Minnesota Division) found the elevations of nat- 
ural surface, where the railroad crosses the north- 
ern line of the county, to be over 11150 feet above 
the sea level. At Faribault dejjot it is 993 feet; 
at Dundas depot, 94.5 feet; at Northfield depot, 
90.5 feet. The entire western half, and the south- 
eastern portions of the county, have a higher 
elevation. I have no means of knowing positively 
the relative elevations or the_highest point in tlie 
county; but judging from appearances I conclude 
that the rolling prairie, on which Cannon City is 
located, is the highest by at least 10(1 feet. 

The only geological formations that appear in 
this county are the 

Loam. 

Drift. 

Trenton Limestone. 

St. Peter's Sandstone. 

Shakopee Limestone. 

In general appearance these formations are not 
unlike the same formations as tliey are seen in 
other portions of the State, and carefully described 
by Professor Winchell in his reports made during 
the past few years. Nor did I find in the county 



nEOLOOY. 



2<;7 



any remarkable special peculiarities in any of the 
formations. 

Tlie loam is deep, dark colored and fertile, over 
nearly all tbe eastern portion of the county ; but 
over the western portion as a rule it is thin. 

Drift, consisting largely of blue clay overlain by 
a yellow clay, characterizes the soil of the western 
half of the county. Boulders of granite, gneiss 
trap, and porplyry are c]nite abundant in some 
places; but fine clay, with small quantities of 
gravel, are the rule throughout this region. No 
well yet dug in the western part of the county 
has passed through the blue clay — though some 
of the wells are over 100 feet deep. A hint as to 
the depth of the clay is found in the fact that a 
well dug last season south of Rice county, about 
thirty miles west of Owatonna — near Janesville — 
after passing through 200 feet of blue clay reached 
a sandstone said to be identical with the St. Peter's 
in appearance. An abundance of good water, 
which rose to within thirty feet of the surface, was 
found between the clay and the sandstone. This 
fact should be considered by the residents of this 
drift and timber region, as many of them have 
failed to secure good and abundant water in the 
clay. Indeed there is much uncertainty about 
getting good well water in this region. Some 
holes at 100 feet or over fail to bring enough 
water for drinking and cooking purposes. Some 
wells that furnish an abundance of water are so 
strongly impregnated with mineral impurities as 
to be nearly useless, while others are quite pure. 
It is possible that good water that would rise 
nearly to the surface might invariably be pro- 
cured by boring through the clay to the under- 
lying rooks. 

Illustrations of the peculiarities of the deposits 
in this region are seen in the following facts: 
On the southeast side of Union Lr.ke (seven miles 
west of Northfield) Mr. B. Benton dug forty feet 
and secured an abundance of water, but is 
strongly impregnated with some mineral impuri- 
ties. About forty rods from here Mr. M. J. Punk 
secured better water at sixteen feet; and abotit 
forty rods further Mr. S. A. Amsden secured 
nearly pure water at a depth of thirty-six feet. 

It has been supposed by some tliat the forma- 
tion underlying the drift throughout the timber 
region is the Cretaceous, and I see that Prof. 
Harrington^ in his report on Steele county, ex- 
presses his belief in the existence of the Creta- 



ceous along that belt. I am not satisfied that 
such is the fact. To my mind there is but very 
little evidence of it; but I do not care to discuss 
the matter till I have procured more light on tbe 
subject. At present my belief is that the drift 
rests immediately upon a thin renmant of the St. 
Peter sandstone. Perhaps in some places the St. 
Peter is all eroded so that the drift rests imme- 
diately upon the Shakopee. 

The Trenton limestone is nearly removed from 
the western part of the county, the bluffs along 
the Straight River to a point a little so>ith of Far- 
ibault, and a hill near Northfield, being the tmly 
places where it occurs. East of the river, however 
it is extensive, and furnishes abtindance of mater- 
ial for building purposes, of which mention will 
be made under the head "Material Resources." 

In general character the Trenton resembles so 
closely that found in other parts of the State, and 
so carefully described in previous reports on the 
survey of the State, that little need be said here. 

For builduig purposes, the most of that found 
in this county is superior to that quarried near St. 
Paul, in that it contains less clay and does not 
weather so easily. On the other hand tlie Rice 
county limestone contains more concretionary iron 
pyrites, and hence necessitates more care in its 
selection for architectural purposes. 

The Straight River cuts through the Trenton 
and enters upon the St. Peter at Walcott's mill, 
three miles south of Faribault. At a point eight 
miles further north the river (having now become 
the Cannon) has worked its way through the St. 
Peter and enters upon the Shakopee. The thick- 
ness of the St. Peter, in Rice county, is from 100 
to 12.5 feet. It appears in the form of cliffs at 
frequent points along both sides of the river from 
the place where it is first reached by the Straight 
to tlie northern limits of the county, and in the 
northeastern part of the county it frequently ap- 
pears in the hills — indeed it largely gives charac- 
ter to the topography of this sectiim. 

Judging from the topograj^hy also I am satis- 
fied that many of the hills in the northwestern 
part of the county — in Wheatland and Webster 
townships — consist largely of the St. Peter; but 
they are so heavily covered by drift and timber 
that I could neither find nor learn of any exjios- 
ures. In Cedar Lake there is an island, the top- 
ography and flora of which indicate the St. 
Peter, capped by Trenton. I was unable to verify 
this by excavations. 



268 



HISTORY OF BICE COUNTY. 



There is no place in the county where the St. 
Peter Siimlstone is sulKeieutly compact and firm 
for bnOding stone. As along the Mississippi, it 
may be removed by pick and shovel. In color it 
is — as along the Mississippi River — white to red, 
according to the percentage of iron, and its o.xida- 
tion resulting from exposure. No fossils are 
found in it here. 

The Shakopee limestone is reached by the Can- 
non River at a point about four miles south of 
Dundas — six miles south of Nortlifield. 

On leaving the county one-half mile north of 
Northfield, the river has cut into the Shakopee 
about thirty feet. The map shows approximately 
the extent of this formation as exposed. The de- 
scriptions of it in preceding reports will apply to 
the formation as seen here. 

MATEBI.\L IlESOUKOES. 

Limestone — both for building-stone and quick- 
lime — and sand for mortar, are abundant along 
the valleys of the Cannon and Straight Rivers, and 
througliout the western half of the county; while 
in the western portion no limestone is found. 

Good clay for the manufacture of brick is suf- 
ttcienty abundant all over the county. 

Stone Qdakuies are abundant throughout the 
eastern half of the county. The bluffs through- 
out this region are capped by a layer of the 
Trenton varying from a tew inches to several feet 
in thickness. The various neighborhoods of this 
section have their quarry, or quarries, from which 
all the building stone for general purposes is 
easily obtained. 

Prairie Creek valley has scores of quarries 
opened along its bluffs; and the valley of the 
Cannon looks up to as many more. Good cours- 
ing stone is furnished at Northfield for about Sfi 
per cord. 

At Fall Creek, three miles east of Faribault, 
tliere is a fine deposit which is being extensively 
iiuarried by its owner, Mr. Philip Cromer. The 
deposit of limestone here is about twelve feet 
thick, and is covered by about four feet of drift 
and loam. The strata in this quarry range from 
three to twelve inches in thickness, and ai-e easily 
quarried. The upper stratum, eight inches in 
thickness, is quite light-colored and filled with 
fossils which are so thoroughly cemented and 
transformed as to render the stone compact, while 
its fossiliferous nature is still clearly apparent. 
But few specimens of fossils can be enucleated. 



The rock is infiltrated by gypsum and Iron Pyrites 
which often cement its seams quite firmly. Mr. 
Cromer sells undressed stone for prices ranging 
from $5 to $15 per cord. The greater part of his 
business however is in the best varieties, which he 
sells by the cubic foot, at prices ranging from 
twenty-five cents to seventy-five cents. 

Mr. N. Lord, two miles south of Faribault, on 
the west side of the river, has two quarries opened, 
from which he has sold as high as 300 cords in 
one year. 

In Richland township, bordering on Goodhue 
county, Messrs. Halver Johnson and Peter Halver- 
son have each a fine quarry at which I saw about 
100 cords ready for market. 

Messrs. I. Lenhart, A. Revere, C. Stetson, D. 
Ferguson, and P. Oleson are the principal quarry- 
men in the vicinity of Northfield; and on Prairie 
Creek, in Wheeling township, Messrs. J. Thomp- 
son, A. Knapf, and S. Aslagson do quite a busi- 
ness in quarrying for their neighbors. 

liiME Kilns. — The upper four strata of the 
Lower Trenton formation, as exposed in this 
county, furnish tolerably good material for quick- 
lime, though in some places the deposit is too sili- 
cious, and in no place is the lime obtained suf- 
ficiently white for fine work. When fir^t burned 
the lime is yellowish in color, but when slacked is 
nearly white. It is excellent for stone work. 

Though lime has been burned in every town- 
ship of the county east of the Cannon Kiver, it 
is not now made a regular and paying business, 
except at Phillip Cromer's kiln, on Fall Creek, 
near Faribault. Mr. Cromer u.ses a patent kiln 
and burns from 3,000 to 3,.500 barrels a year, which 
he sells at sixty-five cents per barrel. Three other 
kilns near Faribault, owned respectively by Messrs. 
Pond, Lee, and riord,burn in the aggregate about 
1,000 barrels per year. There is a kiln one mile 
from Northfield, in Dakota county, which supplies 
Northfield and vicinity. This kilu burns its lime 
from the best strata of the Shakopee formation. 
In general character the lime is like that of the 
Trenton. 

Bkick. — Rice county contains an abundance of 
clay for tlie manufacture of brick, but none has 
been found sufficiently free from iron to make the 
white or cream colored brick. At Taribault Mr. 
J. G. McCarthy makes about 700,000 per year, 
which he sella at S6 per thousand. One season 
lie made one million. All the clav of this section 



EARLY SETTLEMENr. 



26il 



is so clear that to make good brick it is necessary 
to add sand. 

Henry Durham, of Faribault, burns about 
, 300,001) per year and fluds lying immediately 
under the elay a stratum of sand for mixture 
with it. 

Another brickyard lias been started at Faribault, 
which has been a success. At Prairieville, Messrs_ 
Meisner and Li'onard are making about 300,000 
per year. Their brick are said to contain consid- 
erable lime and to be very good. At Morristown, 
Mr. Pettiel makes about 50,000 per year. Three 
miles northeast of Faribault, Mr. Duugay is mak- 
ing the best brick yet produced iu the county. 
His product so far has been but about 100,000 
per year, but these have been sold at from iJ7.50 
to $8 per thousand. At HhieldsviUe one kiln is 
burned each year for home supply, and at North- 
field one or two small kilns are burned every 
season. 

In 1878, a bank of clay was opened about three 
miles from Nortlitield, and brick for the new col- 
lege buikling ( St. Olaf's ) have been burned. 
They are jironounced of fine <|uality. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 



EAKLY SETTLEMENT INCIDENTS — THE UBD MEN - 

FAIilliAULT AND BICE COUNTY IN 18.58. 

Alexander Faribault, the pioneer of the county, 
a son of Jean B. Faribault, who had been for years 
in the employ of the Fur Qompany, started from 
Fort Snelling iu the fall of 1820, with Joseph 
Dashner, who remained here until a few years 
ago, when he went to Dakota, and afterwards 
died. There were several others in the party; he 
had a one-horse cart laden with goods, and after a 
trip of ten days a trading post was established at 
Te-ton-ka To-nah, or the "Lake of the Village," 
which is three miles above Faribault. The In- 
dians were got together, and the goods trusted out 
to them, on their jiromise to pay in furs when tlie 
party should return in the spring, about the first 
of April, and to the credit of the red men it may 
be said, that they, almost without exception, were 
prompt in meeting their oljligations. 

In relation to the prices paid for fu .s by the fur 
companies, about which there might bj some curi- 
osity, it may be said that there were certain tech- 



nicalities eouueeted with the trade that was well 
understood. A certain number of skins of a 
smaller animal re])i('sented a certain fraction of a 
larger one. Tbe ])rice of a bearskin, for instance, 
woulil be a multiple of so many muskrat skinsi 
and the prices paid were well up, if not equal to 
the New York price. The object, of course, was 
to monopolize the trade, the profit Ix'ing mad(! on 
the goods paid in exchange, which were of two, 
three, four or more prices. This post was kcjit u]j 
until removed to the presenf site of Faribault, and 
Mr. Faribault kept on collecting furs, and sui>i)ly- 
ing goods up to the time of the settlement of the 
j)lace, and the removal of the VVaupakutas, that 
being the name of the baud of Sioux that occu- 
pied this region. 

The Indians removed from the lake where tlieir 
village was, and built on the point which is n(.)W 
occupied by Mr. Faribault's old residence. This 
was in 1835, and at that time there were about 
forty of their barl; covered abodes. Their burial 
ground is enclosed by the dooryard of Mr. Fari- 
bault's house. There rest the bones of Visiting 
Eagle and his family, a prominent chief who was 
killed at the iLstigatiou of .Jack Frazer, a half- 
breed who had a rival trading post, because Visit- 
ing Eagle's people traded with Faribault, and the 
chief refused to restrain them and give him a mo- 
nopoly. 

After the village of Faribault began to be set- 
tled, there was chief Rjd Leg, brother to Visiting 
Eagle, who was a fine red man but very intem- 
perate. A second chief at that time was Pah-pa, 
or Prick Leg, as he was commonly called, but he 
was a teetotaler, a sort nf .John B. Gough iu his 
tribe. 

Two log houses were built bv the agents of a 
trading company, in 1845, and would be occupied 
iu winter by the whites, and wheuthey left in the 
spring the red men would take possession. These 
buildings afterwards served as a residence and 
hotel which was kept by Mr. Peters Buh and fam- 
ilv, who came in 1853, which date must be set 
down as the actual beginning of the settlement, 
which has gone ou with no real interruption until 
the present time. Mr. Bush afterwards became 
the proprietor at Lake Te-ton-ka To-nah, 

E. J. Crump with his wife crossed Straight 
River on the 2d of May, 1853. Mr. Crump, in 
company with Rev. Standish and .John (iekler, 
under the direction of the Massachnseets Colony, 



270 



nrSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



had previously selected a claim here and erected a 
cabin. 

Mr. J. Wells was au early oue to establish a 
home here, and he opened a farm on the Cannon 
bottom just above town, which became one of the 
finest in the vicinity. 

Tljo next important arrivals were Lnke Hulett 
and family, with Levi Nutting, Mark Wells, Mc- 
Kiuzie, and Mr. Boyington, with others who will 
be mentioned further on. 

lu relation to the very earliest visits to this 
region, Mr. Alexander Faribault, who is still alive 
and most excellent authority, as all will admit who 
have the honor of his acquaintance, gives the fol- 
lowing account, and also furnishes incidents at and 
subsequent to the actual occupation by the whites. 
General H. H. Sihley, who knew him long years 
ago when in the employ of the North American 
Fur Company, pays an unqualified tribute to his 
character, integrity, energy, and reliability, as 
well as his high sense of honor and his unbounded 
hospitality ; indeed, the exercise of this last quality, 
more than all else, has left him pecuniarily 
stranded. He was led into investments in the 
milling and other interests to which he was not 
adapted by nature or education, and not having 
the "almighty dollar" before him as the chief end 
of man, we find him to-day in his old age, de- 
pendent upon his old friends whom, years ago, he 
himself placed on the road to prosperity. The 
house in which he lives was furnished by J. D. 
Greene, and the citizens of the town who are so 
largely indebted to him for having a city here at 
all, will see that during his remaining years the 
few requirements for his support are within easy 
reach. But, to his relation; as already stated he 
was an Indian trader who established a jiost near 
here in 1826, at a time when the North American 
Fur Company, under the management of John 
Jacob Astor, was a mammoth institution, employ- 
ing three thousand men, scattered all through the 
Northwest. In 18:i5, the post was fixed here, at 
what was then known as the junction of the 
Straight with the Cannon Rivers. About the year 
1844, he resolved to locate on the very site of the 
present city of Faribault, and make it a permanent 
residence, to await the oncoming tide of emigra- 
tion which had halted at the Father of Waters, 
but which was absolutely certain to resume its 
march, not again to halt until the Pacific ocean, 
with a mandate not to be disobeyed, should say. 



"Thus far and no farther, and here shall thy 
proud waves be stayed." 

So that year Mr. Fariliault sent Joseph Dash- 
ner and Hypolite Martin to open a farm and take 
charge of it for him. Three years afterwards, Al- 
exander Graham, Mr. Faribault's brother-in-law, 
together with Mr. Brunei, his wife and one child, 
all of whom were French Canadians, came on here, 
as they had all been engaged to take care of the 
farm. About this time JohnRix was employed to 
cook and help care for the stock, and after a time 
Peter St. Antoine and his wife came to relieve Mr. 
Brunei. In 18.53, Peter Bush came out to do the 
blacksmithing, and his family came along and oc- 
cupied the Iniilding erected some years before by 
Mr. Faribault for a trading post, which was near 
where the mill built by Mr. Faribault now stands. 
He also had a log house near the Travis place, 
which he used as a sugar camp. Mr. Faribaidt 
lived here at intervals every year, after first bring- 
ing these people, spending usually several months 
each summer. At such times he was visited by 
Gen. Sibley, Major Forbes, and other aci|uain- 
tances, who sometimes brought their families. 

In the winter of 1827, Mr. Faribault spent some 
time at Elysium with his wife. He claims to 
have been the very first one to open a farm here, 
and his land, which was broken and cultivated, 
was on the flat south of the Faribault stone mill, 
and here he raised wheat, barley, oats, and root 
crops. On his farm ho had, as he declares, twenty 
horses, forty head of cattle, three hundred chick- 
ens, and fifty or more turkeys, and the Indians 
never gave him any trouble. 

Mr. Faribault was a member of the Territorial 
Legislature for this county, and had the privilege 
of naming it, so he selected the name of Rice, in 
honor of his old friend, Senator Henry M. Rice. 
When Mr. Hulett came there was (juite a well de- 
fined track from St. Paul to this point, made by 
teams hauling provisions, and at that time there 
were actually here, Peter Bush and family, Ed- 
ward Le May, Narcisse Arpan, Henry Millard, 
Joseph Dashuer, Mr. E. J. Crump, and a Rev. Mr. 
Standish, with five log shanties all told, such as 
they were. 

At the Old Settlers re-union in 1875, the Hon. 
Henry M. Rice was present, and delivered an ad- 
mirable address, full of historical anecdotes, and 
what will be of especial interest to residents of this 
county will be here condensed. In 1844, General 



KAUI.y SETTLEMENT. 



271 



Sumuer had command at Fort Atkiusoii, in Iowa, 
which was theu Indian territory, and he got uj) 
an expedition to Minnesota, and invited Mr. Hioe 
to iioeompauy the (larty. They had no wagons 
along, but only pack mules io carry provisions. 
Arriving at the confluence of the Straight and 
Cannon Kivers, they found Mr. A. Faribault, and 
he was engaged as a guide. U)) to this point they 
had not met a liuraan being, but they pushed on 
and swung around to Fort Snelling, up the Min- 
nesota valley to the Blue Earth, ami so west 
toward the Des Moines, and thence to Shell Hock 
and Cedar River. At Shakopee there was found a 
brother of Mr. Faribault, and at St. Peter's there 
was a polite old Frenchman, "Mons Provincial." 
Not a soul was theu living at Maukato. 

General Sumner kindly allowed Mr. Rice and 
Mr. Faribault to leave the company and hunt 
buffalo, and they soon spotted a fine animal and at 
once gave chase. A shot wounded him, and he 
became furious and at once reversed the order of 
things, the pursuers becoming the pursued. Mr. 
Rice was thrown from his horse, and he began to 
realize how rapidly his earthly career was drawing 
to a close, when Mr. Faribault, who was a most 
admirable marksman, brought down the infuriated 
brute. On this journey the men had to swim the 
rivers holding on to the tails of their horses. 

In 1817, Mr. Faribault went with Mr. Rice on a 
trip up the U])])er Mississippi, and he never, as he 
stated, saw him more than pleasurably excited, 
under any circumstances. 

At this same meeting Sheriir Barton made a few 
remarks, relating how he came to St. Paul in 
1850, when corner lots were selling at SIO. There 
was a girl east that he thought a good deal of, and 
he went back to find that some other fellow had 
got her. He returned to St. Paul and found that 
some other fellow hatl got that, and this exasper- 
ating loss of two good things so discouraged him 
that he sought the country air, which he has been 
breathing ever since. 

In the spring of 1852, Mr. Luke Hulett, who 
had already had quite a frontier experience, was 
living on his farm in Wisconsin, and he read in 
the "New York Tribune" that the purchase of the 
lands west of the Mississippi from the Sioux had 
been effected. He then restilved to carry out his 
purpose ft)rmed long before, to make his home in 
Minnesota, and he accordingly started for St. 
Paul, but on arriving there he saw a letter from 



Hon. H. H. Sibley, the delegate in Congress, 
stating that the treaty had lieen defeated in the 
Senate, but he concluded not to allow a little cir- 
cumstance like this to disarrange his plans. Low 
water, however, in the Wisconsin River, prevented 
him from getting his family and effects on the 
rt)ad until the next spring. It seems that he had 
read in the "Blilwaukee Sentinel" a truthful ac- 
count of this region, from the pen of a gentleman 
who had been one of a surveying party to lay out 
a road from Lake Pepin to Mankato, the junction 
of the Straight with the Cannon Rivers being a 
point. The description filled his idea of a place 
to locate, and he started up the Mississippi, and 
arrived in St. Paul on Sunday, the 'Jth of May, 
1853. He stopped at a tavern, and the landlord, 
learning that he j)roposed to go to the Straight 
and Cannon Rivers, advised him to stick to the 
water communications, but if he must go back 
into the country, that Maukato was the place. 
But Blr. Hulett had his mind made up, after a 
careful survey of the subject, to examine the loca- 
tion of which he had received such glowing ac- 
count, and while making arrangements he formed 
the acquaintance of Levi Nutting, which resulted 
in a lasting friendship. 

Mr. Nutting, on learning that Mr. Hulett was 
going to explore for a location, inquired as to his 
plans, and informed him that himself and several 
other young men had just arrived in St. Paul, and 
desired to find a place to locate, and the result of 
tlie interview was that a party of six was thus 
formed, and with an emigrant team of two horses 
they started from St. Paul, leaving the family 
there, and made the first attempt to establish a 
])ermanent agricultural colony in Rice coimty. 
On the 13th of May, 1853, the little party crossed 
the Mississippi at St. Paul, to the bottom oppo- 
site that little hamlet. Roads then were mere 
trails, and whatever facilities for transportation 
existed in the country anywhere, was due to nature 
and not art. That spring was wet, and before 
till y had got out of the bottom the wagon was 
mired and the horses had to be detached, the 
wa'gnu unloaded and hauled by luiman mu«cle, 
assisted by human brain, to high ground. Dur- 
ing the journey they saw no more of humanity 
outside of their own party, except two settlers' 
cabins near the river. The first night they en- 
canqied in a grove fifteen miles from St. Paul, and 
a uortheast storm which had been threatening 



2 72 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



through the night broke upon them in the morn- 
ing, and its copious stores continued to drench 
them until they arrived at a slough within a few 
miles of Cannon City, which seemed to interjjose 
a'barrier against further progress, as there was ten 
inches of water on a network of roots for a road 
bed. The horses were unhitched and taken over, 
and then the young men hauled the wagon 
through. As they entered the woods between 
Cannon City and Faribault, the rain ceased and 
the clouds began to disperse, and the prospect 
that opened up before them was most charming, 
looked upon in a practical way; good timber and 
good water laying contiguous to good cleared 
land aggregated the very desideratum for a pio- 
neer settler. Superadd to this a climate where 
health holds the highest place, and what could be 
found better after traveling the wide world over? 
The varieties of timber were familiar, and to say 
that Mr. Hulett was delighted would be expressing 
it mildly, and as they reached the brow of the hill 
opposite the site of the old Barron House, the sun, 
as it was about to set, broke through the canopy of 
the clouds, and casting a mellow golden light upon 
the village of the Wau-pa-ku-ta band of Indians, 
comprising s^me sixty wigwams, stretched along 
where Main Street now is, the vision presented was 
most enchanting, and the newcomers felt that they 
had arrived in the promised land, which it was 
])rupoBed to occupy, whether they had a commis- 
sion to drive out the aliorigines that inhabited it 
or not. The view is well described in poetic 
words : 

' Over the fields the daisies lie. 

With the huttereups under the azure sky; 

Shadtjw and sunshine side by side, 

Are chasing e.ich i>ther o'er mead(»ws wide; 

Wllile the warm, sweet breath of the summer air. 

Is filled with the perfume of blossoms fair. 

Ferns and grasses and wild vines grow 
Close where the waters ripple and flow, 
And the merry zephyrs the livelong day 
With the nodding leaves are ever at play; 
And the? birds are winging their happy Ilight 
'Moiigst all things beautiful, free and bright. 
With a hum of bees in the drowsy air. 
And a glitter of butterflies everywhere." 

c 

The next morning, on the 15th of May, 18.53, 
the sun rose clear and the air was balmy, and having 
spaneeled the horses and set them out to feed 
near where the stone mill now is, our adventurers 
ascended the hill near the present site of the Cath- 
olic Church, "and viewed the landscape o'er," and 
as they faced to the north, the junction of the two 



streams and their respective backgrounds were in 
full view, and the panoroma was most enchanting 
as there had been no marring of nature's handi- 
work by the vandal hand of man. The thoughts 
uppermost in the mind were that hero is a rich and 
pleasant land, a fit abode for civilization, that has 
been preserved for this purpose by the various 
races that have occupied it, the last being the 
"Ani-chin-a-bees," in tlie vernacular, or the Indian 
with his animal neighbors. Unnumbered sum- 
mers had annually renewed the rich vegetation of 
these lovely valleys to be swept away by autumnal 
tires. These two smiling rivers mingled their 
waters unwitaessed by man, except in his hunter 
state. Man is left to work out his own destiny, 
and with such facilities there should be no uncer- 
tainty as to the result. 

'"Our lives through various scenes are drawn. 

iVnd vexed with trifling cares, 
While Thine eternal thoughts move (»n, 

Their undisturbed affairs." 

Mr. Hulett judged that this country, being 
known, would be settled as fast as it would be de- 
sirable, and here nature had certainly conspired to 
produce a business center. He therefore came to 
the conclusion that this should be his future home, 
and he so informed the young men who were with 
him, advising them to take a quarter section right 
here, hold on to it, and go to work and secure, as 
soon as possible, the two hundred dollars with 
which to pay for it, for the slave power being 
dominant then, there was no hope for a homestead 
law, and that in a few years they would be worth 
four or five thousand dollars each. Such modest 
hopes and expectations did not meet the views of 
a majority of these ambitious young men, and they 
declared that in a few years they expected to be 
worth ten or twelve thousand dollars. Mr. Hulett 
asked them how much they had saved in the last 
three years, they replied, not a "red cent;" well, 
said he, "the experience of the past is the prophecy 
as to the future," but they could not be prevailed 
upon to embark with the colony here, and so only 
Mark Wells remained to make a home, although 
Levi Nutting returned the next year. 

Five claims were found staked out in the inter- 
est of Alexander Faribault, when Mr. Hulett ar- 
rived, who up to this time had never heard of 
him. While returning to St. Paul fcHiis family, 
Mr. Hulett ami Mr. Faribault met and talked over 
the whole business, and although Mr. Faribault 
had resolved to have a settlement of French Cana- 



ICAIil. Y SKlTLICMKyr. 



273 



iliuns, he was so favorably impressed with the 
new comer that he oorJiully invited him to come 
and they would together work iu tlu; intorest of 
building up a town. 

Iu a few days Mr. Hnlett returned and found 
Peter Bush, Kdward J. Crump, and James Wells 
were with the party. Mr. Wells was one of the 
first members of the Territorial Li'gislaturo. Ho 
was an eccentric, but sincere and honest man in 
all his dealings. 

Here is a complete list of those who spent the 
winter of 1853 in Faribault, who had responded 
in a practicel way to the refraiu so pojjular at that 
time: 

"To the west, to the west, the land of the free, 
Where the niisjhty JlisRouri rolls down to the sea, 
Where a man is a man if he's willing to Unl 
And the poorest may gather the fruits of the soil." 

Alexander Faribault and family, Luke Hulett 
and family, James Wells and family, Frederick 
Faribault and family, Edward J. Crump and wife, 
Peter Bush and family, Mr. Sprague and wife, 
Mr. Springer and wife, and the following young 
unmarried people, Norbert Paijuiu, Smith John- 
son, Orlando Johnson, John Hulett, Hugh Mc- 
Clelland, Mark Wells, A.McKenzie, Robert Smith, 
and Theodore Smith. 

The spring and summer of 1854 brought the 
following accessions; John Morris, who subse- 
quently laid out Morristowu, Major Babcock, 
Truman Bass, Mr. Tripp, who was the first to 
settle on East Prairie, Dennis O'Brien, Mr. Travis, 
Mr. Parshall, and James and Henry Scott, 
who built the first saw-mill in town. The Sears', 
father and son, in the fall of 1854, located in 
Cannon City and became formidable competitors 
for the county seat. Judge Woodman came about 
this time, and also Mr. William Dunn, who se- 
cured a claim east of Cannon City. Mr. Drake 
and others settled near Northfleld. This is sub- 
stantially Mr. Hulett's statement as written out for 
the "Republican"" a few years before his death, 
tliere is a slight variation, in the personnel of the 
j)ione',T.s, from other accounts. 

General Levi Nutting's account of the first trij) 
to Faribanlt from St. Paul, and his early exper- 
ience here is well worthy of perusal. He came with 
Mr. Hulett, Mark Wells, Mr. McKenzie and 
others. The boat they got over the Mississip])i 
on was a little larger than a hogshead ; their stock 
of provisions consisted of flour, pork, ham, tea, 
coffee, and a few other thing.s. The first night 
18 



they encamped one mile from Empire City. A 
fire was built and they "turneil iu" with their feet 
toward the embers, and during the night a coal of 
tire dropped upon Mr. Nuttings blanket, and 
burned tiirough to his boot and eat a hole tlirougli 
that. After a while the (Jeneral smelled .some- 
body's foot l)uruiug, and an investigation revealed 
the uncomfortable fact that it was his own mem- 
ber, so he proceeded to promptly suppress the 
impending cremation, as that was before this 
method of disposing of bodies had been seriously 
agitated. In the morning the journey was re- 
sumed, Castle Rock, in the distance, looked like 
a meeting house. 

At five o'clock in the evening of the 14th of 
May, 1853, the party reached Faribault and found 
Peter Bush and wife living near where Riedell A- 
Turner's mill now is. This, with the cal)in of 
Norbert Paquin, were the only white residents 
here. He remained three weeks and had a good 
ajipetite and enjoyed a varied liill of fare, "bread 
and pork for breakfast, pork and bread for diuner> 
and some of both for supper." 

The stone i(uarry hill was an ludhtn burial 
ground, if such a name can be given to a place 
where the cadavers are hung upon trees, after being 
tied up in blankets. There were from twenty to 
thirty of these repulsive objects, swaying in the 
breeze over there at that time. While Mr. Hulett 
and one or two of the others remained at that time, 
the General did not come back until April, 1855- 
He declares the very earliest settlers are entitled 
to the greatest credit for what they accomplished. 
He once sold 100 bushels of wheat for .^25, and 
jiaid it all to the hired man. A steer he had 
raised was slaughtered, and he sold the fore quar- 
ters toR. A. Mott for S4, and he then had so much 
money in his pocket, more than any other man in 
town, that he borrowed a musket from Mr. Mott 
to protect himself on his way home! He says that 
our dignified Postmaster usud to wear jeans .and 
work at carpentering with a borrowei.1 hammer, or 
in a saw-mill. 

Four young men kept a boarding house, two of 
them did the chamber work and waited upon the 
table, and the other two did the cooking; one of 
them is now on the supreme bench, another has 
been a State Senator, a third has been a distin- 
guished Euro|)eau traveler, and the other has been 
State Senator and City Attorney. 

At one of the old settlers" reunions, Hon. 



274 



HTSTORY OF rJCE COVNTY. 



George E. Skinner, who was present, in a Ijanter- 
iug way asked General Nutting how it was that a 
gentleman like him should go to bed with his 
boots on? Tlie General at once promj)tl_v rejjlied 
that it was because he did not come here bare- 
footed as SIvinner did. 

Gen. Nutting relates how the town was named. 
It was soon after the arrival of Mr. Hulett, when a 
meeting was called at -the Tlolel di: Bush, and as 
Mr. Faribault was so well known, his name was 
agreed ui^on and a petition drawn up and given 
to Gen. Siblev for a Post-office and a post route, 
with Alexander Faribault as Postmaster and Mr. 
Davis as mail carrier. 

Peter Bush made the following statement as to 
his advent at this point: 

In 1851, he started from Beloit, Wisconsin, to 
St. Paul, with a load of wagon.s, and while there 
met several Canadians and trapper.-* who were ac- 
quainted with this part of the country, and they 
told him. that a good place to settle with his fam- 
ily would be at the junction of the Straight and 
Cannon Rivers, as tLiere was water power, wooil, 
and prairie there. In August, 18.52, he visited the 
place and was pleased with it, and saw Mr. Fari- 
bault, who was then stopping at Mendota; he told 
Mr. Bush, however, that he did not intend to re- 
main there long, but proposed to locate here where 
he had already cultivated a farm, and an agree- 
ment was made to come here in April, 1853, and 
occupy the old trading post, which he did. He 
was not in the exclusive employ of Mr. Faribault, 
but did work for him, and also for Mr. Wells. 
The first settlers after Mr. Bush, according to his 
recollection, were Mr. Wright, Mr. Lull, E. J. 
Crump, John Dutch, P. Standish, and ijuite a 
number of men who had come to work for Mr. 
Faribault. When Mr. Hulett came, there were 
two cows here, and he wanted to get board at Mr. 
Bush's, who had a log house and a blacksmith 
shop opposite where St. Mary's Hall now is, with 
some land staked off, but was told that his claim 
would be jumped unless he Lad plenty of money 
to defend it, and so he was induced to sell it for 
$116, and removed to the lake where he lived 
afterwards. 

There were at first at least 100 Indian tee-pees 
here. Mr. Bush is now unfortunately insane and 
an inmate at St. Peter Asylum. 

At the reunion of the old settlers in February, 
1877, an interesting letter from Gen. H. H. Sibley 



was read, and a brief resume of its contents will be 
pi-eseuted : Mr. Alexander Faribault, who was the 
founder of the city, was for years connected with 
the American Fur Com25auy, of which the Genercd 
was the managing partner in this region, and he 
was always found to be a man of sterling worth 
and integrity. Jean Baptiste Faribault, the father 
of Alexander, came to this country when young, 
and was a fur trader who in the war of 1812, when 
the extreme Northwest was in the hands of the 
British, remained true to the American cause; be 
was of a highly respectable Canadian family. 
Years ago Mr. Fariliault and Gen. Sibley used to 
hunt together with Little Crow, and Mr. Fari- 
bault pointed out this spot where he proposed to 
settle as soon as the title of the Sioux was extin- 
guished. Few men have responded as he has 
done to the demands upon him, to support so 
many of his wife's I'elations, but whatever his 
financial condition may be, he will go down to 
his grave honored and respected by all. 

At the meeting of the old settlers in March, 
1875, Hon. O. F. Perkins related his ex])erieuce, 
an abstract of which is here given. He left Ver- 
mont in 1854, fell in with the great western bound 
llood tide of emigration, and traveled by rail to 
the western terminus of the railroad, at Galena, 
Illinois, and there took passage for St. Paul, on 
the Alhambra, which was two weeks making the 
trip. St. Paul then claimed «4,000 inhabitants. 
He went to St. Anthony and Minneapolis, spend- 
ing the winter there. He had no business, but 
was invited to deliver an address on the Maine 
liquor law, which he then thought would be most 
admirable for this new country, which he did with 
such success that he sujjposed the whole commu- 
nity was converted to his views. About that time 
the first suspension bridge across the Mississijipi, 
at Minneapolis, was completed, at Mr. Perkins, at 
the celebration and banquet which followed this 
event, was called upon for a speech, and although 
all the public men there were intensely democratic, 
he introduced his anti-slavery views, which, had be 
been a little older he might have been a littl.' 
more cautious in doing in such a presence. This, 
however, proved to be a turning point in bis 
career, for the Hon. J. W. North, hearing of the 
incident, invited him to go with him to Faribault, 
whei'e just such daring men were wanted, and he 
accepted tlio invitation and rode out in a sleigh 
with him, being two days on thi- road. It was 



EMiL y sh ttli:ment. 



'27!J 



bitter cold, and airiving here the scene was in 
striking contrast with what woiiM greet a visitor 
now. He remained a few days in mortal fear of 
having his scalp lifted, came back the following 
spring and opened a law office and studied up the 
claim business, boarded with Mr. Crump, and had 
bis office up stairs. He afterwards moved into a 
blacksmith shop, but as business did not open up, 
he went to farming. He bought a bushel of pota- 
toes forS2.50, and carried them to a spot of ground 
he had procured north of D. W. Humphrey's 
house, and i:ilanted them with an axe; did nothing 
more with them until fall, when the crop was sold 
to Dr. Charles Jewett for $35. He also planted 
some corn on the liluff near the stone quarry; it 
came up two or three times, by the aid of the 
gophers, but finally got ready to grow, and in 
due time it was harvested by the cattle, and he 
concluded that raising com was not his fortf, that 
potatoes were his "best holt." Law being at a 
discount, he tried his hand at theology, and 
preached the first sermon, as far as he knew, in 
this region, from a book loaui^d him by Truman 
Nutting, and it was pure, unadulterated Calvin- 
ism, without any "sugar coating." He also as- 
sisted in the formation of the first Bible S(jciety ; 
he was the Secretary, and Frank Nutting local 
agent. According to his recollection, E. J. 
Crump, Esq., was the first Justice of the Peace, 
and the first case before him was a replevin case 
for a gun worth .S2.50. Mr. Perkins was the pros- 
ecuting attorney, but the case was sworn out of 
the jurisdiction of the court. When at work as a 
horny-handed yeoman, carrying his potatoes to 
plant, he met John M. Berry and G. W. Batchel- 
der, and with his brother they all went to living 
together in a little board shanty. 

That 4th of July was duly celebrated in Fari- 
bault; Dr. Charles Jewett delivered the oration, 
and Frank Nutting sung one of Ossian E. Dodge's 
songs, "The Unfortunate Man." 

In (Xitober, 18.55, there was a severe snow- 
storm, but it soon melted, and November was a 
fine month. In the winter Berry, Batchelder, and 
the Perkins brothers kept a bachelor's hall, divid- 
ing the housework, and the devices r&sorted to, to 
get rid of washing the dishes, were often original 
and ingenious. Mr. Perkins went east and got 
his wife, and returned to remain in the county 
ever since. 

G. W. Tower came from Chic-kasaw county, 



Iowa, in 1854, with a team, in company with 
Messrs Carter, Kobert Douglass, Sears, and two 
others, and afttr visiting various other places they 
finally struck Faribault, and Mr. Tower took a 
farm where Petitt's place now is; he afterwards 
built a store opposite the Barron House. 

It should be remarked here, that the Old Set- 
tlers' Association of Kice county has jjroved to be 
(]uite a historical "bonanza," and, to add another 
mining term, has "panned out" well in the interest 
of preserved reminisoenses. 

Hon. G. W. Batchelder arrived and planted him- 
self here in the spring of 1855, coming (m foot 
with Judge Berry, who was not a judge then, ex- 
cept of a good thing w'hen he saw it. They had 
traveled around prospecting, visiting St. Paul, 
Shakopee, Mankato, Cannon Palls, Zumbrota, and 
finally here, where, enchanted with the country, 
they resolved to halt. John Cooper was 
here at the time and there was talk about his 
jumping the townsite, but his claim proved a good 
one and became Cooper's addition. At first Berry 
and Batchelder boarded with Truman Nutting at 
$4 a week, and afterwards with Bloses Cole at the 
"Ox Head Tavern." 

Reuben Rundell, G. W. Bachelder, Judge Berry, 
and O. F. and C. C. Perkins afterwards established a 
hotel on the European plan, north of the meeting 
house. The great event the next year was the ar- 
rival of H. E. Barron, whose fame had preceded 
him as a man of wealth. He built the hotel, and 
at its opening there was a great celebration, a pro- 
cession, dinner, a dance, and speeches. The ar- 
rival of Maj. Dike created another sensation, his 
hair was then black and he was a fine looking 
young man, and when the people were told that 
he was going to stay and open a bank they began 
to feel the importance of the place and to contem- 
plate metropolitan airs. The place above all 
others at an early day, for generous hospitality, 
was at the house of Col. J. C. Ide, on East Prairie, 
whose gates were always ajar, and the constant 
round of bountiful entertainment enjoyed there 
was a'l oasis in the experience of those who were 
fortunate enough to enjoy it, that comj)ensated for 
the long journey through social deserts which so 
many at that day were obliged to travel. 

Cajitain K. H. L. Jewett relates his first expe- 
rience coming herefrom Faribault on foot, in July, 
1855, during a very hot day. 

Captain E. H. Cutts came to the State in 185!!, 



276 



UISrORY OF niCB COUNTY. 



aiul stopped awhile in Ited Wing, aud when lie 
cnme to Faribault, saw and heard a soalp dance 
where Turner's mill now stands. The Dakotaa 
had some Chippewa scalps and were skulking 
through the monotonous contortions of this san- 
guinary dance, accompanied with the most blood 
curdling yells. He ])resided over the first delja- 
ting club here, went back to Illinois, and secur- 
ing a wife, returned. 

In June, 1854, John 0. Cooper came from St. 
Paul, in company with the mail carrier, who had 
the whole mail for the week on his person ; it con- 
sisted of one letter and Mr. Hulett's regular copy 
of the Tribune. 

Mr. P. W. Frink relates a story as to the late 
Lieiit. John C. Whipple, who was commissioned 
as a Justice of the Peace in and for Rice county, 
and in a certain case, the first one he had brought 
before him, he made a ruling to which exception 
was taken on account of its being directly in con- 
flict with the law, but the irate Justice brought 
his fist down upon the table and emphatically de- 
clared that he did not care a continental whether 
it was law or not, that he proposed to administer 
justice. An appeal was taken and sustained, aud 
in disgust he resigned. 

Hon. H. M. Matteson, one of the pioneers, 
started for this section in February, 18.54, and 
stopped with John Hojt, where Dundas now is, 
made a claim of some land and began to improve 
it by changing work with Mr. Hoyt, giving him 
a day's work for a day's use of his oxen. He 
caught a large cat fish that lasted him for meat 
quit,' a long time. 

In a late number of the "Kepublicau," Mr. F. 
W. Prink related his experience as a pioneer news- 
paper man, which may not be uninteresting read- 
ing, now that such changes in transportation, and 
in almost all else that pertains to human life, have 
taken ])lace. An abstract of his story can only be 
presented here. On the 6th of September, 1856, 
he arrived at Hastings with a press and material 
to print a newspaper, and paid $1 a hundred to 
have it hauled to Faribault, and to save $5 stage 
fare traveled the distance himself on foot. On un- 
packing the type it was found to be all pied' 
except two forms that were left locked up. They 
had lota of trouble sorting "pi," and it was not 
until the 22d of October tliat the "Rice County 
Herald" hashed upon the benighted world. 
Major Cook, who afterwards fell gallantly fighting 



for his country, made most of the wooden furni- 
ture for the office. Clark Turner, a brother of 
J. O. Turner, made the iron work, and he also gave 
his life to his country. Charley Decker paid the 
first dollar for subscription, and George W. & J. 
M. Tower paid the first advertising bills. The 
foreman of the office was Cal. Johnson ; the com- 
positors were Andrews and Cressey. One of them 
is now a Baptist minister. A young Sioux used to 
hang around the office, but he oared more for 
"gosh-paps" — dimes — than for work, and he was 
afterwards in the massacre business. The "Fari- 
bault Republican," the outgrowth of this first at- 
tempt at journalism, has for years been one of the 
best printed and edited sheets in the State, and has 
never missed a day in its jjublication. 

A list of the old settlers with the date of their 
coming, as recorded in the Old Settlers Associa- 
tion: 

1853 — Alexander Faribault, Mendota, February. 
W. R. Faribault, 
Peter Bush, Canada, April. 
Luke Hulett, Vermont, May. 

E. H. Cutts. 

1854— H. M. Matteson, Herkimer, N. Y., August. 

F. W. Prink, Vermont, October. 
J. G. Scott, New Jersey, June.- 
J. R. Parshall, Ohio, June. 

S. Benhaus, New Jersey, October. 
A. S. Cromwell, New York, November. 
John Cooper, England, July. 
1855 — Levi Nutting, Massachusetts, April. 
James Shants, New York, May. 

G. S. Woodruff, Connecticut. 

S. Atherton, Vermont, September. 
E. N. Leavens, Connecticut, October, 
(xeorge G. Howe, New York, June. 
S. Barnard, Vermont. 
J. S. Closson, New York, May. 
R. H. L. Jewett, Rhode Island, July. 
G. W. Bachelder, Vermont, May. 
James Colleyers, England, JMay. 
1856 — E. E. Rogers, Massachusetts, October. 
W. H. Stevens, New York, June. 
John Mulliu, New York, May. 
J. B. Wheeler, Massachusetts, May. 
C. M. Millspaugh, August. 
Lyman Tuttle, June. 
William McGinnis, Ireland, June. 
A. Mortensen, Sweden, June. 
O. A. Bailor, Indiana, June. 



EARLY SETTLEMENT. 



211 



S. C. Dunham, Connopticut, May. 

C. D. Horn. 

E. W. Dike. 

D. O'Brien. 

John Close, Ohio, June. 
J. L. Dunham, New ■Tersey, April. 
W. J. Qoll, New Harapshiro, July. 
G. E. Skinner, New York, November. 
P. E. Brown, New York, October. 

F. G. Stevens, Michigan, June. 
John Jipson, New York, .Vugnst. 

G. W. Newell. 
T. H. Loyheil. 

1857 — H. Milaon, Ohio, February. 

N. S. Flint, Vermont, April. 

S. A. Wiley, New York, June. 

Thomas Mee, New York, April. 

Gordon E. Cole, Massachusetts, Jannary. 

W. H. Dike, Vernicmt, May. 

W. A. Shaw, New York. 
On the occasion of the centennial celebration of 
the independence of the country in 187fi, the gov- 
ernment requested every county in the country to 
have a historical sketch prepared up to that date. 
Kice county was particularly fortunate in this re- 
spect, and the sketch of the county was prepared 
and presented as an address on Independence Day, 
by F. W. Frink. For the sake of preserving it in 
this permanent form, and on account of its being 
a ?•('««?«<' of what had occurred up to that time, and 
of some facts not found elsewhere in this work, if, 
is reproduced here entire. 

Fellow -Citizens — For an artist who has all his 
life confined his art to life-size painting to attempt 
a reproduction of his principal work in miniature, 
it must require all his skill to prevent his picture 
from proving a failure. Yet such is the task I 
attempt to-day. For twenty years, or ever since 
Rice county first took shape as a separate oigan- 
ization, it has been either my duty or my pleasure, 
and sometimes both, to chronicle its progress and 
put upon record every forward step it has taken 
in the march of its destiny, and now I am to try 
to condense the work of this score of years into 
the space allotted tor our page of the centennial 
history of the nation. Under the circumstances it 
will be a wonder, not if I fail, but if I succeed in 
reproducing from the abundant material at my 
command anything which may not be without 
form, and void. 

Rice county, unlike many ambitious places in 



the western world, is not called by the name of 
some old hero renowned in song or story, nor lias 
it assumed the name of anceint or modern place 
of proportions va.st, or storied fame, lint the Hon. 
Henry M. Rice, of St. Paul, an early settler in the 
State, and a warm friend of him who gave to the 
city of Faribault his local habitation and his 
name, is the man from whom our county takes its 
name, and the man who still feels a warm interest 
in everything pertaining to its welfare. 

Although it was not until October, 1.S5.5, that 
Rice county held an election as a separate organ- 
ization, electing then for the first time its county 
officers, Mr. Alexander Faribault had established a 
trading post at the toot of what is now known as 
Cannon Lake, but then called by the Sioux, Te- 
ton-ka Tonah, or Lake of the Village, as early as 
1826. While he was doubtless the first settler of 
Rice county, and according to the records of the 
Old Settler's Asscjciation, Mr. Peter Bush the 
next, it was not until May, 185.3, when the Hon 
Luke Hulett, who still resides within the limits of 
the city of Fariliault, removed here with his fam- 
ily, that the history of Rice county properly be- 
gins, for the first settlement of a farmer in an 
agricultural region is the beginning of its his- 
tory. Alexander Faribault, Luke Hulett, and 
Peter Bush sliould be considered the founders of 
the first settlement in Rice county. 

The history of the towns and villagi s of this 
county begins even earlier than that of the county 
itself, that is to say, before the county existed as a 
political organization with well defined boundary 
lines, the towns of Faribault, Northfield, Morris- 
town, and Cannon City were surveyed, platted and 
recorded in the order named. Alex. Fariliault, F. 
B. Sibley, John W. North, and Porter Nutting, as 
proprietors, filed the plat of the town of Faribault 
in the office of the Register of Deeds in Dakota 
county, to which Rice county was then attached 
for judicial purposes, on the 17th day of Feb- 
ruary, 1855. Previous to this date, however, a 
preliminary survey had been made, and Walter 
Morris owned the share afterward represented by 
John W. NorMi. 

In August, 1855, Mr. North having dispo.sed of 
his interest in Faribault, wliilc in search of fresh 
fields and pastures new, selected the site of the 
present city of Northfield, and on the 7th of 
March, 1856, filed the plat in the office of the 
Register of Deeds in Rice county, which was then 



278 



nrsTORY OF RICE COUNT y. 



an office a little over two months old. A plat of 
Cannon Citj had been made almost as early as that 
of Faribault, bnt owing to the fact that the plat 
had been made without the usual formality of a 
preceding survey, it was thought best by the pro- 
prietors, after a vain attempt to harmonize con- 
fiictiug interests caused by conflicting boundary 
lines, to have a survey made, the plat of which 
was not filed for record until the 11th day of 
November, 185(5, but j)revious to that date it was a 
town of sufficient force to give Faribault a lively 
race in a contest for the location of the county 
seat. 

April 1st, 18.56, Mrs. Sarah Morris, mother of 
Walter Morris, one of the first proprietors of the 
town of Faribault, and widow of Jonathan Morris, 
one of the first settlers of Morristown, filed and 
recorded the plat of Morristown. These were the 
first born towns of Kice county, but the times were 
then prolific in the birth of towns and cities, and 
the eye of the speculator saw lieside every crystal 
lake or limpid stream a site for a city full of the 
possibilities of future glory. Numerous additions 
were surveyed and added to towns already re- 
corded. The new towns of Wheatland, Wedge- 
wood, Warsaw, Waloott, Shieldsville, Dundas, 
Millersburg, EastPrairieville, and Lake City were 
added to the list. Of these, some are dead and 
some are dying, and nearly all remaining have 
from time to time, by vacations obtained through 
the courts, contracted their vast circumference in 
conformity with the request made at an early day 
to the Territorial Legislature to limit the area of 
town sites, and reserve certain portions of the pub- 
lic domain for agricultural purposes. 

While, however, visionary speculators were 
creating town sites and multiplying town lots with 
almost as much facility as farmers increased the 
number of their pigs or chickens, the agricultural 
interest was also thriving until the year 1858, 
when occurred the nearest to a failure of crops 
that Rice county has ever experienced. The land 
office had been located in Faribault the year pre- 
vious, and the little store of money that most of 
the settlers had brought with them IJ.ad been gen- 
erally used in payment for their lands. The pros- 
pect was gloomy, and many families anticipated 
actual want before the coming of another harvest; 
but the silver lining to the cloud was not long ob- 
scured, and relief came from a ipiarter as little 
looked for as was the manna in the wilderness by 



the Israelites. By somebody the happy discovery 
was made that our timbered lands were full of 
ginseng, the sovereign balm for every ill that Chi- 
nese flesh is heir to, and forthwith our population 
was transferred into a community of diggers, and 
many a man, and even woman, too, who had never 
earned more than a dollar a day before, received 
from two to four dollars for their day's labor in 
the woods. Thus was Rice county's darkest hour 
tided over, and from that day to this there has 
never been a time when its citizens have had reason 
to fear a lack of the necessaries of life. 

The statistics of crops for 18(511, previous to 
which no record is obtainable, show 18,000 acres 
und&r cultivation in various fruits and grains, with 
a product of 260,000 bushels of wheat. Five 
years later the cultivated area had increased to 
25,000 acres, with a product of 325,000 bushels of 
wheat; in 1872, 56,672 acres were cultivated, and 
548,000 bushels of wheat produced, while the wheat 
crop alone, of Rice county, reached nearly 700,000 
bushels in the year 1875. Yet, this county must 
not be judged as an agricultural district by the 
amount of wheat it raises, although that cereal is 
still the one the most relied upon by our farmers 
as a source of income; yet, as more than two-thirds 
of its area is or has been timbered land, is not so 
well adapted to growing wheat extensively as a 
prairie country, its agricultural productions are 
necessarily more diversified. 

The p'ojiulation of the county, as indicated by 
the number of votes cast at its first election, which, 
being a county seat contest, j)robably brought out 
as large a proportion of legal voters as could be 
summoned on any occasion, was in 1855, between 
1,500 and 2,000, the number of votes east being 
.384. In 1860, the first census, it was 7,88G; in 
1865,10,966; in 1870, 16,399, and the census of 
last year makes the number 20,622. 

While Rice county, more fortunately situated 
than some of her western sisters, never experienced 
any of the horrors of Indian warfare, yet her his- 
tory would not be complete without mention of 
its terrible fi-ight in the winter of 1857. There 
are doubtless some of the present audience who 
well remember how panic-stricken we were when 
the news came through some mysterious channel 
that the Indians had sacked and destroyed St. 
Peter, only forty mdes away, and were in rapid 
march for Faribault. Then "there was running to 
and fro and gathering in pale distress, and cheeks 



EAUI.Y SETTLEMENT. 



27! 



iill pale that but an liour ago blushed at the tale 
of tlioir own loveliness." Gen. Shields, by reason 
of his military experience, was made coniuiander- 
iu-ehief of all the forces in and aronnd Faribault, 
with hcadcjuarters at the head of the stairs in tlie 
old Faribault House, and all of our brave young 
men who could be armed with shot-gnns, rusty 
pistols, or anything having the appearan.io of fire- 
arms, were posted on guard at all the prinei))al 
thoroughfares leading into town, and in front of 
the houses of the most timid and defenceless. 
Tliis state of affaire lasted all of one night and 
until time of changing guard the next, when the 
relief, finding that the extreme cold had induced 
the guards to seek the inside of the houses they 
were defending, retreated in good order to more 
comfortable quarters, and our first Indian war was 
over. The cause of the panic was afterward ascer- 
tained to be the Spirit Lake massacre, more than 
a hTindred miles away, by Inkpadntah and his 
band of outlawed Sioux. It should be here 
chronicled, however, that when the war actually 
came, although it came no nearer than Mason & 
Dixon's line. Rice county bore its full share of its 
responsibilities, losses, and calamities right man- 
fully. The war of the Rebellion found us nurtui-ed 
iu the arts of peace, a happy and home-loving peo- 
ple, and yet, before its close more than a tlionsand 
of its bravest and best had volunteered to defend 
the flag they loved so well. How well they boro 
themselves on the battle field, the nijmber of the 
Tinreturning brave whose "graves are severed far 
and wide by mountain, stream, and sea," too well 
attests. The records show that more than one- 
eighth of the number shown by the census of the 
year before the breaking out of the great rebel- 
lion as the entire population of the county, had 
enlisted iu the Union army before its close, a 
record of which our citizens may well be ]iroud. 

If I were asked what, in my opinion, has been 
the most notable events in the history of Rice 
county, I should answer that first, in importance 
was its settlement in the beginning by a class f>f 
people who were intelligent tillers of the soil, men 
who came here imbued with the idea that labor, 
education, and religion are the true foundation 
stones upon which to build a perfect and perma- 
nent social faliric. In accordance with these ideas 
we find that in three years after its first settlement, 
and in a little more than one year after the rush 
of immigration begun, while the grass on the 



prairie sod had scarcely withered under the newly 
turned furrow, schoolhouses, churches, and even a 
printing press had taken their |)lacesas permanent 
institutions of Rice county. In pursuance of this 
same idea, in 1858, Rev. Dr. Breck founded the 
mission schools of the Church of the (rood Shep- 
herd, which were the germ from which has grown 
Seabury Hall, Shattuck School, and St. Mary's. 

In 1SG3, the exertions of its citizens, who 
bought and paid for the land it occupies, secured 
the location of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb 
and the Blind within the borders of Rice county. 

In 18G8, was opened in Northfield the |)rei)ara- 
tory department of what is now known asCarleton 
College, and what iu the near future will be 
known as the best college of its denomination in 
the Northwest. The location, establishment, and 
prosperity of Carleton College is due entirely to 
the energy and liberality of the citizens of North- 
field. While all the time from the establishment 
of district No. 1, in 18.56, to that of No. 101, in 
187G, the public schools have been nourished and 
cherished to a degree equalled by few countries in 
the ITnion. More than one-third of all taxes for 
all purposes levied in the county being devoted to 
the use of public education in the common schools. 

From this brief sketch it will appear that the 
history of our county has not been eventful iu the 
light in which the historian usually regards events. 
It has been the scene of no fierce cimflict of arms, 
and within our borders no monumental marble 
rises to commemorate bloody victories won, or the 
heroic deeds of knightly chivalry, which contrib- 
ute so largely to the romance of history. Never- 
theless, is our history full of those "victories not 
less renowned than war," victories which in less 
than a quarter of a century after the extinguish- 
ment of the Indians' title to these lands, witliout 
blfMidshed, swept away every vestige of their bar- 
barous life, and substituted the school, the church, 
and on every hand, happy and contented homes; 
victories which vanquished the hearts of our suf- 
fering people on the frontier when Rice county 
was the first to send relief after the devastation 
from hail and fli'e in the memorable year 1871. 
The suffering people of Chicago, northern Wis- 
consin, and Michigan were subjugated by the 
munificent donations sent to their relief in that 
terrible year of fire, and of thf)se donations Rice 
county gave with no sparing hand. These are the 
victories not less renowned than war of which our 



280 



HISTORY OF BICE COUNTY. 



county can boast. Victories over a stubborn soil, 
turning a wild waste into fruitful fields and hap2:)y 
homes. Victories over ignorance and superstition 
best shown by the maintenance and prosperity of 
a free press and the public school. Victories over 
the selfishness of human nature in devoting so 
large a share of otir worldly goods in the relief of 
suffering humanity at home and abroad, and 
above all it was a grand and glorious victory when 
the echoing of Sumter's guns found response in 
a thousand brave hearts ready to give their lives 
for their country. These are the victories which 
give assurance that government of the people, by 
the people, and for the people, can longest endure 
supj)orted and defended by a peace-loving, gen- 
erous, and intelligent people." 

THE REB MEN. 

Anything authentic in relation to the race that 
occupied this laud only a generation ago, is of ab- 
sorbing interest, especially to those who are now 
making their entrance upon the stage of active life, 
and this interest must continue to grow as time 
recedes and the period of their existence as the 
rude possessors of the land becomes more distant. 

The question as to how these people lived, what 
they ate, how they cooked their food, how they 
made their clothes, how they fashioned their hunt- 
ing weapons and their fishing tackle, how they 
formed their residences, and in short, how they 
kept themselves and their children from perishing 
from ofT the face of the earth during those hard 
Minnesota winters, with the thermometer thirty or 
more degrees below zero, and blockading snows 
all around, is indeed a conundrum difficult to 
solve. 

We do not forget their sparseness, and remi'mlier 
the abundance of game in the forest and streams, 
but to offset this advantage we reflect upon their 
indolence and improvidence. After a careful con- 
templation of the whole subject we are compelled 
to the conclusion that they were a decaying race, 
who had occupied this land, and, in a certain 
sense, preserved it for the use of the present civil- 
ization. The law of creation which begins with 
the simplest forms of life, is that the inferior must 
give place to the superior, as the conditions are 
favorable for its existence, and that the Indian 
race antedates the Caucasian in its origin, is evi- 
dent, for while the one, viewed as a whole, is in 
its senility, the other is just entering its teens, not 
having yet reached its true manhood. 



There were certain things that the red man 
readily absorbed when coming in contact with the 
white race. He seemed to take to the "firewater" 
in a s}3ontaneous way, and very soon learned to 
use fire arms and hunting traps, and how to make 
maple sugar, and this seems to have been about 
the limit of their educational capacity. As to 
agriculture, the squaws, if the males could be 
persuaded to stop long enough in a place, would 
plant a little corn. 

It is supposed that the French voyagcurs who 
first encountered the Dakotas, which word is said 
to signify the "nation of the seven council fires," 
gave them the name of Sioux, so that in convers- 
ing about them in their presence, tlieir suspicion 
■ would not be excited by hearing their name pro- 
nounced. When the whites came here the Wau- 
pakuta band of this tribe occupied the present site 
of Main street. It is difficult to learn as to the 
exact number, but that there were several hun- 
dred there can be no doubt. The name of this 
tribe has been variously spelled by different writers, 
but there is no reason why there should be any 
redundant letters, or why it should not be spelled 
as near as it is pronounced as our imperfect alpha- 
bet will admit. In this case the "a" has the 
broad sound. This name should be preserved in 
some local way, and it is respectfully suggested at 
the risk of horrifying the whole community, that, 
as there is a Faribault county, that the name of 
"Waupakuta" be given to the city itself! As an 
instance of the havoc made with Indian names, 
there is the Chipjiewa, a tribe which must have 
originated in northern New England and Canada, 
or perhaps Nova Scotia, and pushing west, north 
of the great lakes, finally encountered the 
Dakotas near the Mississippi River. Now this 
tribe called themselves the O jib way, or Ud-jib- 
e-wa, which the English sj)eaking race at once 
made into Chippewa. The Chippewas, who hardly 
reached this point, except on a predatory expedi- 
ti(m, had, among other things that the Dakotas 
did not, birch bark canoes, and in form and buUd 
they were exactly like those made in Old Town, 
near Bangor, to-day, by the Penobscot Indians. 
The Sioux had dugouts for canoes, and were 
lighter colored than the Chip2)ewa8, besides other 
striking differences. 

To those who came from Wisconsin and had 
been familiar with the Chi])pewas,the Winnebagoes 
or the Menomonees, the Wau-pa-ku-tas seemed 



IHARLY SETTLEMENT. 



281 



more wild and less accustomed to tlie presence of 
the whites, the young, particularly, looked with 
stolen glances upon the new comers, with a cur- 
iosity mingled with apprehension. The first 
houses they would visit in sciuads, looking over 
everything and keeping this up all day long, 
seeming to be totally oblivious to the annoy- 
ance and disgust they occasioned. Colonel For- 
tier, an Indian trader who know the red men per- 
fectly well, told the settlers to locate right in their 
midst and they would be perfectly safe, so long 
as they were not roughly treated, which j)roved to 
be true. Mr.Hulett had a lot of oxen tliat got into the 
corn that was jilanted by the Indians.and a party 
of visitors from Efid Dog's band that were visiting 
here, said that these people and their oxen were 
trespassers, and should be shot, saying, that is the 
way our folks do, and so one of the oxeu was laid 
low. Mr. Hulett then started to lay the case be- 
fore the Governor, and arriving there the Gover- 
nor acknowledged that tlie whites were tres|.)assers, 
and said that he had authority to puuish dep- 
redations. As he was about leaving, the chief, 
accompanied by Mr. Faribault, arrived, and the 
matter was settled by the payment of |12.5, with 
which he bought another yoke of oxen, and he 
had beef and a spare ox as a compensation for this 
outrage. This was the most serious, and in fact 
the only thing of the kind that ever happened. 

On the 4th of February, 1874, an "Old Settlers' 
Association" was organized, several reunions were 
held, and early incidents recited which were most 
intere><ting and valuable in a historical point of 
view, and from the publication of these statements 
much reliable material fur this work has been ob- 
tained; the statements of the pioneers are given 
substantially as they fell from their lips, and it 
is remarkable that the discrepancies which always 
exist in such cases are so slight. 

FARIBAULT AND KICE COUNTY AS IT WAS IN THE 

EAiiLY srniNo OF 18.58. 

To give a very full and comprehensive idea of 
this region during the early years of its .settle- 
ment, copious extracts from au article in the "Fari- 
bault Herald," from tlie facUe pen of its editor, 
R. A. Mott, are here reproduced : 

"Earilidult — The VitUeys of the Gnnimn am! Straight 

Rivers. 

There are thousands of our eastern friends pro- 
posing to come west this spring, and the great 
question with them is, where shall we go? There 



are many things desirable in seeking a new home: 
to fin<l good land, gond water, good timber, good 
healtli and to escajjc the privations of jiioueer 
life, find good neighl)ors and get all these advan- 
tages at comparatively small cost. From our own 
observation in a number of the western sStates, 
and knowledge of the advantages offered by other 
.section.?, we are confident that no other part of the 
(Country presents so many inducements to settlers 
as Minnesota and our own Straight and Cannon 
River valleys. Our soil is a rich sandy loam, 
yielding the most abundant crops in turn for little 
care. The county is well watered by streams 
whose water is equal to the mountain brooks of 
New England, and wells are easily dug which fur- 
ni.sh an abnndaiK* of pure water at a depth of 
from twelve to thirty feet. 

The general surface of the country is rolling. 
The depth of the soil varies from two to four feet, 
and below that a yellowish loam, and at the depth 
of from six to ten feet considerable clay is usually 
found. Our river bottoms are not so fertile as the 
high prairie; they are more sandy with a gravelly 
subsoil. Beets, rutabagas, and onions sown 
broadcast and harrowed in, yield enormously. We 
have an abundance of excellent grass for hay. 

Cattle and horses love it and do well on it. The 
cattle that run on our prairies are fat enough for 
excellent beef at any time during the summer. 

Our county is, as they say of eastern advertised 
farms, "suitably divided into pasturing, mowing, 
tillage, and timber lots." We can safely chal- 
lenge the West to furnish a like section of the 
country where all these things are so abundant 
and so equally distributed. We have the best of 
timber for finishing houses, an abundance of but- 
ternut and black walnut; burnishing shows their 
beautiful, rich grain, which no painter can begin 
to rival. Butternut can be bought for from $18 
to .$20 per thousand, and black walnut from $20 
to $30, and other lumber from $10 to $18. There 
are at least twenty saw-mills in the county, and 
a number of douring mills in operation, and others 
lieing erected. Alnmdance of material for brick 
is found here, and we have in this town two brick- 
yards. There arc excellent stone quarries, and 
abundance of lime. 

We are not destitute of fruit. Cranberries are 
"thick as blackberries on the plain;" plums of the 
most delicious kinds are found in large groves 
covering acres; strawberries grow wild, and can 



282 



IITSTORT OP RICE COUNTY. 



easily be cultivated. Let any one coining bring 
a few vines in their trunk, and they soon can have 
a plentiful supply. Crab-apples, which make ex- 
cellent sauce and pies, are good baked, and make 
the very best of jelly, supeiit)r to any other, are 
to bs had by the bushel for the picking. Goose- 
berries grow wild, and our streams are bordered 
with fine grapes, and the Isabella and Catawba 
are ripened fifty miles north of us. 

The thousands of acres of maple forest furnish 
us with sugar and syrup, e(|ual to the best. The 
sugar cane was tried here last year, and succeeded 
admirably. In fact, every needful thing will 
grow here. Winter wheat succeeds well where 
tried, and our spring wheat is unsurpassed by any. 

Game is abundant enough to jiay for hunting. 
Our sharp-shooters get deer, and any one that can 
lire a gun can get prairie chickens enough with 
very little trouble. They .are in large Jlocks 
through the tall and winter. Fish are so plenty 
and so large that the whole truth would sound like 
a "fish story." All through the winter any one 
could go up to our lakes, about foiir miles, and 
get from forty to one hundred pounds in a day. 
Pickerel are frecpiently caught weighing from six 
to seventeen pounds each. There are a number of 
lakes, and all well stocked with the best of fish. 
In the spring and fall our lakes are covered with 
ducks and geese, and our woods during the season 
are alive with pigeons and partridges. Not much 
danger of starving. 

In regard to the healthfulness of the ci>untry it 
might be enough to say the fever and ague, the 
curse of the West, is never found here. Proliably 
a case never originated here, and thousands are 
cured by coming here. There is no State or Ter- 
ritory south of here that this can be said tnith- 
f ully of. The wonderful salubrity of the climate of 
Kansas, where there are thousands of New England- 
ers, with constitutions shattered by disease con- 
tracted on its jirairies, pronounce it a humbug. 
Our climate is very dry. The most reliable statis- 
tics in regard to climate, health, or anything re- 
quiring a long scries of accurate and impartial 
observation and records, are always found in the 
reports connected with the military service. From 
these reports, even did not the experience of every 
one here testify to it, abundant proof is furnished 
that Miiniesota is the heiiUliUst climate in the 
United States. The dryness of our a(moHj)here is 
es])ecially favorable to persons inclined to lung 
complaints. 



The average depth of water (rain and melted 
snow) for a year during the last twenty years has 
been at Fort Snelling, forty miles from here, 25 J 
inches; at Cambridge, Massachusetts, 44,V inches, 
and Muscatine, Iowa, 44.V inches. Yet the char- 
acter of our soil, our numerous lakes and heavy 
dews, prevent our crops from drying up, and we 
are not near so likely to sufl'er with drought as 
Now England. The army register gives the force 
of the wind during the year as considerably less 
here than at any other station in the United States. 
The average depth of snow is light. The two 
winters previous to this last were severe, and the 
amount of snow large, but there was not as much 
snow, nor was the cold as unendurable, as in the 
Enstern States. This past winter has been the 
most delightful one it ever was our lot to ex- 
perience. 

One most blessed thing in regard to us here is 
that we have good roads, and we are not forced to 
do penance for pleasant winter weather by drag- 
ging through mud three feet deep. Our transi- 
tion from winter to spring does not include a 
mouth or two months of mud so deep as to make 
the roads impassable. While in the States south 
of us, and in the East, they are waiting for the 
ground to settle, we are sowing wheat and oats. 
This spring we sowed wheat the 20th of March. 
A great deal of land was sown the week commenc- 
ing the 22d of March, and from that time farm 
work has gone on raj^idly. A summer shower 
does not render our roads and soil a mass of jelly 
for some days, but they quickly dry. The tem- 
perature of southern Minnesota, as given by the 
army register, is the same as central New York. 

Faribault, the county seat of Rico county, situ- 
ated on the Straight Kiver half a mile from its 
junction with the Cannon River, is a place that 
has grown within three years from half a dozen 
log huts to be a town of 2,500 inhabitants, and the 
center of a large trade. There are twenty-five dry 
goods and grocery stores, two drug stores, five 
hardware stores, two meat markets, three bakeries, 
a cracker factory, four large hotels, two steam 
saw-mills, one (louring mill, and two large ones 
being erected, three cabinet shops, a number of 
joiner shops, a planing mill, two shingle mills, sev- 
eral banks, and printing office, and <.ther things 
too numerous to mention. 

The Congregational Society have a good church 
building, erected at a cost of iif2,l-5011. The Rev. 



EAlll. T SBTTLKMKNr. 



2H;5 



L. Armsby is the minister. The want of religious 
and Sabbath privileges, so often roared by those 
coming west, can hardly be felt, while under tlie 
teachings of one combining the somewhat rare 
(]nalities of good preaolier and good pastor. The 
-Baptists and Methodists each have a church or- 
ganization and a minister. The Baptists have a 
building lot secured, and will probably proceed to 
build before long. 

We have a numlier of excellent schools. Wo 
have during the winter a well sustained lyceura, 
and a library association and a reading room 
where all the leading papers and periodicals of 
the day are taken, including four British quarter- 
lys, Little's Living Age, &c. Institute lectures 
are delivered every fortnight through the winter 
by star lecturers found this side of the great river. 
We have an excellent brass band which furnishes 
fine music. 

Many eastern persons think oar stores can be 
only little shanties with a few hundred dollars 
worth of goods in them. To correct that impres- 
sion one would only need walk through our streets 
and see the goods displayed in the glass fronts of 
the stores. Two sales of entire hardware stocks 
have recently been made here, and the inventory 
of one footed up over .'ifl4,000. The other was 
large, and in addition, the purchaser is bringing 
in a new stock of .$8,000. The other hardware 
stores are very large. The dry goods and grocer- 
ies are in due proportion, we suppose. 

Faribault is the natural center of trade for a 
very large country. It is now the most important 
inland place in southern Minnesota, and bids fair 
to be without a rival. Some idea of our central 
position may be gathered from the fact that there 
are niue different mail routes centering in Fari- 
bault. Another significant fact is that Congress, 
in the land grant of 4,.'JOO,000 acres to Minnesota 
railroads, made one condition of the grant that 
Faribault should be made a point in the north 
and south railroad, and our Legislature in a loan 
of State credit, based on these lands, requires 
that work shall be commenced here at tlie same 
time as anywhere else on the road. We want the 
road, and shall have it. 

We are not alone in the belief that there is a 
bright future before us; every impartial observer, 
and even those prejudiced and interested against 
us, can but admit it. With our railroad will 



como other wants, and the supply will come too. 
Let those who would reap come early. 

We want now a plow factory and an e,st;iblish- 
ment for the manufacture of general agricultur.il 
implements. Our plows are wrought cast-stool. 
The number sold is very large and price high, 
and doubtless the making of them here would be 
a {)roRtable business. A machine shop and small 
foundry would do well here. Now all oiu' mills 
must go from fifty to eighty miles to get the 
smallest break repaired. If we had conveniences 
here there are probably thirty or forty mills that 
Would come here for such work. Power for such 
a shop might be rented of one of ovir steam mills. 
We want a cooper's shop; not one is in the 
county. 

Every year thousands of hides are sent off at 
from two and a half to three cents per pound, and 
the leather, at a high price, brought back, and 
the same hair that was carried away on them, 
comes back at eighty cents a bushel for plastering. 
An abundance of bark for tanning is in our woods, 
and no one who understands the business could 
find a better place to go into it than here. 

Of carpenter and j(jinera we have a fair supply, 
biit blacksmith work is very high, and more good 
blacksmiths might do well. 

Every manufactured article is brought uj) from 
below, and the large, amount of money carried 
away for these things would largely pay for the 
establishment of the shops above mentioned, and 
the demand for all is constantly increasing. 

This present time is the best there has ever 
been, and is the best tliere will be, to come here. 
Capitalists desirous of investing money can buy 
property now tor one-half what they can when our 
railroad is commenced. Many borrowed money, 
to pre-empt their farms, and now are ready to sell 
for the want of the means to pay. 

The pioneering is over. We have good .schools, 
good society, a county unsurpassed in healthful- 
ness — yes, unequaled, a good soil, well timbered 
and watered, and farms to be bought cheaper than 
one could come here three years ago and pay gov- 
ernment price and live until now, and {'"t the im- 
provement on them. 

Come, and we think y<mr own observatifm will 
satisfy you that of all western States, Minnesota 
is the one. 

Leave the river at Hastings, and come to the 
Cannon River valley, and see it it is not all it is 
re])resented to be. and more too." 



284 



BTSTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



CHAPTEK XLVII. 

(X)DNTY ORGANIZATION TERKITORIAL POLITIOS 

COUNTY GOVERMENT COUNTY rlNAN(^ES — RICE 

COUNTY IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT-CENSUS AND 
OTHER STATISTICS. 

After the treaty of Marcli, 1853, by which the 
Sioux vacated their lands for settlement, the Ter- 
ritorial Legislature divided Dakota county and 
made quite a number of new ones, including 
Kice, but, as the United States surveyors had not 
yet run the lines, the description of boundaries 
could only be indicated by natural objects, and it 
so liajipened that three counties cornered at the 
junction of the Straight and Cannon Rivers. This 
would indeed seem to be a discouraging circum- 
stance in connection with the establishment of a 
county seat here in Faril)ault, but our pioneers 
liad views of their own, and while many would 
have con.sidered tliat the obstacles in the way of se- 
curing a readjustment of county lines were too for- 
midable to be overcome, they never for a moment 
abandoned their firm determination to make this the 
capital of the county. Besides, it is a matter 
of history that in the carving out of the State 
lines, on the admission of the State into the Union, 
a serious attempt was made to so arrange it as to 
liring this point so near the center of the new 
commonwealth as to make it available as the cap- 
ital of the State itself. Thus it stood, with Rice, 
Dakota, and Goodhue counties cornering here, 
until the fall of 1H.')4, when, as the territory to 
the south was rapidly tilling uj), it became cer- 
tain that the next legislature would rearrange the 
counties all through southern Minnesota. While 
everything was being done to make this a business 
center, the political aspect of affairs was carefully 
scrutinized and it was at once determined that it 
was imperative to have a good strong clear-headed 
man who would be master of the situation as a 
representative in the legislature from this district, 
and Mr. Faribault, who was always quick to see 
what should be done, and as prompt to act, opened 
a correspondence with H. H. Sibley, urging him 
to be a candidate ior the position, and insisting 
that in the fight over the county's boundaries, 
which was certain to be a bitter one and the con- 
test for county seats most distressing —to the de- 
feated ones — he was the man to represent the inter- 
ests of tliis section. Mr. Sibley replied that he 
would admit that his knowledge of the country 
might lie of use to tlie .settlers if elected to the 



position, and intimated that there would be oppo 
sition to him in the Minnesota v.illey, but, if nom 
inated in the convention to be held, he could be 
elected. So the voters held a caucus at Mr. Fari- 
bault's house and appointed Alexander Faribault, 
N. Paquin, William Dunn, James Wells, Jonathan 
Morris, E. J. Crump, and Walter Morris as dele- 
gates to the convention soon to Ije held at Shak- 
opee. Feeling that they might not all attend, Mr. 
Hnlett wrote a resolution instructing the delegates 
to vote for Mr. Sibley, and authorizing them to 
cast the full vote of the delegation. Mr. Dunu, 
of Cannon City, who with all the othern, was in 
favor of Mr. Sibley, arose, and with imperial dig- 
nity positively declined to be instructed, insisting 
that be and the others knew enough to go to the 
convention and do their duty. James Wells also 
opposed the resolution, and notwithstanding Mr. 
Hulett urged its necessity in case of a contingency, 
which actually happened, and that its passage 
implied no disrespect to the delegation, it was 
voted down. In due time the convention met, 
two of the delegates were not there, and the result 
of the first ballot was a tie between Mr. Sibley and 
a gentleman up the Minnesota River; so the dele- 
gation then asked for the privilege of casting the 
entire vote for Blr. Sibley, but to this objection 
was successfully made, as they had not been so 
instructed by their constituents. But Mr. Wells, 
who was well up in party methods, was equal to 
the emergency and retrieved his mistake in sec- 
onding Mr. Dunn's objection to Mr. Hulett's res- 
olution, by iinding a man in whose palm a ten 
dollar gold piece exactly fitted, and the next bal- 
lot placed Mr. Sibley in nomintion. 

General Sibley was duly elected, and succeeded 
in making the county lines conform to the wishes 
f)f his Faribault friends, and the law, establishing 
the county substantially as it is to-day, contained 
a provision that the legal voters could at any gen- 
eral election organize the county, provided that 
there were at least fifty votes cast tor county com- 
missioners, and empowering the first county board 
to permanently establish the county seat. With 
this condition of things the people of Faribault 
were content, as the place was fast filling up. 

During the summer of 1854, however, a town 
had been laid out three miles northeast of the vil- 
lage of Faribault by the Messrs. Sears, and given 
the name of Cannon City, and town lots were rap- 
idly selling at their office in the "City Hotel." 



COUNTY UO VKllNMKNT. 



2Hr) 



From representations made to Willis A. Gorman, 
the county had bci'ii orn;anized by the apj)oint- 
ment of ])rovi,sioual oonimissiouers, and the estab- 
lishment t)f Cannon City as the county seat. The 
citizens of Faribault, knowing it to be without the 
warrant of authority, treated the whole thing as a 
nullity, and at the next general election proceeded 
to vindicate their rights by organizing the county 
under the provisions of the territorial law. 

There were three voting precincts, one at Fari- 
bault, one at Cannon City, and the other at Mor- 
ristown. Mr. Morris had first located at Fari- 
bault, but not securing such an interest as he 
desired, transferred himself and his retinue to 
Morristown. He was a man of native ability who 
had been a Campbcllite preacher, but wholly un- 
educated as to letters, although he' would read 
chapters from the New Testament, from memory 
perhaps, holding the book upside down. He evi- 
dently held the balance of power as between Fari- 
bault and Cannon City, and it became imperative 
in the interests of the future county seat, that a 
compromise should be made with him, which was 
effected by the preparation of a ticket for county 
olHcers, with the lion's share of candidates from 
Morristown. But the most difficult feat in this 
arrangement was to suppress the aspirations or a 
numerous horde in Faribault, who could not be 
led to believe that they were not exactly adapted 
for these opening positions. They were, however, 
finally induced to forego the gratification of their 
ambition to a more convenient sea.sou. The ticket 
for this combination was headed by C. Ide for 
Kepresentative in the Legislature; F. W. Frink, 
Frank Pettitts, and Mr. Storer as the Board of 
Supervisors; Charles Wood for Sheriff; Isaac Ham- 
mond for Treasurer. 

Mr. Hulett, who was very anxious, rode over to 
Morristown, but Mr. Morris assured him that the 
precinct was solid for Faribault, and as that in- 
terested precinct was true to itself, the ticket was 
successful. Mr. Morris showed his visitor his mill 
dam, which he had just completed, and exijressed 
the utmost confidence in its stability, asserting 
that nothing but the finger of God could remove 
it, but in a few weeks an inordinate volume of 
water proved to be one of the agencies he had 
overlooked, and it went <iut and the mill also was 
much damaged. 

To return from this brief digression, the board 
thus elected proceeded to es-tablish the county 



seat, and the various othej' ollici^'s assumed their 
duties. 

TllH COUNTY (lOVEKNMENT. 

While Minnesota was still a Territory, in the 
winter of 18.')5-'.'56, Rice couut\' was set apart 
from D.dvota county, and the first comity eUiction 
was held in the fall of 1855. Prior to thi.s. as 
early as 1854, the county of Rice was made a 
part, by common usage, of Dakota county, but this 
was never accepted as legal by the citizens of 
Rice, and they refused to recognize any proceed- 
ing of the "consolidated" county as lawful. In 
1855, a tax was levied upon personal property in 
Dakota county, but the citizens of the territory, 
now of Rice, rebelled and refused to pay the 
same, and but few in the entire county paid it. 

In the latter part of 1855, Dakota county was 
divided, and Rice county formed. An elec^tion 
was held in November, 1855, the following otlicers 
being elected: Register of Deeds, Isaac HanV 
mond; Sheriff, Charles Wood; Judge of Probate, 
Isaac Woodman, and board of County Commis- 
sioners, F. W. Frink, Andrew Storer, and Ge(jrge 
F. Pettit. The government of the county was at 
first vested in this board of County Commissioners, 
a session of which august body was dignified by 
the name of "court." 

When the county governmental wheels were 
actually set in motion, and the organization of 
Rice county a matter of fact, steps were taken to 
obtain the records when in ctmnection with Dakota 
county, and the Deputy Register of Deeds, C. C. 
Perkins, was directed to go to Mendota, which had 
been the county seat of Dakota county, and copy 
off all records of deeds, mortgages, and miscella- 
neous records pertaining to Rice county, and 
transport the same to the county seat of Rice, l' |)c m 
this authority Mr. Perkins went to St. Paul and 
purchased the necessary books, and thence to 
Mendota, where he transcribed records as directed 
and returned to Rice county, delivering them into 
the hands of the Register, Isaac Hammond, in the 
early part of December, 1855, and made Fariliault 
the county seat in a practical sense. 

On the 7th of January, 185(5, the first court of 
County Commissioners convened at the office of 
Berry .t Batchelder, in Faribault, and was com- 
posed of the boj,id which had been elected the pre- 
vious November; the clerk being the Register of 
Deeds, Isaac Hammond. At this meeting nothing 
was accomplished except the organiztition, whicli 



286 



msrORY OF RICE GOUNTT. 



was effected by the electiou of F. W. Frink, Chair- 
man, for the ensuing year, and the board ad- 
journed until the following day, the 8th of Jan- 
uary, 1855. 

Tlie Court convened as i)er adjournment, on the 
morning of the 8th, and began disposing of such 
business as should come before it. 

The first business to be laid before the Court 
was the organization of school district No 1, the 
first organized in the county. The board declared 
that it should consist of sections nineteen, thirty, 
and thirty-one, in township 110, range 20, and sec- 
tions twenty-four, twenty-live, thirty-six, and the 
east half of section thirty-five, in township 110, 
range 21. This embraces most of th'j incorpo- 
rated limits of the city of Faribault. They also 
granted a petition for school district No. 2, to em- 
brace territory in township 111, ranges 19 and 
20. School districts Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 
10 were formed at this meeting, and their terri- 
tory jjlaced upon record, and much of the time was 
consumed by road petitions. The first road busi- 
ness entered upon record was in the form of a 
petition, and is as follows: 

"A petition for a road by Luke Hulett, and 
twenty-two others, beginning at the quarter post 
on the north line of the town of Faribault, run- 
ning thence due north to the center of section 
nineteen, township 110, range 20, thence in a di- 
rect line, as near as may be, toward St. Paul until 
it shall intersect the Dodd road; and Charles 
Wood, Levi Nutting, and A. H. Bullis are hereby 
appointed examiners to view said road and report 
to the board of Commissioners at their next regu- 
lar session." Numerous roads were established by 
the board. 

On the 8th of July, 1856, the board, in sum- 
ming up the assessment rolls from the three asses- 
sors districts in the county, found the aggregate 
assessed valuation $613,364.9.5. 

The board met as required by law on the 5th of 
Janu iry, 1857, the members comprising the body 
being, Levi Nutting, Franklin Kelley, and Andrew 
Storer. The board organized by electing Levi 
Nutting as Chairman for the ensuing year, and 
then eu^a,ged in routine business. 

At the session of the court on the 17th of Feb- 
riuiry, reports were received from the various 
school districts in the county, showing the number 
of scholars in attendance in each district. The 
several reports arc given below: 



N(t. of No. of 

Dist. Clerk. • Scholars. 

1. R. Thayer 268 

2. Daniel Bowe 34 

3. D. B. Turner 44 

4. H. M. Mattesou 3(5 ' 

0. T. H. Willis 41 

8. James Anderson 30 

11. T- B. Van Eaton 30 

12. Ezra Carter 41 

13. E. S. Drake ..'. 44 

14. William Burbeck 74 

16. Nathan Colestock 22 

Total number of scholars in the county . . 664 

The board then ordered that the sum of $2 be 
appropriated from the county funds for each 
scholar, and apportioned to the various school dis- 
tricts for school purposes. The list of districts 
was then made out, showing the amount due each 
district, as follows: 

Dist. No. Scholars. Am't due. 

1 268 «536 

2 34 68 

3 44 88 

4 36 72 

6 41 82 

8 30 60 

11 30 60 

12 41 82 

13 44 88 

14 74 148 

16 22 44 

654 $1,328 

The board then took into consideration Asses- 
sor's reports from the different districts, and 
found the total assessed valuation $2,107,770. 
District No. 1 reporting $722,865; district No. 2, 
$1,143,353; and district No. 3, $241,552. The 
total amount of tax raised for Territorial, County, 
and School purposes, in 1857, was $15,810.42. 

During the year 1858, in wliich the territory of 
Minnesota was admitted as a State, nothing of 
special interest or note was accomplished by the 
board. They met on the 5th of January, and or- 
ganized by electing Levi Nutting, Chairman, the 
other members being Franklin Kelley and Andrew 
Storer. Charles Wheeler, the Sheriff' elect, pre- 
sented his official bond, and it was apjjroved. 
John Hoover presented his bond as Assessor, and 
other county officers presented bonds, _ which were 
duly approved. 

Reports were received from the various schools 
in the county, and it was found that in the thirty 
schools reported there was an attendance of 1,489 



COUNTY HO VKUNMKMT. 



287 



scholars. The apportioned school fund of this 
year was sixty-five cents for every schohir filtered 
n]3ou the rolls. 

A new book in which ti> record the proceedings 
of the County Commissioners was purchased. 

In the summer of this year the government of 
the county was subjected to a change by an act 
of the Legishtture, and the management of county 
alVairs was vested in a "Board of Supervisors," 
consisting of the chairman of each board of town- 
ship supervisors — one member from eacli town- 
sliip. On tlie 14th of September, 18.58, the first 
meeting of this board was held in the city of Fari- 
bault, and was called to order by J. A. Starks. 
The roll was called, and the followiiig gentlemen 
representing the towns set opposite tlieir names, 
answered to tbe roll: 

G. L. Carpenter Webster 

L. Barlow Richland 

W. A. Py e Wheeling 

Daniel Bowe Northfield 

Isaac Woodman Walcott 

J. A. Starks Cannon City 

B. Lockerby Bridgewater 

Miles Hollister Wheatland 

Thos. Kirk Wells 

E. F. Taylor Forest 

Isaac Hammond Morristown 

.T. Hagerty Shieldsville 

John Oonniff Erin 

G. W. Batchelder Warsaw 

They then proceeded to ballot for Cbairman, 
and the result was one vote for Isaac Woodman, 
and eight for .1. A. Starks; the latter was there- 
upim declared elected and took the chair. .John 

C. Gilmore was appointed clerk of the board, and, 
one of the dissatisfied proposing it, lie was re- 
quired to give bonds to the amount of $500. The 
board then proceeded to business by appointing 
eight or nine committees to attend to the various 
matters that should come before it. 

On the 1.5th of September, the committee ap- 
pointed to consider a petition tor assistance in 
building a bridge at Dundas, reported tliat they 
did not consider the county finances in shape, nor 
able to assist in building the bridge. The peti- 
tion was therefore tabled. At the same meeting a 
note was presented by Nicholls k Buckley, which 
had been given by the board, but could not be 
paid. The interest on the same was 2.\ per cent. 
per month. 



.An ap))ortionmi'nt fund of ninety-five cents per 
scholar was made from the county fund in favor 
of the school districts Licenses were regulated 
at S5() for "lii|uor" and !|i25 for "beer." On the 
27th of September, the bo.ird appropriated .SlOO 
for the upper, and SlU.) for the lower bridge at 
Faribault, over Straight Uiver. 

The year 1H.5!) dawned upon the county, and 
the same board still held the reins of the county 
government. On tlie 8th of January reports were 
received frtmi thirty-seven of the school districts, 
and showed au attendance of 1939 scholars. At a 
session of the board on the 17th of February, the 
first coroner was appointed in the person of .1. B. 
Wheeler, who afterward resigned, and E. J. Crump 
was appointed in his stead. 

From the record of the proceedings it seems that 
s imethin" was wrong with the management of 
finances and county orders, for, at a session of the 
hrdvA. on the 17th of February, it was declared by 
a resolution that all county orders issued by tbe 
former board of County Commissioners as void, 
and repudiated and forbade the County Treasurer 
paying any of the same. This resolution, how- 
ever, after investigation of the matter, was re- 
scinded, and the former chairman of the board, 
Levi Nutting, was requested to deliver up all notes 
and matters pertaining thereto into the hands of 
the board. 

At the annual election iu the fall of this year a 
new board was elected, and the newly elected 
Commissioners took their places and oath of office 
at a meeting on the 13th of Sriitember, the follow- 
ing being members: A. Anderson, J. D. Hoskins. 
Isaac Woodman, L. Hulett, J. H. Winter, L N. 
Safer, Benjamin Lockerby, E. Koberds, J. H. 
Bartlett, James MeCabe, K. M. Norton, H. Conary, 
and N. Paquin. 

Keports to the board nf Supervisors from forty 
of the fifty-four school districts in the county 
showed a total of 2,01G S'bolars iu attendance. 

Oo the 7th of January, ISGO, the laut meeting 
of the board was held and adjourned sine (/«'»;, as 
the governmental principles of the county reverted 
to the former ra(!thod, that of Commissioners. 
Thus was the new method inaugurated, and then 
discarded, while a mile post in the history of the 
county was auspiciously passed. 

Rice county, iu January, 18G0, was divided into 
five commissioner districts, each being entitled to 
on-' representative iu the county board. District 



288 



nrsTouY OF rice county. 



No. 1 comprised the towns of Richland, Wheeling, 
aud Cannon Citj; district No. 2, Northfleld and 
Bridgewater; district No. 3, Faribault; district No. 
4, Walcott, Sargent, Morristown, and Wells; dis- 
trict No. 5, Shieldaville, Erin, Wheatland, Web- 
ster and Forest. 

The newly elected board met on the 15th of 
May, 1860, the following gentlemen representing 
the various districts: J. H. Parker, G. H. Batch- 
elder, S. Webster, and William Thorp. They or- 
ganized by electing J. H. Parker Chairman for the 
ensiling year. The board then appointed G. F.Batch- 
elder County Auditor to serve until the next elec- 
tion, fixing his bond at S5,000. It also decided that 
his salary should be 8400 per annum. Nothing 
more of importance came before the board, and 
the balance of time was spent among the road 
and school districts, together with other routine 
business. 

In 1861, the board met as required by law, on 
the .5th of January, with the following members 
iu attendance: G. H. Batchelder, William Dunn, 
W. M. Thorp, G. Woodruff, James McCalie, and 
John Couniff. G. H. Batchelder was elected 
Oliairman for the year, and the board proceeded 
to business. They next raised the salary of the 
County Auditor from $400 to .$600 per year. 

Al a session on the 15th of January, from re- 
ports sent in to the board from the clerks of school 
districts it was found that there were 2,2S7 schol- 
ars in Rice couuty entitled to apportionment. The 
total apportionment fund for this year was 
$3,458.46. 

In 1862, the board consisted of the same gen- 
tlemen as did the last, except J. B. Wheeler, who 
was elected Chairman. They fixed the salary of 
the County Auditor at $600 for the ensuing year, 
and that of the County Attorney at $400 per 
annum. The balance of the year was spent in 
routine business. 

At the beginning of the next year, 1863, the 
board met as required by law, on the 6th of Jan- 
uary, and the records state that the full board was 
present, but as to the personnel of the body, the 
records ilo not give any information. The Com- 
missioners passed a resolution raising the Auditor's 
salary from .$(500 to $800 per year. A considera- 
ble portion of tlie Commissioners's time in this 
year was devoted to issues arising from the war, 
and making appropriations for filling the (juota. 
An account of tlicir proceedings with regard to 



this will be found in the ''War Record" of the 
county. 

In 1864, the County Commissioners met on the 
5th of January for organization, and the record of 
the meeting says Messrs. Jackson, Adams, Whea- 
ton, and Wilson were in attendance. The board 
organized by electing H. Wilson, Chairman. A 
special meeting was held on the 16th of April, for 
the purpose of taking into consideration the pro- 
priety of appointing a County Superintendent of 
Schools, under authority of an act of the Legisla- 
ture to provide for a general system of schools. 
After consideration they appointed Thomas S. 
Buckham, and fixed his salary at .$500 a year. 

Nothing of partigular importance transpired the 
following year, 1865, the time being consumed by 
routine business. The Commissioners met in the 
early part of Januai-y, substantially the same 
board being present. They organized by electing 
Hudson Wilson to the chair. On the 5th of Jan- 
uary, the board raised the salary of the County 
Attorney from $450 to $500. On the Gth of Sep- 
temljcr, $400 was appropriated to take care of the 
county poor, that amount having been deficient in 
the former year's report. The board closed the 
year's labors by allowing bills of Commissioners 
for services, mileage, etc. 

In 1866, the newly elected board met on the 2d 
of January, and was composed of the following 
gentlemen : Joseph Hagerty, C. A. Wheaton, 
Hudson Wilson, C. D. Adams, aud John Close. 
The board organized by electing Hudson Wilson, 
Chairman. At the January session the matter of 
a county poor farm was before the board, aud the 
following is entered upon the records: "The 
board having in discussion the propriety of procur- 
ing a farm in support of the county poor, and as 
the demands upon the county treasury will not 
leave sufficient funds to purchase such a farm, in 
case we should deem it advisable to provide for the 
poor iu that way at a subsequent session. The 
County Attorney was requested to prepare a bill 
to present to the Legislature at this session, au- 
thorizing the board of Rice couuty to issue bonds 
in their discretion to an amount ucjt exceeding 
$15,000, for the purchase of a couuty poor farm 
aud the erection of the necessary buildings 
thereon." The County Superintendent of Schools, 
Thomas S. Buckham, resigned his position as 
such, and the board appointed Myron Wheaton to 
fill the place. At the same meeting the salary of 



aouyry ao vkunuknt. 



289 



the Auditor was increased to $1,800 per year. At 
u later sessiou of the Commissioners, in September, 
18CG, the board issued bonds, under antht)rity of 
an act approved by the Legishitiiie the 1st of 
March, 1866, entitled "An act to authorize the 
County Commissioners of Rice county to issue 
bonds to provide for the purchase of a county 
poor faiTU. ' Forty-three bonds, of dent)minations 
varying from $50 to .^500, were issued, payable 
within eight years, with interest at ten per cent. 

In January, 1867, the board mot upon the 2d 
of the month, and consisted of the following mem- 
bers: Hudson Wilson, C. S. Hulbert, C. D. 
Adams, John Close, and Joseph Hagerty. The 
organization was effected by the election of H. 
Wilson, Chairman. They then increased the sal- 
ary of the Auditor to .'$2,000. At the September 
session the following resolution was passed by the 
board: ^-Reiolved, That three members of this 
board be a committee to purchase, and are hereby 
instructed to negotiate for and purchase lots 1, 2, 
and 3, of block 43, town of Faribault, for Rice 
county, as an addition for the site for county 
buildings. The committee to consist of Hudson 
Wilson, John Close, C. S. Hulbert, and the County 
Auditor." The said committee were also author- 
ized to draw orders on the county treasury in pay- 
ment for the same. 

At the next session of the board it was "Re- 
xdlved. That the Chairman be instructed to pre- 
sent to the next Legislature a bill authorizing the 
Commissioners of Rice county to issue bonds to 
an amount not exceeding S50,000 for the erection 
of county buildings." 

In 1868, the board met as usual, in the early 
|)art of January, and organized by electing Hud- 
son Wilson, Chairman. The members present 
were: Hudson Wilson, John Close, C. S. Hul- 
bert, and Richard Browne. This year was spent 
entirely with routine Iiusiness; attending to school 
districts, tax abatements, and allowing bills. 

The year, 1869, was sjjent by tlie Commission- 
ers in much the same manner as the previous year. 
The board met on the 5th of January, as recjuired 
by law, and organized by electing Hudson Wil- 
son, Chairman. The members present were : P. 
Filbert, Hudson Wilson, R. Browne, and Dr. Coe. 
The regular business coming before the board 
during the year was disposed of, and the Com- 
missioners closed the year by allowing two pages 
of bills. 
19 



The board elected for 1870, met on the 4th of 
January, and organized by electing Hudson Wil- 
son, Chairman, the members being E. Ijathrop, R. 
Browne, P. Filljcrt, and Dr. S. B. Coe. Notliing 
of importance transpired this year. 

The members elected for 1871, as a board of 
County Commissioners, were as follows: First 
commissioner's district, Peter Filbert; second dis- 
trict, E. Lathrop; third district, H.Wilson; fourth 
district, C. 1). Adams; fifth district, Richard 
Browne. The seat of Petrr Filbert was afterward 
declared vacant by the board on the ground that 
he was not a resident of the district at the time of 
election, and Mr. O. Osmandson was made his suc- 
cessor. 

At a meeting of the board on the 2d of Jan- 
uary, 1872, Hudson Wilson was re-elected Chair- 
man. The members for the year being J. C. Clos- 
sou, E. Lathrop, C. D. Adams, anil Richard 
Browne. At this session the salary of the County 
Attorney was fixed at S700 per year. It was also 
decided that all the county buildings should be 
insured. 

The following year, 1873, the board met on the 
7th of January, comjjosed of the same gentlemen 
as was in the last board, with the exception that 
Hudson Wilson was dropjied out and T. B. Clem- 
ent appeared in his place, and the lioard was (or- 
ganized by electing the latter gentleman Chair- 
man. They then spent some time in burning re- 
deemed county orders. The next matter taken 
into consideration by the board was the erection 
of a Court House and Jail, and a bill was drawn 
up for presentation to the next Legislature, to 
authorize the County Commissioners to issue bonds 
for the erection of those buildings, not exceeding 
$50,000 in amount, and the same to be submitted 
to a vote of the people. This was the same, in sub- 
stance, as the resolution passed in 1867. The sal- 
arv of the County Superintendent of Schools was 
fixed at .«1,000 per year. 

At a session of the board in May, the building 
committee was authorized to purchase lots six and 
seven in block forty-four, of Patrick McGreevy, 
at a cost not to exceed ifo.OOO; they were also di- 
rected to advertise ior bids on the same. In 
July, the contract of completing the stone work on 
the basement of the Court House was let to 
Pfieffer & Co., for the sum of S9,615. The bid of 
Babeock A- Woodruff was accepted. They agreed 
to do carpenter work in the basement, also to fnr- 



290 



HISTORY OP r.ICE COUNTY. 



nish everything and complete the building from 
the water tables up, according to certain plans and 
specifications, for the sum of $20,515. 

At a session of the board in August of this year, 
it was resolved as follows: "That the board of 
County Commissioners of Rice county acknowl- 
edge themselves and the citizens of Rice county 
under gi'cat and lasting obligations to the Hon. 
H. M. Rice, of St. Paul, from whom our county 
takes its name, for a large and valuable collection 
of books and documents, consisting of upwards of 
200 volumes, recently jjresented by that gentle- 
man, the same being the first contribution to our 
county library." 

At the August session of the board, the building 
committee reported that they had advertised for 
bids, and let the contract for building the addi- 
tion to the Jail, according to plans and specifica- 
tions made by C. N. Daniels, architect, to Me.ssrs. 
Sibbald, Hatch, Johnson and McOall, to be com- 
pleted on the 1st of October, 1873. A contract 
was also made with Henry Peltier for brick at 
$8.25 per thousand. Bradey & Greenslade con- 
tracted to furnish iron work on the jail for $2,300. 

On the 1st of July, 1873, the County Commis- 
sioners issued fifty bonds of the denomination of 
.$1,000 each, and payable from ten to twenty years 
from date, with interest at 9 per cent, in payment 
for county buildings. 

In 1874, the Commissioners met on the 6th of 
January, with the following in attendance; 
T. B. Clement, H. H. White, J. (1. Scott, J. P. 
Healey, and J. C. Closson. The board organized 
by electing T. B. Clement, Chairman. At a ses- 
sit)n in March, $400 was voted to improve the 
buildings on the County Poor Farm. Considera- 
ble time was sjjent discussing county buildings. 

The board elected for 1875, were: T. C. Adanw, 
H. H. White, T. B. Clement, J. F. Healey, and J. 
(r. Scott, and they met on the 5th of January, and 
organized by re-electing T. B. Clement to the 
chair. Messrs. Scott and Adams were appointed 
by the Commissioners as a committee to borrow 
for the county the sum of $5,000, payable in one 
year. 

The following year, 187G, was spent by the 
board without any important disclosures, nothing 
of especial interest being transacted, and tax 
matters consuming considerable time. The Com- 
missioners for the year were : L. W. Denison, J. 
G. Scott, T. C. Adams, II. H. Wliite, and M. Han- 



ley. The board held their first meeting on the 
4th of January, and organized by electing L. W, 
Denison, Chairman. 

The board in 1877 were: A. P. Morris, Charles 
Sweetzer, T. C. Adams, M. Hanley, and L. W. 
Denison, and they met for organization on the 2d 
of January. L. W. Denison was elected Chair- 
man. They spent some time in discussing and 
attending to the bills from pursuers of the North- 
field bank robbers. 

In 1878, the board first met on the 2d of Jan- 
uary, and was attended by Christian Deike, A. P- 
Morris, L. W. Denison, Cliarles Sweetzer, and M. 
Hanley. The Chairman elected was L. W. Den- 
ison. At a subsequent meeting the board author- 
ized the Chairman to provide a suitable book- 
case for the library presented by the Hon. H. M. 
Rice. 

In 1879, the County Commissioners were D. 
Cavauaugh, Mr. Morris, M. Hanley, Charles 
Sweetzer, and Mr. Deike, and D. Cavanaugh was 
elected Chairman. 

In July a petition was received for aid in build- 
ing a bridge across Straight River on the line be- 
tween Steele and Rice counties. A committee 
was appointed to meet the Commissioners of Steele 
county, and get them to bear a share of the es- 
j)en3e. Nothing of any importance to the general 
reiider has transpired since. Below are given the 
Commissioners who have served since the above: 

Commissioners for 1880: D. Cavanaugh, Chair- 
Tnan, John S. Way, Charles Sweetzer, M. Hanley, 
and Mr. Deike. 

Commissioners for 1881 : D. Cavanaugh, Chair- 
man, John S. Way, Charles Sweetzer, M. Hanley, 
and Mr. Deike. 

Commissioners for 1882: Charles Sweetzer, 
Chairman, T. O'Grady, E. J. Healey, Mr. Deike, 
and JaUn S. Way. The last meeting was held by 
the above board in May, 1882. 

Reoistrv of Deeds. — This office was opened 
in 1854, in Mendota, the county seat of what was 
then known as Dakota county, the territory then 
embracing the county of Rice. It was kept in 
Mimdota until late in 1855, when Dakota was di- 
vided and Rice county formed; the records j^er- 
taining to Rice county were then transcribed and 
moved to Faribault. Isaac HammouB was first 
elected Register of Deeds of Rice county; C. C. 
Perkins was appointed deputy, and did most of 
the registering. 



COUNTY CO VKUNMMNT. 



291 



TuANSFER OF Land. — The earliest transfer of 
land recorded is stated as being on the 5th of Oc- 
tober, 1851. As it will be of interest, it is below 
given in full: 

"ir/zemis, J. G. and H. Y. Scott have this day 
purchased of Alexander Faribault tlie following 
property, cornering at a point 28 rods east and 
14 rods north from the southeast corner of the 
town of Faribault, and embracing two acres, with 
the northwest corner at the above named point, 
being 18x36 rods, tor the following consideration, 
viz : The said J. G. and H. Y. Scott to build in a 
proper manner a good steam saw-mill on said 
land, and put the same in successful operation 
within one year from this date. Now, know ye! 
that if the said J. G. and H. Y. Scott shall build 
or cause to be built the said steam saw-mill, in 
time and place aforesaid, then we, Alexander Fari- 
bault, Luke Hulett, and Walter Morris bind our- 
selves in the penal sum of $6,000, which sum is 
considered double the value of said mill, to make 
the said J. G. and H. Y. Scott a good and suffi- 
cient general warranty deed for and to the aforesaid 
piece of land. 

Given under our hands and seals this 5th day 
of October, 1854. 

(Signed) Alex. Fawhault, | Seal | 

Luke Hulett, | Seal ] 

(■ Witnesses ) Walter Morris. [ Seal ] 

G. H. FARIBAn>T. 

E. J. Crump. 

Following the above is recorded a <[uit claim 
deed conveying a piece of land from William Mor- 
ris to JohTi W. North for the consideration of 
S1,000. The document is dated the 29th of De- 
cember, 1854, and is witnessed by J. J. Noah and 
H. H. Sibley. 

The first mortgage placed on record was made 
on the 20th of October, 1855, in which Isaac H. 
Presho, for the sum of .'ii!400, mortgages the south- 
east quarter of section five, township 111, range 
20, containing 160 acres, to F. Fuller. This doc- 
ument was signed, sealed and delivered in the 
presence of O. F. Smith and Tbomas F. Towne. 

Immediately following the above document on 
record is a mortgage dated the 11th of October, 
1855, from Norbert Paquin to Alexander Fari- 
bault in the sum of ^350. 

The register's office, in 1882, contains thirty- 
four large volumes of mortgage records, fifty 
eight volumes of deed records, and three volumes 



of miscellaneous records. Under these heads the 
records of Wills, Estrays, Bonds for Deeds, Offi- 
cial Bonds, Power of Attorney, etc., are not classed 
but are kept in separate books. 

The present officers in this department are 1. N. 
Doualson and M. H. Cole, Kegister and Dejmty, 
and the aiTairs of the office receive attention which 
gives satisfaction to all conciernod. 

Clerk of Court. — This office was established 
in Rice county in the early part of 1856, and the 
records extend l)ack to that date. J. J. Noah was 
the first Clerk of Court, with the office first in 
Mendota. Tlie earliest record is a marriage, 
dated the 15th of January, 1856, in which E. .J. 
Crump, a Justice of the Peace, testified that with 
their mutual consent he had joined in holy wed- 
lock Nathan A. Lease and Rachel Lightner, both 
of Rice county. The witnesses to this interesting 
event were John and Martha Morgan. 

Henry C. Masters and Miss Anna Randle are 
recorded as having been joined in the bonds of 
matrimony on the 24th of February, 1856, by 
Walter Morris, Esq., in the presence of Mr. Beach 
and Mrs. M. M. Willis, at the residence of Russell 
Randle. 

The first minister who.se ordination was recorded 
iuRice county, was Morgan A. Noble, who was or- 
dained in 1845, at Peoria, Illinois, and it appears 
as at first, transferred to Rice county books. The 
first record of this kind that has a date attached 
was made on the 11th of March, 1858, and li- 
censed Rev. Henry C. Hazen. It is signed by H. 
Ball. The present efficient ollicer in this depart- 
ment is C. L. Palmer. 

Financial. — Bel(jw is given the substance of 
the financial reports of the Trc^asurers of Rice 
county for the last few years, and a statement 
showing the present condition yf the finances of 
the county. From the report of Treasurer Straub 
for the year ending the 1st of March, 1878, tlie 
following is gleaned: 

Cash balance on hand March 1, 1877 ■■? 24,375.29 
Tt)tal receipts from all sources during 

year 134,010.61 

Total .S158,385.90 

Total disbursements during year end- 
ing March 1st, 1878 . .'. $125,378.13 

Balance cash on hand and placed to 

the credit of various funds $ 33,007.77 

For the year ending March 1st, 1879, the total 



292 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



assets of tbe county, as shown by the Auditor's 
statemeut, are as follows: 

.©ourt House auil grounds $ 55,500.00 

Jail, grounds, and improvements. . . . 10,000.00 

Poor farm and improvements 7,G75.00 

Personal property on poor farm 2,952.86 

Cash credit to revenue, poor, and 

bond funds 5,130.74 

Unpaid county taxes 23,472.63 

Total assets S104,731.23 

The liabilities were shown as follows: 

Court House bonds outstanding | 50,000.00 

Poor farm bonds outstanding 4,700.00 

Accrued interest on above bonds. . . . 3,254.59 

County orders outstanding 1,625.67 

Total liabilities $ 59,580.26 

Assets in excess of liabihties $45,150.97 

Total receipts for this year were . . . $187,352.98 
Total disbursements 154,530.71 

Balance on hand March 1st, 1879 $ 32,822.27 
For the year ending March Ist, 1880: 

Total assets $107,026.14 

Total liabilities 59,428.24 

Assets in excess of liabilities. . . $ 47,597.90 

Total receipts during the year .$174,911.09 

Total disbursements tor the year. . . . 147,032.76 

Balance on hand $ 27,878.33 

The salaries paid this year amounted S9,048.61. 
The expense of the county poor was $7,360.18. 

For the year ending March 1st, 1881 : 

Total receipts during the year $138,878.79 

Balance on hand at commencement of 

year 27,878.33 

Total 1:166,757.12 

Total disbursements during the year $130,603.18 
Balance on hand 36,153.94 

Total 1166,757.12 

For the year ending March 1st, 1882 : 

ASSETS. 

Court House grounds and improve- 
ments $ 50,000.00 

Jail grounds and improvements 10,000.00 

Poor farm and iin])rovements 8,500.00 

Personal property on poor farm per 

inventory 2,141.25 



Cash credit to county revenue and 

bond funds ". 14,828,54 

Unpaid county taxes 22,663.09 

Total $108,132.88 

LLYBIIilTIES. 

Ct)urt house bonds $50,000.00 

Accrued interest on above bonds 3,000.00 

County orders outstanding 1,530.20 

Total $54,530.20 

Assets over liabilities 53,602.68 

RECEIPTS. 

Balance on hand as per last year's 

report $ 36,153.94 

Total receipts during year ending 

March, 1882 148,665.69 

Total . $184,819.63 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Total disbursements for the year . . $ 139,989.90 
Balance on hand March Ist, 1882. . . 44,829.73 

Total $184,819.63 

RICE COUNTY IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT. 

From the time of the organization of Dakota 
county, in 1851, until 185-5, this district, the sixth, 
was represented in the Council by Slartin McLeod 
and Joseph R. Brown. In 1855, the district be- 
came Dakota, Scott, and Rice counties, and in the 
Council were H. G. Bailey and Samuel Dooley, 
who served until the State was organized. In the 
House from this district during the corresponding 
time were, James McBoal, Benjamin H. Randall, 
A. E. Ames, Hezekiah Fletcher, William H. No- 
bles, H. H. Sibley, D. M. Hanson, M. T. Murphy, 
O. C. Gibbs, John C. Ide, J. T. Galbraith, John 
M. Holland, O. P. Adams, J. J. McVey, L. M. 
Brown, F. J. Whitlock, Morgan L. Noble, and 
Cliarles Jewett. 

In the constitutional convention the representa- 
tives, or delegates, from this district on the repub- 
lican side were: John W. North, Thomas Bolles, 
Oscar P. Perkins, Thomas Foster, Thomas J. Gal- 
braith, and D. D. Dickinson; and on the demo- 
cratic side: H. H. Sibley, Robert Kennedy, Dan- 
iel -J. Burns, Frank Warner, William A. Davis» 
Joseph BurweU, Henry G. Bailey, au^ Andrew 
Keegan. 

The senators from Rice county since the organ- 
ization of the State have been as follows: Michael 



COUNTY (KJVKUNMEMT. 



293 



Cook, George E. Skinner, D. H, Frost, .Toll u M. 
Berry, Levi Nutting, Gordon E. Cole, O. P. Per- 
kins, George P. Bachelder, John IT. Case, Thomas 
S. Buckliam, J. M. Archibald, and T. B. Clement. 
The representatives in the House have been: 
John L. Schofield, John H. Parker, Warren Ven- 
tress, E. N. Leavens, Luke Hulett, Perris Webster, 
J. D. Hoskins, Charles Wood, George H. Wood- 
ruff, Caleb Clossen, Charles Taylor, A. N. Nourso, 
A.H. Bullis, J. S. Archibald, Isaac Pope, Charles 

A. Wheaton, Christian Erd, Jesse Ames, W. J. 
Sibbison, E. Hollister, Henry Draught, William 
Close, .\ra Barton, Henry Piatt, O. Osmundson, 
John Hutchinson, H. M. Matteson, Elias Hobbs, 
S. C. Dunham, J. B. Hopkins, Andrew Thompson, 

B. M. James, H. E. Barron, J. H. Passon, H. B. 
Martin, L. M. Healy, T. B. Clement, J. S. Allen, 
Joseph Covert, F. A. Noble, C. H. Grant, G. W. 
Walrath, P. Plaisance, J. H. Ptttys, Hiram 
Scriver, A. W, McKinstry, C. B. Coe, E. C. 
Knowles, J. W. Thompson, John Thompson, Stiles 
M. West, L. W. Denison, J. S. Haselton, Seth H. 
Kenuey, A. Thompson, W. P». Baldwin, P. Plais- 
ance, S. P. Stewart, R. A. Mott, and John Thomp- 
son. 

Rice county has not been remarkably well rep- 
resented in the State offices, but those who have 
occupied the most prominent position will be men- 
tioned : General James Shields was a resident of 
Faribault, and was a United States Senator; John 
M. Berry has been for seventeen years Associate 
.lustice of the Supreme Court of the State; Ed- 
ward W. Deike was State Treasurer; Charles Mc- 
Hrath was State Auditor; Gordon E. Cole was At- 
torney General for six years; Charles R. Lucas, 
(). T). Brown, and W. P. Jewett were chief clerks 
in the Auditors ofUce, and there may have been 
others that have been overlooked. 

CENSUS AKD OTHER STATISTICS. 

The census of the State for the six census years 
that have occurred since the first Territorial or- 
ganization shows the following niunbtTS : 

1850 fi,077 

1860 172,023 

1865 250,099 

1870 439,706 

1875 597,407 

1880 780,773 

This is certainly a healthy growth. As to the 
])opulation of the cities in the State, Faribault is 



the seventh and Northfiold is tiie eighteenth, ac- 
cording to the United States census of 1880. 

The ceii.sus of Rice county by sex, nativity, and 
color reads thus: 

Males 11,673 

Females 10,807 

Natives 15,691 

Foreign 6,789 

White 22,383 

Colored 97 

This includes one Chinaman, one Japanese, and 
fifty-three Indians and half-breeds. 

The several subdivisions of the county are thus 
peopled : 
Bridgewater, including ])undas village. . . 1,683 

Dundas Village 589 

Cannon City 1,188 

Erin 846 

Faribault 5,415 

Forest 853 

Morristown 1,422 

Northfield and city 3,150 

Northfleld City 2,296 

Richland 957 

Shieldsville 781 

Warsaw 1,018 

Webster 872 

Wells 1,100 

Wheatland 1,464 

Wheeling 917 

Walcott 825 

M.arriages in the county in 1881 208 

Divorces during the year 14 

Naturalization in 1881 122 

Of these latter there were sixty-two Scandina- 
vians, and twenty-seven (lermans, Prussian.s, Bohe- 
mians, and Poles, no Irish, twenty-six English 
and Scotch, and seven other nationalities. 

Births in Rice county in 1880 772 

Deaths 340 

Natural increase 432 

In point of population the county of Rice is 
the seventh in the state of Minnesota. The num- 
ber of inhabitants in the county for the several 
census years since its organization were as follows: 

1860 7,543 

1865 10,977 

1870 16,083 

1875 20,622 

1880 22,480 



294 



nrSTOBT OF RICE COUNTY. 



The western emigration within a tew years has 
actually decreased the number of people within 
some of the connties of the State, but Rice has 
more than held its own. 

Births in the conntv in 1881 703 

Deaths " : 308 

Of the latter the principal causes were: 

Consumption 40 

Diphtheria 29 

Pneumouia 30 

Brain diseases 17 

Most of the last were children. The large per- 
centage of pulmonary diseases, which is not ma- 
terially unlike other parts of the country, is due, 
it is claimed, to the fact of the large number seek- 
ing this, in common with other parts of the State, 
as a relief from these diseases when in an ad- 
vanced stage and beyond the reach of local sani- 
tary conditions. 

In 1873, there were 168 weddings in the county, 
528 births and 256 deaths. 

Items like these are interpolated that a general 
idea of the progress of the county may be gathered 
without having to wade through so many statistics 
as a yearly statement would involve. 

Agricultubal Statistics. — While it seems de- 
sirable in this work to avoid dry statistics, there 
are certain facts involving figures which are 
most valuable, particularly by way of comparison. 
For instance: it is known in a general way, that 
the wheat belt has been traveling westward ever 
since it was first started at Plymouth, Massachu- 
setts, when the pilgrim fathers landed there two 
hundred and sixty years ago. At first it moved on 
its westward march, not in a very rapid way, until 
fifty years ago the valley of the Genesee in New 
York was the great wheat raising region. But when 
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota were opened 
up for cultivation, the wheat growing center be- 
g!in its kangaroo jumps toward the setting sun, 
and Minnesota is now its resting place, but how 
soon a flying leap will land it in Dakota, time 
alone can determine. Some of the figures here 
presented may help to a prognosis in this regard. 
The account begins with the cereals. 

Acreage and crojis in Rice county of the tour 
jjriucipal cereals, according to the United States 
census of 1880 : 

Acreage. BimhcU. 

Wheat 74,873 907,514 

Oats 12,726 507,522 

Corn 11,524 405,990 

Barley 890 22,789 



The acreage of wheat in the State in 1881, has 
simi^ly held its own, although twenty-three 
counties have had a decrease, but Rice county is 
not in the list. The acreage in sugar cane in 1880 
was 312, the namber of gallons of syrup pro- 
duced was 39,698, or 131.45 per acre. 

The rye crop in 1880 was not large in Rice 
county, only forty-eight acres, with a yield of 
935 bushels, an average of 19.68. 

Buckwheat had thirty-nine acres and 768 bush- 
els — 19.69 as an average. 

Potatoes, 947 acres, yielding 91,651 bushels — 
90.79 as an average. 

Bean crop, si-xteen acres, yelding 342 bushels, 
an average of 21.37 per acre. 

Cultivated hay, 4,732 acres, 7,046 tons. 

Flax seed, 1,399 acres, 11,622 bushels. 

Apple trees in bearing 0,937. Trees growing, 
23,070. Bushels of apples raised, 2,406. 

Tobacco cro}!, 945 pounds. 

Bees and honey. Hives, 583; honey, 3,502 
pounds. 

Maple .sugar, 4,650 pounds. Syrup, 1,749 gallons. 

Cows, 5.505, butter, 350,855 pounds. Cheese, 
16,290 pounds. 

Sheep, 7,278; wool, 30,605 pounds. 

Horses in the county, 7,570. 

The whole number of farms in the county in 
1881, was 1,867. 

The above crop statistics are taken from the 
census reports of 1880. 

FUO.ST. 

As to the time when frost may be expected in 
Rice county, the following table gives the history 
of this uncertain event, as to its earliest appear- 
ance for seventeen years: 

1865— October 15. 

1866— August 15. 

1867~September 1. 

1868— " 15. 

1809— " 26. 

1870— October 13. 

1871— September 19. 

1872— " 27. 

1873— " 7. 

1874— " 14. 
1875— August 22. 
1876— September 26. 

1877— " 17. 

1878— " 10. 

1879— " 19. .> 

1880— " 7. 

1881— " 28. 

The average time being about the middle of 
September. 



ii'.iA' nEconi). 



•295 



CHAPTER XLYIII. 

lilCE COUNTY IN THE WAR OF THE KErtEI.T,ION — 
NAMES OF SOLDIERS WHO I'AKTICirATED. 

Looking at Rico county to-day wo can hardly 
realize that when the war broke upon the country, 
in April, 1861, it had not been settled ten years, 
and that Minnesota as a. State of the American 
Union was hardly three years old, but, notwith- 
standing its own soil bad not been fully sulijuga- 
ted toman's use, very material aiil was promptly 
furnished to assist in subjugating the rebellious 
States. The feeling here prevailed among the 
majority of the people that the Union must be 
preserved. 

The sights and the sounds that were visible and 
audible iu every city, village, and hamlet north of 
Mason's and Dixon's lino, were dui)licated here. 
The celerity with which men abandoned the pur- 
suits of peace to take up those of war, was most 
marvelous, and in this sketch, in addition to the 
names of the soldiers who were credited to this 
county, various incidents will be alhuled to, that 
the methods, and the character of the patriotism 
which was so well nigh universal, may be remem- 
bered by coming generations whose gratitude was 
tluis merited. 

ladies' soldiers aid SOCIETY. 

Ou the 17th of October, when the idea of the 
magnitude ot the struggle began to dawn upon 
the average northern mind, and the notion that 
the rebellion could be put down in three months 
was thoroughly dissipated, the patriotic ladies of 
Faribault met at Metropolitan Hall, and organ- 
ized a society to assist in supplying the sick and 
wounded soldiers with necessary articles for their 
comfort. The membership was quite large, and 
embraced the leading women ot the place, whose 
services in the double cause of humanity and 
patriotism were a new thing in warfare, and re- 
vealed the true position to be occupied by the gen- 
tler sex, while their husbands, sons, and fathers 
were at the front forming walls of steel as a pro- 
tection to the present and future firesides of this 
great Republic. 

The contrast between the wars of ages past, be- 
fore there was any military surgery even, and this 
■war, with its medical corps, supplemented liy the 
coUossal Sanitary and Christian commissions that 
were kept supplied with material by just such 
societies as this, was indeed most striking and re- 



markable, revealing, in a clear light, the progress- 
ive age of the world in which wo live, where the 
actual brotherhood of man is practically exempli- 
fied by such benefactions. 

The first officers of this association woie : Presi- 
dent, Mrs. Bemis; Vice-President, Mrs. S. B. 
Rockaway; Secretary, Mrs. E. .7. Crump; Treas- 
urer, Mrs. May Fisk; Committee, Mrs. J. H. Win- 
ter, Mrs. A. J. Tanner, Mrs. W. fl. Stevens, Mrs. 
S. P. Van Brunt, and Mrs. A. P. Tula. 

To show the character of the contributions sent 
to the sick and wounded soldiers, as well as to those 
in camp, a list of articles furnished from North- 
field as their second installment, and which was 
forwarded on the 2d of June, 18(52, ia subjoined. 
The invoice c<msisted of: Eight quilts, seventeen 
pillows, two dozen woolen socks, six coarse combs, 
ten fine combs, nine dressing gowns, one pair 
slippers, nine new shirts, seven old shirts, eight 
pair ot drawers, one dozen brown towels, nine cot- 
ton sheets, ime linen sheet, twenty-one pillow- 
cases, twenty-seven linen towels, forty cotton naj)- 
kins, five dozen compresses — one of lint, four linen 
handkerchiefs, fifty-four roUs of bandages, one 
package of linen and cotton rags, eighteen palm- 
leaf fans, one pair of shoes, throe hair brushes, five 
quires of paper, twelve packages ot envelopes, 
twelve drinking cups, nine cakes of toilet soap, 
one package ot tea, one package of cloves, one 
package of corn starch, one package of linen 
thread, five papers of needles, three and one-half 
dozen buttons, three and one-half dozen shirt but- 
tons, one cake of beeswax, one package ot hooks 
and eyes, steel pens, sponges, one pau- scissors, 
two pounds of castUe soaj), five books, and two 
Bibles. 

Collections of a like character were made all 
over the county, especially during the last three 
years of the war, and it can readily be seen what an 
enormous amount of sanitary stores were sent. 

In July, 1802, G. F. Batcheldor otlered a private 
bounty of .510 to any man who would enlist. At 
this time the government was paying $25 in ad- 
vance, S3 extra, and one month in advance to all 
who enlisted. 

Ou the 4th of July, 1802, the patriotism of the 
town of Faribault was stimulated by a celebration, 
with Dr. Charles Jewett as the orator. 

On the 12th of August, 1802, there was a war 
meeting at Metropolitan Hall in Faribault, at 
which speeches were made in the interest of re- 



296 



HISTORY OP mCB COUNTY'. 



cruiting. Later in the history of the war more 
substantial iuducements were offered in the shape 
of large bounties, if money is really more sub- 
stantial than patriotism. 

In the summer of 1862, Hon. Mr. Magoon was 
in Faribault recruiting for the Sixth Regiment. 
Captain Parker was home in the summer on sick 
and recruiting leave. 

Up to August, 1862, under the calls the State 
had to raise, 5,360 men, and the proportion for 
Kice county was 336. Some of the residents went 
to Canada to avoid the draft, as did men from 
every State in the north. Levi Nutting was ap- 
pointed Provost Marshal for the State. He is 
still an honored resident of Faribault. The Can- 
non River Guards, Capt. Pettit, recruited here, 
marched on the 20th of August, 1862, with ninety- 
four officers and men. Lieut. Cannough was com- 
missioned to recruit for the Eighth Minnesota 
Regiment. 

The board of County Commissioners, on the 8th 
of August, 1862, took up war matters, and ap- 
propriated money from the county fund, and 
provided that the sum of !$20 be paid to every vol- 
unteer, the number not to exceed 200, who should 
on or before the 15th of August, enlist in the 
Rice County Guards, the Emmet Guards, or any 
other company organizing in Rice county. On 
the 2d of September another bounty of .#20 was 
ippropriated to all who would volunteer to fill 
the quota. After voting these bounties it was de- 
clared as follows, by the board : 

"To be the intent and meaning of this resolu- 
tion, together with the appropriation, jjassed 
August 8th, 1862, to provide for the payment 
herein-above speciiied, to each and every person 
who shall have voluntarily enlisted in the service 
of the United States, as above mentioned. Pro- 
viding, the number does not exceed tilling Rice 
county's <juota." 

On the 8th of January, 1863, the county board 
Hesoln'.d — "That each town in the county con- 
stitute a military district." This was done in 
accordance with a law which had been passed by 
the Legislature of the State to organize all the 
available men, as to age and physical qualifica- 
tions, into militia companies. In accordance with 
the above law, whicli was jjassed on the 29th of 
September, ] 862, the election in the various dis- 
tricts for commissioned officers was held on the 
7th of .Xjiril, 1863. Homo of the districts hav- 



ing failed to elect, the officers were subsebuently 
appointed by the board. The names of the officers 
of these companies are not here given because 
many of them never went to the front, and the 
names of tho.se who actually served will appear 
in the subjoined list. 

In January, 1864, a resolution was adopted to 
equalize the bounty by the payment of $20 to 
certain soldiers who had enlisted previous to 
August 21st, 1862. 

In 1864, the question of voting relief by the 
county to the families of soldiers widows and 
families was discussed, and resolutions were 
offered in the board, but opponents of the meas- 
ure succeeded in defeating it, which may not, per- 
haps, be an evidence of want of patriotism, but 
the entertainment of a doubt as to whether this 
was the proper method to extend relief to this most 
deserving class, so many natural protectors of 
whom had sacrificed their lives for the safety of 
our common home. 

The Rico County Guards, Capt. Cutter, was an- 
other local company; also the McClellan Guards. 

Up to August, 1862, Morristowu, with less than 
100 legal voters, sent sixty men into the ranks. 
At the time of the Sioux Massacre, in August, 
1862, Rice county promptly sent a force of cavalry 
to the front. Mr. Faribault had ninety men in 
the saddle very promptly. The Rice County 
Rangers was the first company to report at St. 
Peter's. Maj. Dike was also authorized to raise a 
company to operate on the frontier. Lieut. West 
was likewise engaged in recruiting a cavalry com- 
pany from the coimty. In October, 1862, the re- 
cruiting was twenty-two ahead of the quota in 
Rice county. 

The Mounted Rangers, raised to operate against 
the Sioux, and commanded by Col. Samuel Mc- 
Phail, was partly recruited here by Lieut. O. D. 
Brown. During that terrible time (juite large 
numbers from Rice county had their first expe- 
rience in camp life in that campaign. While the 
troops were engaged with the Sioux the draft was 
impending with its al;irming vmcertainty, and its 
distressingly few blanks, which, unlike usual 
rattles, all were anxious to draw, and so the Gover- 
nor sent a telegram to the President asking that 
the draft be postponed and the time for paying 
bounties for enlistments extended, and here is a 
copy of his cliaracteiistic reply: 



WAH RECORD. 



297 



"Washington, Aug. 27th, 1862. 

To Governor Rfimsei/ — Yours received. Attend 
to the Indians! If the draft oinnnt proceed of 
course it trill not proceed. Necessity knows no 
law. The government cannot extend the time. 

A. Lincoln." 

Several clergymen from Bice county were in the 
ranks, among them Rev. D. B. Anderson, a Baptist; 
Kev. L. Pease, a Methodist; Rev. Lauren Anushy, 
pastor of the Congregational church in Faribault, 
was the chaplain of the Eighth Minnesota; Rev. 
E. R. Lathrop, of the Tenth; Rev. C. G. Bowdish 
also enlisted. Rev. L. Webb was in an Illinois 
regiment. 

Charles E. Davidson was the interesting army 
correspondent of the Republican at Farilianlt. 
He was a member of Company O, First Regiment 
Minnesota Volunteers. He died in November, 
1802, at Bledsoes Island, New York harbor, where 
he was carried after the "seven days tight." He 
left a wife and many friends in Faribault. 

The Ladies' Aid Society in Fariliault gave a 
grand entertainment in the winter of 18(53, Mrs. 
H. Wilson was President of the society at that 
time. 

In June, 1863, there were several Indians at 
Mr. Alexander Faribault's, and a rumor was cir- 
culated to the effect that some of them had been 
connected with the New Ulm massacre, but Mr. 
Faribault promptly set the matter right. Those 
who were with him were Wacon, or Le Clan^ and 
family, who came here when Faribault did, and 
have been here ever since; Papa and family and a 
widow and two children, the wife and mother of 
Good Thunder, who assisted in saving captives 
who were sent here for their safety. They were 
all "good Injuns." 

In the fall of 1863, Capt. E. A. Rice was at 
home on recruiting service. 

The Fourth Minnesota Regiment re-enlisted in 
the winter of 1864, and came home on a veteran 
furlough. 

Company G, of the First Regiment, had a like 
home run, and a reception. The co.nmittee of re- 
ception on the part of the citizens consisted of 
Maj. William H. Dike, H. Wilson, E. N. Leavens, 
G. F. Batchelder, R. A. Mott, and a suitidjle 
lionor was accorded them. 

In February, 18(!4, a bounty of $\V) was voted 
by Faribault, and sixteen or seventeen were en- 
listed under the new call. 



Charles Jewett, who had gone to Massachusetts, 
was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Fifty- 
fourth Regiment of that State. 

Some of Conij)any I, of the Fourth Itegiment, 
re-enhsted and visited home. Dr. Jewett had 
three sons in the army; one of them, John, was 
killed in battle. 

In 1864, Rev. L. Webb was commissioned to 
raise a company. 

G. L. Porter was a recruiting officer for heavy 
artillery in 1864. 

Major Michael Cook, of the Tenth Regiment, 
was killed at the battle of Nashville; his friends 
and neighbors paid due respect to his memory on 
the 27th of December, 1864. 

In April, 186.5, nearly iSLOflO worth of sanitary 
stores were sent south. 

Early in the year 186.5, a Soldiers' Families Aid 
Societv was in operation, and festivals were in 
order to raise money. 

It may be a matter of interest to see a state- 
ment of the number of troops called for by the 
President during the war. 

(WLLS FOR TROOPS. 

April 16, ISOl 75,000 

May 4th, 1861 68,784 

Julv to December, 1861 500,000 

July 1st, 1862 300,000 

August 4th. 1662 300,000 

Draft, summer of 1863 300,000 

Febniary 1, 1864 500,000 

July 18, 1864 500,000 

Total 2,543,784 

As the different comprmies came home at the 
expiratifm of their term of service, or at the close 
of the war, they were handsomely received. On 
the most important occasion of the kind General 
Nutting made the welcome address, which was 
responded to by Rev. Mr. Lathrop. Of course 
there was the dinner and the usual concomitants. 
The following is a list of soldiers from Rice 
county, as prepared from the Adjutant General's 
report. Great care has been taken to make this 
list as nearly complete as possible, but it is not 
unlikely that some defenders of their country, who 
had a greater regard for their duty than for pre- 
serving a record of their deeds, have been omitted : 

FIRST REGIMENT INF.VNTY. 

William H. Dike, Major. 

COMPANY P. 

William Colville, .Tr., Captain. 



298 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



COMPANY G. 


Henry Clay Whitney. Richard M. Wattles. 


Lewis McKune, Captain. 


David Wood. Edward E. Verjjlank. 


Nathan S. Messick, 


First Lieutenant, promoted 


KECBUITS. 


Captain. 




M. M. Curtis. William D. Bennett. 


John J. McCoUum, 


First Lieutenant. 


William A. Brooks. S. J. Pearl. 


William E. Smith, 


Second Lieutenant. 


Nathaniel Reed. Charles Taylor. 


Joseph H. Spencer, 


First Sergeant. 


G. J. McCullough. J. W. Peasley. 


Charles C. Parker, 


Sergeant. 


J. M. Babcock. S. S. Gifford". 


George A. Williams 


, " 


M. HaskeU. 


John J. McCollum, 


ti 


(lOMPANT n — PRIVATES. 


James De Grey, 


Corporal. 




Edward Tnman, 


a 


Andrew J. Brock. Columbus Brock. 


John Logan, 


« 


Newton BroAvn. Franklin Bauman. 


Edward Hollister, 


k( 


Henry C. Cady. Mortimer Canfield. 


Charles E. Hess, 


« 


.John Clausen. Dennis Crandall. 


Philo Hall, 


" 


William Cagger. Samuel S. Cronkhite. 


Frank Dickinson, 


(( 


SECOND EEGIMENT INFANTBT COMPANY A. 


William H. Ramsey, 


PBIVATB. 


Louis E. Hanneman, Musician. 


Appoles Owen. 


John E. Strothman 


a 


COMPANY B PRIVATES. 


Francis Gibson, Wagoner. 


James Bradley. Stephen R. Cbilds. 


PRIVATES. 


William McStotts. George Whitehouse. 


Adams Areman. 


Marvin D. Au dress. 


COMPANY 0. PRIVATES. 


Edward H. Basset. 


Dennis L. Barton. 


George B. Newell. Edwin H. Wood. 


Henry Borchert. 


Norman B. Barron. 




Jefferson G. Baker. 


Charles M. Benson. 


COMPANY D. — PRIVATES. 


George R. Buckmar, 


Juseph G. Bemis. 


Martin Kelcher. Joseph Kartack. 


Fridelin Boll. 


William G. Coeu. 


William Mills. 


Phineas L. Dunham. 


Charles E. Davison. 


COMPANY F — PRIVATE. 


James L. Dubois. 


Stephen E. Ferguson. 


Gabriel Lachapell. 


John Gatzke. 


Robert Gregg. 


COMPANY a. — PRIVATE. 


Jonathan Goodrich. 


Ezra D. Haskins. 


Joseph Clute. 


Jo.seph L. House. 


George I. Hopkins. 


COMPANY H. PRIVATES. 


Martin Healy. 


John Holther. 


Joseph Caprou. Charles Hodgen. 


Caleb B. Jackson. 


Albert Johnson. 


Benjiimin H. Jewett. 


Anthony Jones. 


COMPANY I. — PRIVATES. 


George A. Kenney. 


Samuel Lilly. 


Ira Halladay. Edward Kellogg. 


Samuel Laird. 


George Magee. 


Frank Snydor. Hiram Swain. 


William Myers. 


John McKinster. 


COMPANY K. 


Asa Miller. 


Edward Z. Needham. 


David S. Coverdale, Corporal; promoted to 


James L. Nichols. 


George W. Olmsted. 


Sergeant, Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, 


Edward Potter. 


William Potter. 


and Captain. 


John M. Rhover. 


Samuel Reynolds. 


PRIVATES. 


Lewis G. Reynolds. 


James E. Russell. 


Thomas Adams. John W. Gould. 


Peter W. Ramsdell. 


Benjamin Roberts. 


Samuel Gould. Riley J. Phillbrook. 


Walter S. Reed. 


Neri Reed. 


.Jonathan Poo. Cyrus S. Bondurant. 


William A. Rooks. 


Banteus Soule. 


Andrew L. Emery. Francis Sohofield. 


Julius Sciiultz. 


George P. Sawyer. 


" 


Chauncey S(iuiror. 


Almon C. Strickland. 


THIED BEGIMENT INFANTRY. — COMPANY B. 


James T. Sawyer. 


Edgar Tiffany. 


Olin C. Rollin, Second Lieutenant; promoted 


Charles E. Webster. 


Theodore Williiims. 


to First Lieutenant and Captain, 



WAR RECORD. 



'2!>0 



John Dana. 

Elius T. T.iylor. 
Coleman M. Wood. 
William H. Wood. 



William L. Sloan. 
Charles Wood. 
Jacob liidyefc. 



COJIP.tNY E. — PKIVATE. 

Newton Vaugbau. 

COMPANY F. — PRFVATES. 

William A. Bowe. Ehen P. Jones. 

Edward S. Kellogg. Charlos Russell. 

Cicero T. Richmond. Stewart Richmond. 

Francis J. Ridgeway. Eugene H. Stone. 

Thomas Sandy. Johnson R. Tmax- 

Alonzo Verrill. Edward A. Vaughn. 
James H. Wright. 

COMPANY n. 

David Misner, First Lieutenant; promoted to 
Captain, Company C, and Major, First Minnesota 
Heavy Artillery. 

ALmon C. Strickland, First Sergeant. 

James M. Moran, Sergeant; promoted Second 
Lieutenant. 

Leonard K. Flamlers, Corporal; promoted 
Sergeant. 

John Cooper, Corporal. 

WiUiam T. Alvey, " 

Albert W. Stewart, Wagoner. 

PUIVATE.S. 

Isaac A. Barrick. George S. Bassett. 

Thamas Bradshaw. Edwin A. Biggs. 

Thoma.s Carney. George Erviu. 

Donald Gray. Martin V. B. Hall. 

James L. Haskett. Shefield S. Hay ward. 

William A. Hussey. William A. Lamb. 

Eliel W. Lawton. Albert H. Lewis. 

Michael Logne. Robert Lnmsden. 

Felix A. Myrick. William Owen. 

Alexandria Reed. John Slater. 

Allen B. Donaldson. Malon B. Eokhart. 

Arthur H. Erwiu. Lovell Eattm. 

William Foster. 3o\ni Gibson. 

George W. Hall. Asa Howe. 

Heber R. Hare. Benjamin B. Baker. 

Solomon Crosby. Rees Evans. 

Alvin Engle. Henry Taul. 

John G. Conner. Lorenzo Dearborn. 

Adam Eckhart. Gustaf Grandstrand. 

William H. Jackson. Gottfried Huser. 
David Lilly. 

COMPANY I. — PI!r\'ATE. 

Alexander Reed. 



FOUBTH REGIMENT INFANTRY COMPANY li. 

PRIVATES, 

Alfe Olson. Nels Olcson. 

Adam Pfieirer. Ole Hevorson. 

Andrew Severson. Thomas Thom))Kon. 

(U)MPANY <^ 

James F. Dilley, Second Lieutenant. 

PRIVATES. 

Albert Drinkwine. Joseph Eroux. 

Benjaroin Gypsin. Thomas R. Huggins. 



William H. Hill. 
Charles Loyd. 
John Loyd. 
William McCrary. 



Moses Herman. 
William H. Long. 
Edward McGilli.s. 
Joseph Newell. 



COMPANY I). — PRIVATES. 

George Anderson. Remi Crapeau. 

Thomas Reilly. 

CAMPANY E. — PRIVATES. 

John Conrad. Daniel Nevin. 

Stephen E. Birch. George H. Thurston. 

Edwin Walter. George F. Birch. 

COMPANY F. — PRIVATES. 

Charles FiUar. Charles ScoUeld. 

Charles F. Beytion. 

COMPANY I. 

John H. Parker, Captain; })romoted Major. 

Henry Piatt, First Lieutenant; promoted Cai)- 
taiu. 

Edwin O. Chapman, First Sergeant; jiromotcd 
Second Lieutenant. 

Clark Turner, Sergeant; promot(Hl Second 
Lieutenant and First Lieutenant. 

Levi B. Aldrich, Sergeant, 

Henry I. Davis, Coi-poral. 

John D. Hunt, Corporal; jironiotcd First 
Lieutenant. 

David A. Temple, Corporal. 

Joseph Williams, Corporal; promoted Sci-- 
geant and First Lieutenant. 

PRn'ATES. 

Ira C. Aldrich. John Avery. 

Balzer Bower. James H. Cronkhite. 

John W. Davey. William W. Davis. 

Thomas C. Ferguson. Edward A. Gouser. 

William R. Gillman. Cornelius Hull. 

Charles P. Hagstrom. Joseph Hershey. 

Charles O. Healy. Stephen N. Johnson. 

Simon Kreger. Hiram H. Marcyes. 

Nels Nelson. SewaU G. Randall. 

John G. Russell. George W. Reiuoehl. 



300 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Edward Reble. George Schranth. 

August H. Trume. Mark Wells. 

COMPANY K. — PBrV'ATE. 

John Powers. 

FIFTH REGIMENT INFANTRY — COMPANY A. — 
PRIVATES. 

Jacob Haines. John Sickler. 

David M. Strang. 

COMPANY C. PRIVATES. 

Edward Berg. Lyman H. Decker. 



Halver Elefson. 
Edward Roth. 



Frederick Kuudsou. 



COMPANY fl. — PRIVATE. 

Jeremiah Ryan. 

COMPANY I. 

Michael Ooagrove, Corporal. 

PRIVATE. 

Melvin O. Diittim. 

COMPANY K. 

Thomas Tierney, Corporal; promoted Ser- 
geant. 

SIXTH MINNE.SOTA INFANTRY COMPANY 0. 

C. T. W. Alexander, Second Lieutenant. 

Robert R. Hutchinson, First Sergeant; pro- 
moted Second Lieutenant, and First Lieutenant. 

Alexander M. Portman, Sergeant. 

Thomas Watts, Corporal; promoted Sergeant. 

John W. Gould, Corporal. 

Amasa Classon, " 

John T. McClintock, " 

John Hutchinson, Corporal; promoted Ser- 
geant and Second Lieutenant. 

Charles Hetherington, Corporal ; promoted Ser- 
geant and Second Lieutenant. 

Samuel T. Webster, Musician. 

Alexander M. Thompson, Musician. 

Aaron M. Comey, Wagoner. 

Stephen Allen, Private; promoted Corporal. 

PRIVATES. 

Lewis Beerman. August Beerman. 

George Beerman. James F. Boss. 

Chester T. Boss. John D. Brown. 

David E. Berdan. Johial W. Boyd. 

Thomas Bame. Joseph Classon. 

Schuyler Classon. Andrew O. Chapin. 

William S. Curren. Leonidas H. Dunn. 

John H. Dauer. Benjamin Davison. 
Wellington H. Emery. James Emerson. 

George Fogg. Sylvester S. Glidden. 



William Goudy. 
Joel M. Hart. 
Elisha C. King. 
John Plummer. 
James R. Rice. 
George W. Robinson. 
Andrew R. Roberts. 
Theodore H. Sanderson. 
William V. Stone. 
Chauncy Swarthout. 
Richard Stopley. 
Thomas F. Talbot. 
Daniel B. Turner. 
Thomas C. Brown. 
William C. Haycock. 
William Hubbard. 
Charles Peterson. 
Hiram M. Powers. 
George W. Searle. 



Frank T. Hutchinson. 
Jeremiah B. Jones. 
John Merkel. 
William E. Poe. 
Calvin Ripley. 
John W. Richey. 
William A. Shepard. 
Hugh Smith. 
Newel T. Sumner. 
Joseph W. Sargent. 
Horace C. Stranahan. 
Alexander V. Thasp. 
Benjamin W. Viles. 
John Daly. 
Daniel C. Fitsimmons. 
Edward P. Kermott. 
Cornelius D. Personius. 
William F. Rice. 
Joseph O. Sargent. 



COMPANY D. PRIVATES. 



John Huftclen. 
William T. Kiekenapp. 
Oliver T. Santord. 
David C. Brown. 
Charles A. Gates. 
Nelson T. Derby. 
Peter Filbert. 
Samuel Layman. 
William Layman. 
John Roth. 
Michael Wolf. 



Wilbur B. Green. 
Isaiah Judd. 
Lewis Sanford. 
William H. Bush. 
John W. Brown. 
John Boshardt. 
Thomas A. Fisher. 
Charles H. Jordan. 
Charles H. Mulliner. 
Josiah Richardson. 
Ira Sanford. 

COMPANY I. PRIVATE.S. 

Rudolph Roseman. 

.SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY COMPANY A. 

Chancellor Cutler, Captain. 

Loel B. Hoag, First Lieutenant; promoted 
Captain. 

Alpheus C. Barrack, Second Lieutenant. 

George W. Butterfield, First Sergeant. 

William W. Willis, Sergeant; promoted Sec- 
ond Lieutenant. 

Daniel Goodhue, Sergeant; promoted First 
Lieutenant. 

Louis Hannomann, Sergeant; j)romoted Sec- 
ond Lieutenant. 

Charles T. Anderson, Sergeant. 

Richard C. Ross, Corporal. 

George L. Kendall, " 

Edwin Gillett, 

Daniel O. Searle, " 

Lyman B. Snow, " 



Il'.l/i' UECOUD. 



••iui 



Duncan F. Kelly, Corporal. 


William Damon. 


Hadley Oleson. 


MadiBOU K. Ransom, 


(I 


Henry Pratt. 


Charles M. Phipps. 


Henry Marsb, 


" 


Calvin Rank. 


George Robinson. 


Michael Anderson, Musician. 


Howard L. Swain. 


Jacob Simons. 


Osfar T. Webster, 


" 


Jacob Winter. 


JohnW. Moore. 


William N. Watson, Wagoner. 


EIGHTH KEOtMENT INl'ANTUy. 


Samuel F. Averill, Private; promoted Corporal 


(xeorge W. Butterlield, Adjutant. 


and Sergeant. 




Lauren Armsby, Chaplain. 


PltlVATES. 


COMPANY B. • 


Myron F. Austin. 


Ira Alexander. 


George F. Pettitt, Ca 


itain. 


Henry M. Barrett. 


Alexander A. Bates. 


Miles Hollister, First 


Lieutenant. 


Charles Bingham. 


Hugh Boardman. 


William Shaw, Soconi 


I Lieutenat. 


John Beardsley. 


John A. Bond. 


Pence Lampson, First 


Sergeant. 


Amos H. Bice. 


Alexander Clark. 


John H. Passou, Se 


■geaut. 


Lemuel Cone. 


Alvin A. Calkins. 


Andrew King, 


" 


Michael Caffrey. 


Elijah R. Carpenter. 


William S. Sargeaut, 


,< 


Peter Colburn. 


George Deek. 


Benjamin F. Pierce, 


^' 


Frederic Deffenbeeker. 


Calvin Daniels. 


John Calvin, (!or 


xiral. 


Philo H. Engelsby. 


Joseph Fredenburg. 


John Gwathmy, 


" 


Michael Fitzgerald. 


Joseph Ford. 


Benjamin F. Buck, 


" 


Albert Fredenburg. 


Charles E. Friuk. 


William Chase, 


** 


Henry Finley. 


Daniel Goodsell. 


Isaac W. Anderson, 


" 


William F. Gessuer. 


Franklin Gowen. 


James A. Morgan, 


'' 


Daniel T. Hukey. 


Charles H. Holt. 


Edward S. Kellogg, 


•' 


Albert T. Hanoke. 


John R. Horner. 


Andrew B. C(jwen, 


" 


Silas Judd. 


Frank L. Kendall. 


Harmon Shank, Musician. 


Elliott A. Knowlton. 


Mahalon Lockvvood. 


Thomas G. Crump, 


(4 


Peter W. DeLaucey. 


John Mullen. 


Jonathan Morris, Wa 


goner. 


Peter Morgan. 


Joseph Miner. 


PKIVATES. 


William H. McDonald. 


Horatio P. Moore. 


Dexter B. Anderson. 


Joseph Anderson. 


James H. Mountain. 


William Marshall. 


Henrei. h Atchterkisch. 


Columbus Babcock. 


Edward McKenzie. 


Daniel A. Park. 


Toussaiut Barra. 


Eli A. Baily. 


Moses C. Peasly. 


Peter W. Ramsdale. 


Benjamin A. demons. 


Theodore Creach. 


William D. Bounce. 


Philip Rich. 


Chaiuicey C. Coe. 


Edward H. Cutts. 


Andrew Robinson. 


Eric H. Rinde. 


Joseph Cluka. 


Daniel L. Clemmcr. 


William K. Ross. 


William W. Sidevell. 


Dewitt C. Coats. 


Otis N. Castle. 


Chauncey R. Sackett. 


Amaziah Slocum. 


Moses Click. 


John M. Chapiu. 


Adam Smith. 


William L. Stevens. 


William Deike. 


William H. Davey. 


David P. Strong. 


Martin W. Slocum. 


Henry A. Dorn. 


Henry Dieskeu. 


Peter Simon. 


John W. Thompson. 


Cornelius Denman. 


Stephen G. Flanders. 


George R. Terry. 


Alvin B. Thorp. 


Norman B. Flover. 


William M. Green. 


Albert Tripp. 


John Van Buskirk. 


Norris N. Graves. 


John Gillon. 


Charles Viercavant. 


William J. WempU. 


Henry Heiuneman. 


Benjamin Hare. 


Roland Weeks. 


George Wells. 


Isaac Hand. 


John Hill. 


Melvin Cushnian. 


Edward F. ('osert. 


William J. Hawkit s. 


Ernst Heideman. 


Ralph L. Dorrence. 


Robert Dilley. 


David M. Sows. 


Milo F. Jacobs. 


Christian Dolymer. 


James H. Daly. 


Andrew La Barge, Jr. 


Charles R. Louck. 


Edwin R. Hazelton. 


Henry M. Hazelton. 


Allen D. Morgan. 


Richard J. Miller. 


William Hunter. 


Anthony Hanson. 


Hanson Mills. 


William L. T. Meyer. 


Isaac Jolmson. 


Franklin Groome. 


Joseph Milliron. 


Edward McCartney. 


Knud Kundson. 


Stewart M. Lamou. 


Patrick Mathews. 


George W. Marcyes. 



30-2 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNT r. 



Ephriam 0. Moodey. 


Joseph Mold. 


Patrick Harris. 


Micahel Hanley. 


Ezra Nichols. 


Charles Osterhort. 


Hamilton Logue. 


John Leo. 


Watts A. Pye. 


Orient Poud. 


Antoine LaDuke. 


Patrick McNulty. 


Charles Powell. 


Edward G. Patterson. 


Thomas McManus. 


Thomas McLaughlin. 


George W. Peterson. 


Anthony W. Pool. 


Hugh BIcNeal. 


John Mulgrew. 


Henry Peipfso. 


George G. Peck. 


Thomas Powers. 


Eneas S. Peat. 


Newton 8. Parker. 


Patrick Reardon. 


Prudent Quenett. 


Thomas Ryan. 


Frederick Eoth. 


Alex. H. Eidgeway. 


Michael Roach. 


Patrick O'Brien. 


Reuben W. Russ. 


Harvey T. Rawson. 


Peter Robbeault. 


Patrick J. Smith. 


Joseph W. Richardson. 


John H. Reamer. 


David Tiemy. 


Jacob Tope. 


David Reed. 


Winlield S. Snyder. 


John Whalen. 


John Bohau. 


Frederick Schwake. 


Wells Tuman. 


James Bradley. 


Thomas Connill'. 


Adelbert Tenny. 


Abraham Pope. 


Lawrence Connor. 


Alex. G. Caldwell. 


Trnman P. Town. 


Henry Thuden. 


John Dixon. 


Joseph A. Fraybold. 


John J. Van Saun. 


Edward Van Saun. 


Michael Foy. 


Henry Gorman. 


Harrison WoUett. 


William Woollett. 


Dennis Gregg. 


Thomas Hetherington. 


Mark Wells. 


Amplar G. Ward. 


Anthony Jordan. 


Patrick McGrath. 


Warner Yonells. 


Alonzo Burch. 


Thomas Meagher. 


Florence McCarthy. 


Thouuis Carpenter. 


James Edmonds. 


Daniel McEntire. 


Michael Nagle. 


F. B. Hetherington. 


Prentiss B. J<mes. 


Samuel Radabaugh. 


John Stokes. 


John B. Millison. 


George N. McKusick. 


John Smith. 




Michael B. Koberds. 
Ichabod Tower. 
John S. McCartney. 

COMPANr 


Segnious S. Sloan. 
Timothy I. Van Saun. 

F PRIVATES. 


ELEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY. — COllPANY D. 

Loren Webb, Captain. 

C. C. P. McAlexander, First Lieutenant. 


George W. Sackell. 


Quiucy C. Warren. 


FIRST BATTALION INFANTRY COMPANY A. 


TENTH EEOIMENT INF.Us'TKV. 


Charles C. Parker, Second Lieutenant. 


Michael Cook, Major. 




COMPMNY H. 


Eden N. Leavens, (Quartermaster. 


PhUander C. Seeley, 


First Lieutent. 


COMPANY c. 






Dennis Cavanaugh, C 

COMPANY 


aptaiu. 

0. PRIVATE. 


FIRST REGIMENT HEAVY ARTILLERY. 

Charles B. Jackson, Commodore Sergeant. 


Stephen W. Carpenter. 

COMPANY E. — PIUVATES. 


COMPANY C. 

George L. Porter, Captain. 


John W. Holmes. 


John W. Hoover. 


PRIVATES. 


Uriah Judd. 


Ashley Forgelsou. 


Thomas Devine. 


Joseph Gilsoul. 


COMPANY H. 

Dennis Cavanaugh, First Lieutenant. 
Dennis McCarthy, Second Lieutenant. 
Michael Jeffers, First Sergeant. 
Patrick Byrne, Sergeant. 
Andrew Devereaux, " 


Daniel Heffelson. 
William Haney. 
Thomas Hoj^e. 
James H. Knights. 
Cornelius Mahony. 
Winfield J. Sargent. 


Charles Hofler. 
Holms B. Higgins. 
Thomas Jeffers. 
George W. Kenyon. 
James H. Miller. 


James O'Neill, Corporal. 


COMPANY 


II. — PRIVATES. 


Robert Hunt, " 




Martin Bandelin. 


Edward Grulk. 


Thomas Murphy, Wagoner. 

PRIVATES. 


Augustus Hull. 
Gordon Smith. 


Peter A. Johnson. 
William H. Taylor. 


John Buckley. 
Patrick Cudmor. 


Chri-stopher Byrne. 
John Collins. 


COMPANY L. 

John 0. Turner, First Lieutenant. 


Thomas P. Conaghty. 


John Caliaghan. 


SEC:OND COMPANY SHARP-SHOOTERS. 


Christopher Derdis. 


Edward Fox. 


Charles L. Eldridge 


Corporal. 



WAJi UKGOllli. 



303 



Tens. T. Dalile. 
Author A. Flem. 
Aujrew J. Lockieu 
HalverH. Quil. 



PEIVATES. 

Fingor Fingalsou. 
Christ HanBon. 
Harry Magoou. 
J nets FiuKalsou. 



FIUST REGIMENT MOIINTED KANliERS — OOMl'ANY A. 

John Wiggle, Sergeant. 

PRIVATES. 

William Campbell. Edward Camjjbell. 

George K. Page. Peter Stiren. 

COlirANY F. — PRIVATE. 

Appollo Owtu. 

(JOMPANY H. 

Charle.s W. Cromwell, First Lieutenant. 
O. D. Brown, Second Lieutenant. 
Enoch C. Cowan, First Sergeant. 
Asa Smith, Second Sergeant. 
John E. Tattle, Sergeant. 
Arthur BlcMillan, " 
Silas C. Olmsted, Corporal. 
Charles H. Keuney, " 
James L. Christie, " 

PRIVATES. 

Josiah Bailey. William Beckley. 

George H. Byfield. Carson C. Carr. 

Vincent K. Carter. Leroy S. Clemens. 

Timothy Collins. Antoine Fisher. 

Leonard J. Flanders. Orlando G. Hatheway. 
Francis B. Hetheriugton. Harrison Harlse. 

Ira Hults. Osman B. Jacobs. 

Kalph H. Kenuey. Edelljcrt Lovelaud. 

Charles A. Manney. William P. Mauney. 

Charles H. Martin. Charles W. Marks. 

J. M. Mills. Charles Y. Moses. 

James G. B. Moses. WiUiam S. Moses. 

Charles H. Mulliner. John W. Murtagh. 

John Oleson. Myron Page. 

Prank G. Peace. William L. Sargent. 

William D. Tucker. William J. Wilkius. 

James W. Roberts. Samuel B. Walter. 

BRACKETT'.S battalion CAVALRY — COMPANY A. 

Herman Wedekuper, Corporal. 

COMPANY B. — PRIVATE. 

Joseph K. Donaldson. 

COMPANY C — PRIVATE. 

James Thompson. 

SECOND REGIMENT CAVALRY. — COMPANY A. —PRI- 
VATE. 

Henry Hanson. 



COMPANY B. — PRIVATE. 

Robert S. Keene. 

COMPANY D. — PRIVATE. 

William J. Wilkius. 



Albert F. Thielbar. 
Peter F. Wise. 



COMPANY E. PRIVATES. 

Isaac M. Taylor. 



COMPANY G. 

Henry VV. Bingham, First Lieutenant; pro- 
moted Captain. 

Theron F. Carr, Sergeant. 
Carsou C. Carr, Corj)oral. 

PRIVATES. 

Halver Blande. Byron F. Carr. 

John Conley. William Dwyer. 

William L. Hoover. John O'Neil. 

George Shepard. Elijah B. Sl)erry. 

COMPANY H. — PRIVATES. 

Stanley Barlow. Alvah M. Oliu. 

COMPANY K. — PRIVATE. 

Solomau Bodle. 

INDEPENDENT BATTALION CAVALRY L^OMPANY A. 

John W. W. Poison, Corporal. 
Seth C. Kelley, Blacksmith. 

PRIVATES. 

Charles M. Stowe. John Kelly. 

COMPANY C. — PRIVATES. 

Michael Cosgrove. James O'Neil. 

COMPANY V. — PRIVATE. 

William Dawuey. 

FIRST BATTERY LIGHT AKTILLERy -I'RlVATliS. 

Willard Sproul. Ambrose Krech. 

SECOND BATTERY LK.iHT ARTILLERY — PRIVATES. 



William Costello. 
Ingrebeth Oleson. 
Alfred Townson. 
Lewis Y. Sareent. 



.Joseph L. Sargent. 
Edward W. Vaughan. 
Lewis Y. Sarjrent. 



TUIRD BATTERY LKiUT ARTILLERY. 

John C. Whipple, First Lieutenant. 



PRIVATES. 



George L. Keuyon. 
Arthur McCarger. 



William Finlaysou. 
Hiram K. Wilder. 



304 



HISTORY OF EWE COUNTY. 



OHAPTEB XLIX. 

PERIODICALS KAIIiliOADS EDtJCATIONAIj KELI- 

(jlOUS — VARIOUS EVENTS — GENERAL REMARKS. 

Faribault Bepublioan. — The first number of 
tliis uewsiKipei was issued in Faribault on the 22d 
of (October, 185G, under the caption of "The Rice 
County Herald," as a neutral paper, by F. W. 
Friuk, who threw off six numbers, and then it was 
sold to I. L. Pond & Co., and the services of E. A. 
Mott were secured as editor. No. 7 was printed 
aa the first number under the new order, which 
continued ten weeks, when Mr. Mott bought out 
the whole establishment, from the shooting stick 
to the Franklin press, and his first paper was in- 
troduced on the 17th of December, 1856. The 
name was changed to "The Faribault Herald," 
which at once took a position on the questions of 
the hour, holding that slavery was sectional and 
local, and that it should not be extended into the 
territories, and assuming a strong opposition to 
the slave power. It was edited with great ability 
while in Mr. Mott's hands. On the 2d of June' 
1858, it was sold to Holley & Brown, who had 
been publishing a paper in Chatfield, in Fillmore 
county. Mr. C). Srown was the editor. In Sep- 
tember, 1858, the paper, which up to this time 
had been a six column folio, was changed to a 
seven column paper. The name was also changed 
to "Central l-lepublic.iu," and was conducted with 
energy and spirit through the stormy period of 
the war by Mr. Brown, who was always found on 
the side of the Union, although at times he 
severely criticised the methods of carrying on the 
war, and the conduct of the campaign against the- 
Sioux. In December, 1865, the paper passed 
into the hands of A. W. McKinstry, who has man- 
aged it for seventeen years with good judg- 
ment, securing the confidence and respect of the 
community. On the 25th of May, 1870, the name 
was changed to "Faribault itepublican." It is on 
a most substantial basis, and is issued from a first 
class office, with steam power and facilities for 
promptly turning off good work. 

NoKTHFiELD JouuN.\L. — -In April, 1858, a jjaper 
was started by Capt. Hoag and Brother. The 
press and material were moved to the place from 
Cannon Falls, Wisconsin, and it was regularly 
published for about three years. The establish- 
ment was then h^ased to otiier jjarties, and several 
had a hand in its publication, until early in the 
sixties, when it was moved to Kochester, and there 



it was published for a time by the original pro- 
]jrietors. During this time, before the "Northfield 
Standard" was commenced by Mr. Kimball, there 
was no paper in Northfield. 

The Siderial Messenoer is published m(mthly 
by Professor William W. Payne, the Director of 
the Observatory at Carleton College, Northfield. 
It is the only periodical in the United States, de- 
voted exclusively to popular astronomy, and it is 
gratifying to. be able to state that students and 
observers in this fascinating branch of study are 
giving it a cheering support. It was started in 
the winter of 1882, and is a thirty-two page mag- 
azine, neatly printed and well edited; the price is 
452 a year. 

Northern Statesman and Western Farmer. — 
A paper with the above appellation, to designate 
its ambitious sphere, was established in 1861, at 
Faribault, the first number bearing date of the 
12th of November. The inaugural in the initial 
number was an able, well written article, in which 
the announcement is made that the good old 
priiicij)le8 of democracy that had carried the coun- 
try through so many storms, would control its ut- 
ti'rances, saying that; "In politics, the Northern 
Statesman will be democaatic, as expounded and 
illustrated by Jefferson and Jackson." 

The editor of the paper was Alexander John- 
sou, who continued it until 1864, when its publica- 
tion was suspended, and Mr. Johnson went to St. 
Paul, where it is understood he is still connected 
with the press of that city. While here it justly 
earned the reputation of being one of the best 
edited papers in the State. The material subse- 
(jueutly went into the office of the Democrat. 

The Faribault Leader. — This paper was 
started in July, 1870, by S. H. Kelley and sons, 
who issued it as a weekly until September, 1871, 
when it was sold to A. E. Haven, and became 
"The Faribault Democrat," which was first issued 
on the 8th of September, 1871. It is an eight col- 
umn folio, published weekly, at $2 a year, and is 
a neatly printed and well edited paper. Each of 
the offices in the county has a job office attached, 
and do good work. 

The Minnesota Missionary. — This is a denom- 
inational monthly, originating in 1877, in Fari- 
bault, and edited by Rev. George B. Whipple and 
Rev. Edward C. Bill. A. E. Haven is the printer. 
It is in the interest of the Episcopal Church, par- 
ticularly in its missionary interests. 



I'ElilODICALs. 



:!()5 



EmicATioNAL MoNTiir.v. — Liitc ill the seventies 
an cJncational junriinl wiis pulilislifil for a yeai'dr 
two by William Ajjplcgatc, of Faribault. 

Ru'E County Joi'Unal. — This is a leading 
newspaper in the county, published in Ntnthfield. 
It was first established iu 1872, by C. A. Wheaton. 
It was at first independent, and claimed to be the 
organ of no individual, clique, or riug, and was a 
neatly printed eight column folio, ably edited and 
well managed. Mr. Wheaton died in 1882. It is 
now published by Wheaton k Pierce, Mr. Pierce, 
being the editor-in-chief. The paper is now a 
well ])rinted nine column folio. 

DcNDAS News. — This was started on the -Ith of 
November, 1876, by Henry E. Lawrence, the for- 
mer puljlisher of the "Monday Morning News" in 
Minneapolis. This was published for three years, 
when it was removed and became "The North- 
field News," the first number of which was is- 
sued on the 1st of November, 187il; Henry E. Law- 
rence, editor and proprietor. It is an eight column 
folio, Well printed and well edited. 

MoBRisTowN Entekpuisb. — (Ju the 27th of 
July, 1307, the Morristown Enterprise Company 
printed the first number of this paper. The gen- 
tlemen interested in the publication were .1. N. 
Powers, C. W. Howe, and H. L. Howe. J. N. 
Powers was editor and publisher. It was issued 
on Thursday of each week at $1.51) per- annum, 
lu size it Was lO.xlS inches, with ten three-column 
pages, and was stitched by a New American 
machine. The company published but three 
papers, when it was bought by J. N. Powers, and 
he continued it until the winter of 1877, when he 
went to Waterville. 

Morristown Messenger. — In 1878, H. S. Bar- 
low published a five column paper, 14x24 inches, 
on a wooden press made by himself. This was 
issued on Tuesdays. In a few months S. B. Co3 
bought an interest in the establishment and Bar- 
low left. In 1879, Mr. Coe sold to A. E. Verity, 
having changed the name to the "Cann'On Valley 
Mes.senger," which was published several months, 
when it fell a victim to one of the fatal diseases 
which afflict newspap.rdom. 

As to one of the Morristown papers, we insert 
the following extract from a ueighlioriug paper 
which is its own explanation: 

"A KI(!E county .IOUUNALIST. 

A corresjiondent of a Missouri paper writing 
fnmi Morristown, this county. s[>eaks as follows 
20 



concerning the oHici' and ))roprietor cjI' the .Mes- 
senger, published at that place, and we I'hallcnge 
the (entire State to produce another sncli instance 
of grit, genius, and native abilty : 

There is a small paper puljJished here, callcil 

the messenger, 

which has a good circulation, and is certainly 
an illustration of success under dilliculties. F 
sjient tills forenoon in tlie printing ollice, and the 
sight of it is worth a visit to Minnesota, for it has 
no eipial in the world. There is not more than 
fifty dollars worth of material in the olfice, and its 
two presses were made by its proprietor, Mr. J. L. 
Barlow, whose only tools consisted of a hatchet, 
hand-saw, and jack-plane. They are built en- 
tirely of wood, with the exception of the levers 
and two iron rods, and their apiJearanco is indis- 
cribable, yet they do good work. The mantle of 
Faust must certainly have fallen on Barlow. He 
is not only a printer and mechanic, but a photo- 
graphic artist as well, and Morristown may well 
boast of a sort of universal genius." 

other pdblication.s. 

A little book entitled "A brief circular relating 
to Kice county, Minnesota, showing its resource.s, 
advantages, and the inducements it offers to those 
seeking homes in the West," was published in 
1800 by Holley & Brown, and edited by C. 
Williams. It was a neat little pamphlet and well 
calculated to serve the purpose for which it was 
intended. 

A county map was published in theearly winter 
of 1873, by W. M. Lawrence, of Duudas. 

In 1878, a large wall map, representing each 
farm with the ownership, and being complete in 
all respects, was iiublished by Warner & Foote, of 
Red Wing. 

In 1868, Mr. F. W. Frink published "A Record 
of Bice county, Jlinnesota, being a review of the 
settlement, growth and prosperity of the county, 
and a brief descri|)tion of its towns and villages." 
It was neatly printed at the "Central Republican" 
office, and was a book of thirty-two pages. In 
1871, an ap])endix was added and a new edition 
published. It was a valuable little work, Mr. 
Frink being one of the earliest settlers, and most 
of the time in ])ublic life, intimately associated 
with county afi'airs, was admirably (|ualitleil to 
prep.U'e such a book. 



306 



IIISTOHY OF BICE COUNTY. 



EAILBOADS. 

MiNNE.M'oLis & Cedab Valley Railroad. - 
The seventh Territorial Legislature of Minnesota 
granted a charter, which was approved on the 
tirst of March, ISOO, for a railroad from the Iowa 
State line, near where the Red Cedar crosses it, 
and thence up the Cedar valley, along the Straight 
River valley, and through the "big woods" to 
Minneapolis, a distance of 100 miles. Gcu. H. 
H. Sibley, of Mendota. Gen. James Shields, of 
Faribault, Franklin Steele, of Port Snelling, F. 
Pettitt, and Judge Alanson B. Vaughau were 
named as commissioners to open subscrii5tion 
books and to make arrangements for the perma 
neut orgauizatiou of the company at Faribault, 
This, according to the act, must be done previous 
to the first of March, 1857. These gentlemen suc- 
ceeded in securing stock STibscriptions to the 
amount of $200,000, and a preliminary meeting 
was held at the office of Shields & McCutchen on 
Wednesday evening, the 28th of January, 1856 
and a resolution was entertained to call a meeting 
of citizens to see how materially they were inter, 
ested in the project. In response to the invitation 
the meeting took place in Crump's Hall, which 
was crowded. Dr. Charles Jewett, who had been 
a great apostle of temperance in New England for 
years, but who now resided here, was called to 
preside, and K. A. Mott was appointed seci'etary. 
Stirring speeches were made by the President of 
the meeting, by Hon. M. L. Noble, by Messrs. 
Peat and Conover, from Iowa, agents of the Cedar 
Valley Railroad, and others. A letter was read 
from Gen. Shields, who was in Washington, with 
gratifying assurances that a wealthy c. -mpany 
stooil ready to to build the road, and that it would 
Vie promptly built no one in town allowed himself 
to doubt. 

In 1862, an act of Congress was .'secnred to 
facilitate the construction of the Minnesota & 
Cedar Valley Railroad. In 18G4, the nearest place 
to the cars was at Rochester, and a stage route 
was arranged to connect there. 

TIk^ railroad jiassed through various vicissitudes 
which it seems uimccessary to recapitulate, aud it 
finally he('amo the Minnesota Railway Company, 
aud uiKler this namc^ reached Northfield in Sep- 
tenib(M-, 18()5, and finally, Faribault, and so on to 
its southern connections, and at last became ab- 
sorbed in the great Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul Railway Company. 



It is now a part of that great railway system, 
with its more than four thousand miles of track. 
The service is regular, with morning, evening, and 
mid-day trains in both directions, and ample 
freight accommodations. 

The railroad, as it is laid through the county, 
is a north aud south line, having connections at 
Owatonna and Ramsey, with east and west lines, 
and also at Farmington, in Dakota county, and a 
road is building from the west to intersect at 
Faribault, and running near the present line to 
Northfield, and thence east to Red Wing by the 
way of Cannon Falls. From St. Paul and Minne- 
apolis the road comes down to enter the county 
near the northwest corner of the town of North- 
field, where it strikes near the Cannon River which 
it follows, not very faithfully however, as it i^ 
sometimes three miles away, until reaching Fai'i- 
bault, it crosses this stream west of the center of 
the town, and then in a like manner takes ui> the 
companionship of the Straight River to leave the 
county east of the center of the southern boundary. 
In its course it passes througli or touches the towns 
of Bridgewater, Cannon City, Wells, Warsaw, and 
Walcott, as well as Northfield, already mentioned. 
The stations in the county are Northfield, Dundas, 
and Faribault. 

In 1871, there was considerable talk and pre- 
liminary work on a railroad scheme called the 
Green Bay, Wabashaw & Faribault Railroad Com- 
pany. The idea was to connect this part of the 
country with the Mississippi and great lakes 
direct. The roiid got so far as to appear on some 
of the maps, which is much further than many 
another railroad scheme has progressed, where 
there was quite as much noise. 

Cannon V.UjLey Railroad Company. — This 
company is really one of the oldest in the State, 
as it in the same corporation that was chartered in 
May, 1857, under the name of the Minnesota Cen- 
tral Railroad. The route was to be from Red Wing 
to the Missouri River. Additional acts and 
amendments have been passed at various times al- 
most every year since. lu 1867, it was arranged 
that the road should go from Red Wing oia Can- 
non Falls, Faribault, and Blue Earth, to the 
southern boundary of the State. The capital was 
at first fixed at $5,000,000. lu June, 1:872, Con- 
gress passed an act to permit a railroad bridge 
across the Mississippi at Red Wing, and the State 
of Wisconsin had the necessary legislatiou for a 



HAII.ItOADS. 



•MM 



oonnection with roads in that State. This was a 
land grant road, and the chartered rights iuchided 
the improvement of the Cannon Biver. Various 
contending interests and arrangements by old es- 
tablished lines with each other conspired to pre- 
vent the ct)nstruction of the line, the name of 
which had been changed, as well as the plans, as 
to the location. But a complete hist(_)ry of this 
and other roads that have been projected would 
make a large book, and we can only allude to what 
has actually been done. At last the men who 
were interested in this line were no longer to be 
beguiled by promises and in the winter of 1881- 
"82, tlie company was reorganized under the name 
of the Cannon Valley Railroad. The capital was 
fixed at «800,000 in shares of .IfSO each. The in- 
corporators were A. B. Stickney, William Eli 
Bramball. Conrad (rotzian, William B. Dean, R. 
G. Deathe, .Toel May, and J. C. Pierce. It was re- 
solved to build the road, and the Legislature in a 
special act having authorized th_- tveral towns 
and cities along tlie route to furnish aid, the fol- 
lowing in tliis county voted the sums severally set 
against their names: Morristown, $10,001); Fari- 
bault, $50,000; Northfield, .«10,000; Cannon Falls 
also voted .flO.OOO, and Red Wing iS50,00fl. 

In May, 1882, grading was commenced at sev- 
eral points, and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul Company, seeing that a rival line was l)uild- 
iug, backed up by a powerful rival com])any with 
Chicago and western connections, at once made a 
survey practically over the same route, and put 
on a large force of workmen to complete a line 
before this new company could possibly do it. 
The position occupied by this line is said to be 
a sort of neutral ground by a common under- 
standing between the "Northwestern" and the 
Chicago. Milwaukee &■ St. Paul companies. As 
this work goes to the printer, the following account 
from the "papers" will reveal the status of the 
case : 

"Northfield, July 10. — The excitement over 
the railroad war in this city reached a climax yes- 
terday, when the Chicago, Milwaukee it St. Paul 
road, in order to cross the Waterford wagon 
n>ad, worked their tracklayers all day. The 
officers of the company claim they did it be- 
cause the travel is light on Sunday and the 
public would be less inconvenienced. The sit- 
uation now is about as follows: Both com- 
panies have large criws of graders at work all 



along the line between this jjlace and Red Wing. 
Their lines cross each othci- in four dill'erent 
places. Work is being pushed and it looks very 
much as though both roads would be built, (ien. 
Supt. Clark, Asst. Gen. Supl. C. IT. Prior, Attor- 
neys Flandrcau, Wegg, and A. I). La Due came 
to Northfield to-day for the j)ur[)ose of looking 
over the situation of affairs and to incpure into 
the legal asjieet of the case. They make the fol- 
lowing statement: In no case has the Chicago, 
Milwaukee * St. Paul road located a mile of track 
on the located line of the Cannon Valley railroad. 
They say the Cannon Valley made the first \i\c- 
liminary survey, and the Chicago, Milwaukee & 
St. Paul the first permanent location. After the 
latter company located their line, the Cannon 
Valley changed their preliminary survey in several 
places and planted their stakes within a few feet of 
the located lino of the other road. The Milwaukee 
road claims that the law allows tlie riglit of way 
to the first [termaneutly located line. Friday, an 
injunction was served on the Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul by the Cannon Valley railroad, and it 
is understood from good authority that they will 
make a motion to have it removed to the United 
States court. It is reported that the Cannon Val- 
ley company have changed their line in the city 
limits and will run nearer the rivei than the new 
track laid by the other road. 

The Milwaukee road has either Ijiout^ht or 
served notices of suits for condemnation of a rifj;lif 
of way from Cannon Palls to Red Wing. 

A survey is being made by the Chicago, Mil- 
waukee & St. Paul road for a road between Fari- 
b;uilt and Waterville, which survey will be con- 
tinued in the towns on the Minnesota River. This 
is to I'etaliate for the movements into their terri- 
tory. 

The Cannon Valley road have surveyed a line 
from Red Wing to Cannon Falls on the south side 
of the river, crossing the river half a mile below 
the town, and crossing the other road just east of 
the depot. 

NEWS VIA MIIiW.MlKEE. 

Milwaukee, July 10. — Engineer Slieldon, of 
the Chicago, Milwaukee .t St. Paul road, left for 
Cannon Falls, Minn., to-day, where he will take 
charge of the surveyors at work on the liranch. 
Reports from the latter place, as well as from differ- 
ent points along the projected line, are to the 
effect that l)oth the Canmra Valley and the Mil- 



.-JOcS 



niHTOUT OF RICE COUNTY. 



waiikee i-oada ;ue making stremious eflorts to 
secure the right of way along their parallel routes. 
The Cannon Valley oflicials, at last report, had 
even gone so far as to institute an action against 
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul company. 
Nevertheless the work near Northfield is being 
pushed rapidly forward by both com]iauies. The 
Chicago, Milwaukee * St. Paul has a large force 
of men laying rails as rapidly as the grading will 
permit. The Cannon Valley has already let con- 
trac^ts tor the grading of its road from Northtield 
to Dundas. The Milwaukee otHcials here claim 
that the road to Red Wing will be in operation 
January 1, 1883. 

It is certain in any case that the Cannon Valley 
com))any will build that road." 

EDIU'ATIONAI,. 

The first school opened in the county, as far as 
we are able to learn, was kept by Edward J. 
Crump. Mr. A. Faribault and Luke Hulett fur- 
nished most if not all of the childi-en to attend. 
This was in the winter of 1853. Accounts of the 
early efforts to establish schools in several towns 
are given here as a sample <jf the early methods, 
anil how soon the teachers and scholars adapted 
themselves to tlwir surroundings, and how faith- 
fully they pursued the jjaths leading to knowledge. 
No attempt is made to cover all that was done at 
that time. 

lu th(^ spring and summer of 18.57, there wei'e 
three jirivate schools opened in Faribault, one 
kept liy Mrs. Dunning and daughter in a room 
west of the land office, one by Miss Tuttle in 
Cniiup's Hall, and the other by Miss Haskins in 
the house of Col. Stevens. This was just before 
t\u: public school building was completed, which 
tli(! citizens so commendably begau at such an 
early day. 

Miss H. G. Fisk, of Warner, Now Hampshire, 
o]j('ued a select school in the room which had been 
occupied by Miss Dunn. Miss Mary .'V. Fisk 
tauGjht music in the summer of 1857. 

Ill September, 1857, Miss Parisli, of Vermont, 
opeiKMl a select school iu Faribault. 

Scliool district No. (! had a schoolhou.se, 20x32 
feet, and sixty sclmlars. Richard Hoodland was 
teacher. 

District No. 7 was set oil' from No. 1 iu thi> fall 
of 1857. The scliool was kej)t in a house belong- 
ing to G. B Dntton, about a mile from Faribault. 
Miss Sarah Fisli was an earlv teacher. 



About this time there was a log house iu dis- 
trict No. 12 on East Prairie; it was ceiled and bat- 
tened overhead, and there were thirty-one schol- 
ars. E. Lyman Kendall was the teacher. 

The following is taken from the local press, and 
was published in the winter of 1857-58. 

".SCHOOLS IN EICE IIGUNTY. 

No. 1, Fakibadlt. — Seldom has our pen been 
exercised to make a more pleasant or satisfactory 
report than that which comes under the above 
head. The money panic pouncing upon us at a 
time when the district was considerably involved 
in conse(|uence of 'the purchase of a lot and the 
l>uilding of a first class schoolhouse, etc., has 
made the duties of the trustees arduous and 
thankless. 

Some time in November last, three teachers were 
employed and a partial but imperfect system of 
grading effected. Miss Mary Fisk taking charge 
of the primary department in Crump's Hall, and 
Mr. Fish aud Miss Parish, each occujiying a room 
in the schoolhouse, superintending the higher de- 
partments. These schools closed last week. We 
ha^'e visited them from time to time, and now pro- 
pi iss' to give others the benefit of our observa- 
tion. 

Miss Fisk has had under her tuition iu number 
from forty to fifty scholars, generally of the 
younger class. The feature in this school, most 
striking to the casual observer, has been the 
perfect system attending every exercise ; the 
best of order uniformly jorevailed, and so perfect 
was the teacher's self government that not a 
word or gesture seemed to escape her without 
b^ aring a significance which her pupils readily 
understand. In fact we have no hesistation iu 
jiionouncing it for system and good manners the 
imnlel si'hocd. 

Many of the scholiirs were backward for their 
age; yet their reading, spelling, and mental aritli- 
metic recitations were full of interest, especially 
were we pleased with their j)rompt recitation of 
passages of scripture, common tables, and their 
vocal music. 

Miss Parish came among us last fall a stranger, 
but her reputation as a teacher, which she hud 
established in Vermont, had jjreceded her. Of 
superior education, clear and pointed in her ex- 
planations, beloved of her school, were she but a 
little more thorough in her government we could 
find no point to criticise. Besides the tuition of 



K/irCATlONA/.. 



;i()9 



about tlfty ])upiis, comprisiug her ilfpartmeut of 
this school, Miss Parish has supofintondod a chiss 
ill algebra and oue in astronomy from the otlier 
department, both of which have made excellent 
improvement, considering tlie number uf classes 
she has heard, and the double amount of labor 
performed, she has certainly achieved great suc- 
cess. 

The de|jartraent over which Mr. Fish has pre- 
sided has beeu the largest and most difficult to man- 
age. He made a general examination of his classes 
last Saturday afternoon. The review was made with 
a design to ascertain the real improvement made 
and without any special preparation having been 
made for the occasion. The questions were pro- 
posed by the visitors as well as teacher. The per- 
f(3rmance was really very creditable and far sur- 
passed the general expectation. We think one 
geography class, a large class in Weld's gram- 
mar, the second class in spelling, and the entire 
performance in arithmetic to be worthy of particular 
notice, evincing such thorough mastery of ele- 
mental principles as is seldom attained. 

The general demeanor of the school gave evi- 
dence that it had beeu under the tuition of a gen- 
tleman. 

We want to give no undue praise to these 
teachers, and if we could not truthfully have 
spoken well of them we should proliably have said 
nothing. But it is apparent to thos<> who have 
visited our schools that under many difficulties 
these teachers have done for us this winter a noble 
work, and we should not withold that reward so 
dear to every teacher's heart, and yet the last to 
be conferred, viz: uppreriiition. 

Our schools should have continued at least an- 
other month, but circumstances forbade it. We 
hope (mr citizens will fill out by a select term the 
time which to their children is so precious. 

At some future time we will call up tlie subject 
of books, the endless variety of whicli is the 
source of the first great evil with which the 
teacher is obliged to contend." 

"No. 2, MoRKisTOWN. —By C. S. Craudall, teacher. 
Mk. 1\Iott, Sir': — In compliance witli your re- 
(piest, I report at the earliest opportunity. 

The room I occupy is in a log building IGxl.S 
in size. It is comfortbly warm, l)eing ceiled and 
battened. 

I have over fifty scholars in all and an averag(> at- 
tendance of about forty. They are about eipially 



divided into male and female and range in age 
from fotrr to twenty. 

I will attempt to give you a list of 
books in use, which you will find rather of a 
mixed account, the result I suppose of gathering 
scholars from all parts of the Union. My reading 
classes mostly use Sanders' series, I have fifteen 
in Sanders' fifth, six in McGuffey's fourth, and 
five in Sanders' second. In Sanders' pictorial 
primer I have a class of eight little girls and the 
smartest class you ever saw, tf)o. Besides these 
classes there are several independent clas.ses of one 
reading in his own book. In spelling, Sanders' 
speller is used by five: the elementary by twenty. 
In arithmetic I havi; a class of four young men 
now working in proportion, another class is in 
fractions; Ray's work part third is studied by 
twelve, part second by five, Colburn's mental by 
eight. In grammer I have five classes as follows: 
two pupils in Browns' grammar, oue in Smith's, 
one in Welds', one in Wells', and one in Hazen's. 
In geography, I liave six in Mitchell's large edi- 
tion, and two in the i)rimary. 

These are all the important facets I have to com- 
municate. C. S. Ckand/Vll." 

"No. 3, Shiei.dsviTjI.e. — This district was organ- 
ized just in time in the present winter to receive its 
share of the pulilie money; as a matter of course 
there was no schoolhouse till that time; a log 
house was fitted up for the purpose, with tempo- 
rary seats and desks, size II feet by 20; although 
not very comely in apperrauce, yet it is quite com- 
fortable. 

The number of scholars in the district is eighty- 
four; twenty-seven is the number of attendants, 
the average about twenty-two. The books in use 
are as follows, introduced by myself the present 
winter: Thompson's arithmetic. Wells' grammar, 
Mitchell's geography, Colburn's mental arithmetic 
for small scholars, Sandeis' series of readers and 
speller. With a few exceptions, these are the 
books used. 

There is to be a new si^hoolhou.se erected in the 
spring. 

The scholars, T think, are as far adv.aneed as they 
will average in the otlier schools in the county. 

The inhabitants are interested in improvement, 

and though from a foreign soil, they are loyal to 

Uncle Sam in the great principles of government 

and schools. 

W.u. ]5knti,f,v. Teacher.'' 



310 



niSTORT OP RTCB COUNTF. 



"No. 4, Waksaw. — The whole uiiinher of scholars 
is seventy-three, average attendance about fifty. 
The text books in use are Sanders" series of readers 
and speller, Adams' and Thompson's arithmetics, 
Colburn's mental arithmetic, Mitchell's school and 
primary geography, and Wells' grammar. 

Our school house, yon will remember, was de- 
stroyed l>y fire in November last. We have since 
occupied the building formerly used as a store by 
Hollister, Frink & Co., dimensions, 16x32 feet. 
It IS inconvenient, especially for so large a school, 
yet under the circumstances a better one could not 
be procured. 

The scholars have been well disposed, and have 
made good progress in their .studies; and I be- 
lieve the school, as a whole, will compare favorably 
with other schools in the county; at least I am 
willing it should stand upon its own merits alone. 
E. Darling, Teacher." 

"No. 5, Cannon City. — I. N. Sater, teacher. 
This school, under its excellent superintendance, 
has made fine improvement this winter. The 
average attendance has been fifty-seven. -With 
the exception of an excellent class in natural phi- 
losophy, only the common branches have been 
taught. 

To an advanced arithmetic class special notice 
is due; the largo number of adults, including 
eight over the age of twenty-one, has given this 
school a close resemblance to our higher institu- 
tions. 

In size the schoolhou.se is 32x40 feet, with 14 
feet posts. It occupies a picturesque site, and is 
a thoroughly finished, imposing structure, doing 
honer to the taste of its builders. It cost .'$1,400. 

The apportionment of the county fund this year 
gives this district ifll^)^' 

The state of Minnesota has a law in relation to 
text bofiks, which, under its provisions, are pro- 
vided through the county officers, and, to reveal 
the sentiment which usually prevailed in school 
circles in relation to the law and its workings, an 
extract from the County Superintendent's report 
from Kice county for the year 1880, is here given: 

"The school work of Rice county has not been 
as satisfactory for the year just closed as in the 
three jjrevious years, for two reasons. First, the 
change in text books which has taken jilaco has 
been slow and tedious. Hooks ordered early in the 
spring did not arrive until alter the summer schools 
liad been in session one and two months. The re- 



sidt was a lack of books, as the impression pre- 
vailed that no other books could be used. Sec- 
ond, the so-called cheap text-book law has stimu- 
lated the idea that cheap teachers should also be 
procured, and the result has been the employment 
of a larger' proportion of low grade, cheap 
teachers, and many of the best teachers have 
abandoned the profe.ssicm. 

The use of cheap text books naturally leads to 
the employment of cheap teachers, and the use of 
cheap apparatus, and results in lowering the 
standing and checking the progress of our schools. 

The working of the textbook law is burdensome 
not only to district officers, but to teachers t'lnd 
superintendents, as it takes up much valuable 
time that should be devoted to other work. 

If the law is to remain in force, the Legislature 
should modify it so that the contractor shall be 
obliged to place the books within reach of the 
pujiils without county or State assistance. If the 
books are the best and cheapest, they will be used. 
If they are not the best and cheapest, they should 
not be forced upon the schools through pains and 
penalties."' 

Like all innovations this law had to run the 
gauntlet. But it is believed to be working satis- 
factorily now. 

Some statisticts from the last annual school re- 
ports are here given : 

Scholars in attendance who are not of 
school age, and those who arc non-resi- 
dents 1.51 

Mumber entitled to apportionment .'J,480 

Total number enrolled in winter 4,7.')0 

" " " in summer 3,004 

Number of schools in all the districts 106 

Average daily attendance in winter 3,013 

" " " in summer 2,473 

Number of teachers in winter — men 44 

" • " " " women .... 06 

" " " summer — men.... 15 

" " " women . 99 

Average monthly w.ages — men $31 69 

' " " women 25 87 

Number of schoolhouses — 

Frame 70 

Brick 19 

Stone 6 

Log 9 

Total 110 



RELIGIOUS. 



:ill 



Value oC all the schonlhnnses and sites. .'ifi;-i5,520 

Numlior of common school districts 103 

Independent 1 

Si)eciid 2 

Whole number KM! 

Number of teachers, men 47 

" " women 11!! 

Total KiC 

Number of certificates grauted during the year — 
1st grade, men — 

" women •') 

'2d gr:id(% men 2fi 

" women 04 

Total Kr) 

3d grad(>, men 10 

" women 3!l 

Total 49 

Number of applications rejected 59 

Number of pi'ivate schools in the county — 

Catholic '2 

Protestant 8 

Total 10 

Enrollment in the above schools — 

Catholic 280 

Protestant 079 

Total 955 

Eight of the teachers have attended a Normal 
school and six are graduates. 

Tlie total amoinit paid for teachers wages dur- 
ing the year ending Augn.st 31, 1881, was $32,- 
385.27. 

The number of scholars in the eitiesand villages 
below named is as follows - 

Faribault 1,007 

Northfield 544 

Dun<las 197 

Morristown 170 

HbieldsviUe 81 

East Prairieville 70 

Brief items in relation to the several district 
schools vv'ill be found in the sketches of the towns 
in which they are located. The statistics here 
given will be of value as a basis for comparison 
at any future jieriod, and they show at the pres- 
ent time that tlie school system of the State, in its 
application to Rice county, is an object of especial 
r('ga:d. 



Ghaded Schools in the County. — There are 
tlu'ee of these graded districts, one in each of the 
following places: Faril)ault, Northfield, and Dun- 
das, and a few pronn'nent points in the workings of 
each are here given. Cost of buildings: Fariljault, 
.'if45,0()0; Northfield, 530,000; Dunda.s, $5,000. 
A])paratus: Faribault, .if500; Northfield, *75; 
Dundas, $50. Salary of Su|)erintendent: Fari- 
bault, $1,500. Average monthly salary of teach- 
ers: Faribault, .$41.11; Northtield, .$40,50; Dun- 
das, .$30.80. Number of scholars enrolled: Fari- 
bault, 1,0H4; Nortlifield, 594; Dundas, 204. 
Schools are kept from nine to nine anil one-lialf 
months in each ynxr. 

KRIJliloUS. 

In regard to the churcli edifices and the denom- 
inational scliools, of which the people are ju.stly so 
proud, and which have been the objects of such 
self-saciificing devotion, it is Imt a simple act of 
justice to acknowledge the invaluable aid ftir- 
nished by friends from tlie East. Large numbers 
who settled here were no sooner comfortably set- 
tled than they began to miss their accustomed 
religious privileges, and reflecting upon the 
admirable situation of those they left behind in 
this respect, wouhl lose no time in writing to 
those who would be likely to assist in a true mis- 
sionary spirit, in building churches in tlie West, 
reciting the needs of the new commimity, with 
the imperative necessity (.)f prompt action to 
save the new and fast swelling community in 
the West from impending infidelity. And, to 
the infinite credit of the East, it should be record- 
ed that the responses to these calls were efficient, 
and often sufficient to mi'ct the exigencies of the 
occasion. 

As a sample of what was actually done in the 
direction just indicated, an extract from a letter 
written Vty Dr. Chail(>s Jewett to Kev. Dr. Jacob 
Ide, of West Medway, Massachusetts, will be re- 
produced here. 

"/?(■». itnd Dear Sir: Worn and wearied by 
hard .service in the temperance cause, I thought to 
secure a little release from responsibilities and some 
i-elief from severe toil, by removing westward and 
devoting myself to the ([uiet labor of cultivating 
the soil. Well here 1 am, where the circumstances 
that surround me call for as severe and continuous 
labor as I liave ever been called upon to perform, 
though I think the character of the service more 
c<mducive to Ixxlilv health than that to which I 



312 



HISTORY OF RfCE COUNTT. 



have been accustomed. I .am as you see by the 
post-mark, in the territory of Minnesota, sixty 
miles south of St. Paul, forty west of the Missis- 
si])pi, and in latitude forty-four, on the very out- 
skirts of civilization, where the Indian chases the 
Jeer and the farmer follows the plow over the same 
acres, where heathenism and infidelity must be 
met on their own ground and conquered by Chris- 
tian faith and Christian love. * * * 
Last summer, a few of us, feeling our responsi- 
bilities and spiritual needs, sustained at the village, 
two and one-half miles distant from my residence, 
religious worship through a large portion of the 
season, where only the summer previous had stood 
more than a hundred lodges of the Sioux Indians. 

* * * There are about twenty male 
members of Congregational churche.s, and per- 
haps as many females, who will unite in the for- 
mation of a church; and the 7th of May is fixed 
upon as the time for organization. "We have as 
yet no place of worship, and hold our meetings 
in private houses. We want to build a church as 
early in the summer as possible, as there is no 
house in the village or on the prairies large enough 
to seat one- half the number who would attend on 
our worship, if we shall be able to secure, as we 
hope to, a faithful and able religious teacher. But 
how we are to accomplish what we so ardently de- 
sire puzzles our Ijump of calculation not a little, 
and draws pretty heavily (m our bank of faith. * 

* * Our old friends in the East must help 
us a little until we can get fairly on our feet, and 
then, with the blessing of God, we hope to be able 
to stand and become in turn, helpers of others. 
Minnesota is to be, I believe, the New England of 
the West, and exert, when it shall take its place 
among tlie States of the Union, a decided influ- 
ence on the right side of those great questions 
which are now agitating the country. -The fol- 
lowers of His Holiness the Pope, ever ready to 
seize on the best points, have contracted to have a 
church built here early ui the summer. Oh ! shall 
that be the fir,st church edifice in this lovely region ? 
God. and his faithful, forbid." 

The communication of which this is an extract 
was publislioil l>y Dr. Ido in The Congregatiimal- 
ist, of Boston, on the 9th of May, 1856, with the 
following remarks by Dr. Ide: 

" Tlie following letter from Dr. .Tewott is one of 
great interest. Though the churches, in the pres 
cut state of things, cannot respond to the call 



which every individual church in the West may 
be disjMsed to make, yet such are the circum- . 
stances of the community in which Dr. Jewett is 
located, and such are the feelings of the friends of 
temperance and religi(m in the commonwealth to- 
ward him for his long self denying and effective 
labors in the cause, that they will, it is believed, 
deem it a privilege to respond to the affecting ap- 
peal which he now makes for a little assistance at 
their hands. Medway will cheerfully pay the tax 
which is laid upon her." 

It is not strange that this appeal met a hearty 
response among a people who had sent millions 
for the purpose of Christianizing heathen savages, 
where, in an economical view, the expense and the 
return were woefully out of proportion. Dr. Ide's 
church contributed -Si.S; Milbury, where the Doc- 
tor had lived, gave S3.5; the Elliot church in New- 
ton, gave a Sunday-school library of two hundred 
volumes and more than one hundred dollars; the 
church in Whitinsville gave a bell, which was 
one of the first to ring out its peals in this region, 
awakening the prairie echoes before one-half of 
people had their houses properly covered and pro- 
vided with comfoi-ts. It was such efforts as these, 
supplemented by labor at home that transformed 
"tlie wilderness and the solitary places to blossom 
as the rose."' 

It is very pleasing to be able to say in this 
connection that while this work is writing, the im- 
plied promise of Dr. Jewett that these benefac- 
ticms should be repaid to other needy ones, when 
the ability should be acquired, is being fulfilled, 
as the Sunday-school is making arrangements to 
help pay for an org;m for a Sunday-school out in 
Dakota, one or more of the teachers in which 
having gone from here. Indeed it is certain that 
this obligation has been repaid in like manner ov(>r 
and over again. This subject is introduced to 
show the community of interest between the sev- 
eral sections of the country. 

Faribault and Northfield are noted for the num- 
ber of their churches, and in the other villages and 
throughiiut the county will be found a goodly 
number of the various denominations. 

SEVERAI, COUNTY ORG.\NIZATIONS. 

An Old Settlers' Association. — This was or- 
ganized on the 4th of February, 1874, at Faribault, 
with Luke Hulett, as president, and F. W. Frink 
as secretary. A constitution was adopted and the 
above mentioned officers were made penuanent. 



socim'fKs. 



313 



with the addition of James Shants as treasurer, 
aud the following vice-presidents: (j. L. Bush- 
noU, Northfield; J. S. Archibald, ]5ridgew,iter; 
Isaac Avery, Cannon City; Oliver Tripp, Walcott; 
William Close, Richland; H. C. Rolling, Wheeling; 
H. M. Matteson, Faribault ; J. Buck, Morristown ; 
J. W. Cowau, Wells; Peter Busoh, Warsaw; Patrick 
Murphy. Shieldsville; Charles McBride, Erin; P. 
Cody, Wheatland; Ferris Welister, Webster; John 
L. Dearborn, Forest. 

They had a grand reunion on the 23d of Feb- 
ruary, 1874, with speeches, songs, and a dance 
with a supper. The roads were badly blocked with 
snow, but about sixty turned out, and most of tliem 
although early settlers, were in the prime of life. 

Luke Hulett called the meetimg to order and 
(piite a number of old settlers gave tlieir early ex- 
perience, and from these speeches much of the 
earl history in tliis volume, relating to the early 
settlement of the county, was gathered, and so 
their stories will not be rejieated in tliis sketch of 
the association. 

At one of these meetings Mr. F. W. Frink n'- 
marked that, "While the men were relating their 
exploits, too little was said of the noble women 
who had torn themselves away from the endearing 
ties of early association, and without whose aid 
and a.ssistanee all efforts ti> establish civilization 
here would have been futile," and he related inci- 
dents illustrating the heroic courage, fortitude, and 
hopefulness of the wives of the pioneers, who sub- 
mitted to their hard surroundings in a manner be- 
yond all praise. 

At this meeting a committee was appointed to 
collect early history. Charles Jewett, H. B. Whip- 
ple, Dr. Schofield, J. C. Whipi)le, Mrs. J. C. Ide, 
George W. Newell, and the editors of the county 
papers, were made honorary members. 

On the 4th of March, 1875, the annual reunion 
took place in Faribault, and at this meeting Hon. 
O. F. Perkins made one of the speeches, an a!)- 
stract of which is given elsewhere. 

Mr. Mott contrasted the generous hospitality of 
the early times with the present, apparent paucity 
in this respect. Then, if a claim shauty had two bea.5 
there would be hardly a limit to the number that 
could be taken in. This occasion was an enjoya- 
ble one. with a supper, danc;', etc., at the Barron 
House. 

On the 13th of .January, 1876, the annual re- 
luiion occurred. The Hon. TJenry M. Piice was 



present by invitation, and delivered a most inter- 
esting address, full of anecdote and liistorical rem- 
inisceucas, a good part of which will be woven 
into the early history of the county. Bishoj) 
Whipple and others addressed the As.sociation, and 
at their ccmclnsion the usual festivities were en- 
joyed. 

The Old Settlers" reunion for 1877, was lioldcn 
on the 4tli of February. The address of the oc- 
casion was by Gen. H. H.Sibley, who paid a trib- 
ute to the character of Mr. Faribault, and ])resent- 
ed, in a very pleasing way, various recollections of 
pioneer life, among other things that sometime in 
18.57, Charles E. Flandreau came down from Yel- 
low Medicine and removed quite a number of the 
Waupakuta band of Indians, who were living on 
Mr. Faribault. The Rev. Dr. Neill was present 
and related some good anecdotes. 

On the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans, 
in 1878, the Old Settlers' Association convened, 
and the exercises were of the usual interesting 
character. 

At one of the meetings of the association. Cap- 
tain E. H. L. Jewett moved that Blrs. Emma 
Hulett Miller, of Hartford, Connecticut, tlie first 
wliite child born in Faribault, be elected an hon- 
orary member. 

Rice County AoRictTLTnn.vi, and MKi'nA>'H'AL 
AssocuTiON. — Pursuant to notice the citizens of 
Rice county met in Crump's Hall on Monday the 
22d of February, 1858, and effected a temporary 
organization by the a])poiutment of H. Riedell, 
Chairman and E. Thayer, Secretary. 

iV cconmittee on constitution and by-laws was 
then appointed, consisting of B. Stevens, A. B. 
Davis, and C. E. Davison. A connnittee on })cr- 
manent organization was also appointed, consist- 
ing of A. J. Tanner, Chas. Wheeler, and Dr. Tiu'- 
ner. These committees were instructed to report 
at their earliest convenience in the afternoiui ses- 
sion. 

Meeting convened at 1:30 o'clock r. m.. pursu- 
ant to adjournment, and received the report of the 
committee on constitution, which was adopted. 

The following officers were then duly elected for 
the ensuing year, being with few exceptions the 
names presenteij by the committee on permanent 
organization: President, .1. W. Nortli, Northfield: 
first vice-president, Levi Nutting, Faribault; sec- 
ond vice-president, T. H. Olin, Northfield; third 
vice-pr<'sident, T. N. Safer, Cannon City: rec'onl- 



314 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



ing secretary, L. A. Fish, Faribault; corresponding 
secretary, R. A. Mott, Faribault; treasurer, J. B. 
Cooper. Faribault; general committee, GL F. Pet- 
titt, Faribault; N. A. Swarthout, Cannon City; \V. 
E. Mansfield, East Prairie; John S. Way, North- 
field; Ferris Webster, Minnemedah; Mr. Bunnel, 
Wheatland; Allison Houck, Forest; Isaac Ham- 
mond, Houston; John Tufts, Shieldsville. 

This association was i-esuscituted on the 25th of 
June, 1870, the last meeting having been held in 
May, 1863. The officers elected were: president, 
Charles Wood; vice-presidents, J. G. Scott, of 
Morriston, Benjamin Ogdin, of Northfield and T. 
C. Adam.s, of Wolcott; recording secretary, R. A. 
Mott; corresponding secretary, H. C. Whitney; 
lioard of directors, Levi Nutting, E. W. Dike, 
George F. Batchelder, D. Stevens, and Mr. Hud- 
son, with a general poniniittee. 

In September of that year the third fair was held, 
in Northfield. 

C.\NNoN Valley AciiucrLTUBAi, and Mechani- 
cal Association. — This institution which seems to 
have supplanted all previous societies of a like 
character in the county, except local town associa- 
tions, wherever they exist, was organized in 1872, 
and the first fair held in 1873, wliich was the only 
one ever conducted by the association that was a 
financial success, although a number were after- 
wards held. The corporation was formed as a joint 
stock company ; $15,000 was subscribed and si^lO,- 
actually paid in, by about seventy members. The 
first officers of the association were: President, 
John Harding; treasurer, Z. S. Wilson: secretary, 
Hudson Wilson. 

The fair grounds were purchased of Randall 
Fuller, and about .f.'jiOOO in improvements made. 
The grounds embrace a half-mile track, stand, 
covered seats, and conveniences for exhibitions. 
The property finally reverted to Mr. Fuller in sat- 
isfaction of a mortgage he held. The last fair 
was given hi 1870, and the year following the as- 
sociation formally disbanded. 

The Rick County Ghanoe. — This was instituted 
on the il\\ of March, 1874, with thirty members. 

Rice County Anti-House Thief Society. — An 
organization, tlie object of which is indicated by 
the name, was cli'ected on the 1st of August, 1867, 
which has been kejit in working order ever since, 
and it is gratifying to be able to state that, al- 
though horses have been stolen from various mem- 
bers of the association, tliey liavo in every instance 



been recovered, and tlie thief not unfrequently 
caught and punished. The permanent officers of 
the society were: President, William H. Dike; 
vice-president, Luther Dearborn ; secretary, 
Thomas Mee; treasurer, Hudson Wilson; executive 
committee and other officers, G. M. Gillmore, 
Tliomas Mee, D. M. West, Charles Shields, James 
G. Scott, R. M. Norton, W. S. Leonard, H. A. 
Swartliont, Thom-is Kirk, M. S. Seymour, Joseph 
Covert, O. B. Hawley, H. C. Adams, Lyman H. 
Henderson, H. E. Barron, P. E. Brown, Samuel 
Dunham, C. Decker, T. H. Loyhed, J. C. Turner^ 
S. P. Terryll, J. G. Clark, D. P. Smith, Samuel 
Barnard, S. M. West, J. A. Winter, F. M. West, 
C. A. Giddings. Charles Sweetzer, F. M. Baker, J. 
G. Scott, R. M. Nortcm, Henry Hall, Andrew 
Thompson, Oscar Decker. Over 100 memliers 
were at once enrolled. The organization is still 
kept up, and it is likely that the fact of such a 
well appointed society being in existence in the 
county has reduced the horse stealing business to 
a niiuiranm here. The present officers are: Pres- 
ident, G. M. Gillmau; vice-president, H. M. Mat- 
teson; seci'etary, Thomas Mee; treasurer, Hudson 
Wilson; with an executive committee and several 
riders in each of the towns in the county. 

A Medical, and also a Bar Association existed in 
the county at one time, but very few traces of 
their existence now appear. 

vauious events. 

In securing claims in this new county, as 
everywhere along the constantly moving frontier, 
there was, as there still is, opportunity for sharp 
practices which were often put in requisition. The 
land officers have simply to conform to the require- 
ments of the law, and to accept the sworn state- 
ments of the jire-emptor, and when he conies to 
prove up his claim, sometimes swearing is required 
by the exigencies of the case which would re- 
ceive the designation of "tall," in the local ver- 
njicular. The improvements which were some- 
times declareil to have lieen made were often in 
con.structive obedience to the law, not unlike that 
of a southwestern frontiersman who cut tlie dates 
of two dillerent years on a couple of trees, and 
planting a hill of corn between them swore that 
he had raised corn between those yeass on that 
ground. By placing a whisky bottle in an aper- 
ture in the side of a shanty, it was not considered 
to be a very severe stretch of the conscience to 
swear that there was erlass in the windows. It is 



VAliWUS EVIiNTS. 



315 



lint claimed that, these things were dniie hern in a 
iiKirc aggravatiOJ way than olscwhf re. 

As au actual instance of honorabli- alertness, a 
case is stated where a man had <h'iven a stake 
with his name; and the law allowed thirty days in 
such a case for the man to occnpy it. As the 
thirty days drew to a close that claim was closely 
watched, and as the woiild-be proprietor failed to 
apjiear, at midnight the new elaimant drove his 
stake, and was at the laud office in Hastings 
when it was opened the next morning. The claim 
was secured, although, in the course of the lay, 
another man came to get hold of it, but too late. 

Among others who came here ou the represen- 
tations of Dr. Jewett, was a man whose wife be- 
c.ime homesick and dissatisfied with the country. 
She was at the Doctor's house one Sunday morn- 
ing when lie was preparing to officiate at religions 
seiwice iu some private house, and being pressed for 
timt^ he asked the lady to select an opening hymn 
which she did by placing a mark on the page. Ou 
opening it to give out the hymu he was taken 
aback to find this selection; 

** Ch. what .1 \vret("heil l.anii is tliis, 
That yioltls us no supply r" 

Of course the Doctor regretted that they ever 
came West. 

In those pioneer times Dr. .Tewett bad a hand 
mill in one corner of his house, to grind the meal 
used by his family, and some one told a man who 
lived miles away, that Dr. Jewett had a grist-mill, 
and so the man drove over with a wagon load of 
corn to be ground, rejoicing that civilization had 
reached Minnesota with one of its useful inven- 
tions. As he was introduced to the mill, his 
countenance would have furnished a good sub- 
ject for an artist's pencil. 

The Doctor spent the winter of IS.'il in New 
England, lecturing upon the agricultural resources 
of the West. He had maps of Minnesota, Illi- 
nois, and Iowa, with rivers, blufls, and prairie 
land carefully prepared, and he also had bo^es three 
feet long to show by vertical sections actual speci- 
mens of the soil, so that people could see for them- 
selves just what they would find on coming west. 

Newspajier articles like the following had much 
to do witli filling up this region: 

"TEN GOOD REASONS FOli EMIGBATING TO MINNE- 
SOTA FACTS FOR NEW ENGLANDEHS. 

1st. Its land.s, corresponding with the l)etter 
portiim of those drained by the Mississippi and 



its tributaries, are unsurpassed in fertility by any 
portion of our Union. 

2d. N(* State or Territory, at present inviting 
inimigration. is so well timbered, or comprises 
such an excellent v;iriety of woodland as Minne- 
sota. 

;id. Even New England the land of water- 
falls can boast no superior manufacturing ad- 
vantages upon a water-))ower basis. 

4th. The climatology and meteorology of Min- 
uesota are the wonder of tlu^ world. The disa- 
greement of the isothermal and geographical 
lines of latitude, brings the meau temperature of 
our seasons into correspondence with northern 
Ohio and southern New York, at the same time 
the dry, elastic, stimulating nature of our atmos- 
phere differs so vitally from the dam]), eousuiiip- 
tion giving air of the Atlantic States, as to lead 
us with perfect confidence to enunciate proposi- 
tion. 

.^th. No State east or south of us can compare 
favorably with Minnesota in those causes which 
produce health and vigor, and upon which, in a 
great measure, the prosperity of a State deiiends. 
We have never seen, since we made this Territory 
our home, any person prepared to dispute this 
lu-o))08ition, or even throw against it the weight 
of his opinion, while hundreds giving their own 
experience in evidence will attest its truth. 

fith. Its geographical position as such as 
ni.akes an carh/ and tlinronrjh development of our 
mighty resources probable; commanding as we 
do, the head waters of the largest lake and long- 
est river in the world. 

7th. So magnificent a system of trunk rail- 
roads, based upon munificent land grants, has 
never before fallen to the iulieritance of any Stat(>. 

8th. Such provisions for educational interests 
are without parallell in the history of the world. 
We have already four State Universities charter- 
ed. An immense University fund donated by the 
federal government, and for the maintenance of 
common schools, the magnificent be(piest of one 
sixteenth of the area of the State, or about three 
millions of acres, worth probably from twenty to 
thirty millions of dollars. 

9th. The character of the population of Min- 
nesota presents au anomaly iu the history of west- 
ern settlements, and no more refined, intelligent, 
or moral peojile can be found in so large an ag- 
gregate than are to be fonud in this new sov- 
ereignty. 



316 



HISTORY OF RICK COUNTY. 



10th. And finally we have what all emigrants 
want, seven millions of the best of soil yet un- 
occupied. 

We lack what emigrants can furnish ns, the 

hf:s( of itien. 

Let ua reciprocally satisfy these wants and 
thus fulfil our destiny." 

In May, 1871, the cjuestion as to the settlement 
of the old railroad bonds by arbitration, which was 
submitted to the people of the State, and defeated, 
received the following vote in Rice county : For 
the measure, 625; against it, .507, a majority of 
118 in favor of the proposition. 

Potato bugs first became plentiful in 1868. 

The number of marriages in the county during 
1868, was 118. 

In 186i), quite a movement was made to get up 
a new county with Northlield as the capital. 

On the 7th of .January, 1873, a terrible cyclone 
passed over the entire State and Eice county had 
its full share of the borean excitement. 

The flouring mills of Rice county, iu 1874, pro- 
duced 208,000 barrels of flour. 

Id 1878, there was a regularly organized wolf 
hunt, which shows how hard the old occupants of 
the country hokl on, and how difficult it is to 
completely dislodge them. 

On Thursday, the 4th of April, 186.5, the region 
of Rice county was visited by a terrible blizzard, 
which did an immense amount of injury to the 
crops and buildings. 

The total number of farms iu Rice county in 
1866 was 1,200. 

Gopher Hunt. — The amusements on the fron- 
tier are peculiar, and sometimes combine the most 
important utility with festive occasions. At this 
day it is hardly possible to realize the number of 
wild animals, including many whose habits were 
inimical to agricultural interests, and whose pres- 
enci! iu such infesting swarms it became necessary 
to abbn^viate with as little delay as possible. To 
illu.strate these several points, an account of a 
gopher hunt instituted by the young men of East 
Prairie, early in June, 1866, will be given. 

The two towns, Walcott and Ricliland, entered 
into the contest with a view to ascertaining which 
could secure the largest amount of this precious 
game in a given time, tlie defeated party to pay 
for the suj)i)(n' ordcreil at the close of the hunt. 
At the appointed time the two parties took the 
I'lild under ('ii])tains W. Carter and Theodore 



Close, respectively. On the 9th ot June the con- 
testants and their friends met at a picnic, and 
among the other delicacies served up on the occa- 
siou was a gopher pie, with a huge pocket go- 
pher crouched in the center, and rats with gray 
and striped gophers around the margin, with their 
heads peeping through holes in the crust; but 
other viands prepared were so eagerly sought after 
that this rare and appetizing dish was totally neg- 
lected. The numlier of animals secured on both 
sides footed up as follows: 

Gray gophers 1,358 

Striped gophers 1,083 

Rats 1,168 

Pocket gophers 464 

Makiug the almost incredible number of 4,073 

GENERAL REMARKS. 

The pioneers of this whole region were partic- 
ularly fortunate in their contact with the Indians; 
the scenes of massacre which began with the 
planting of the English colonies in Virginia and 
Massachusetts, and moved with the advancing 
civilization in a crimson line along the frontier, 
with the most heart rending atrocities, seem to 
have stopped at the Mississippi, leaving this sec- 
tion in peace and quietness, to reappear, however, 
in all its original fierceness to the west of us iu 
that terrible Sious itiassacre, so truthfully depic- 
ted in this work. 

Although the tomahawk and scalping knife were 
not a constant menace to the early comers, it 
must not be imagined that there was not toil, 
privation, cold, and hunger to undergo, for there 
was nothing in these wilds of Minnesota, except 
the intrinsic merit of the location, to attract peo- 
ple from their more or less comfortable homes 
in the East, or(m the other continent, from whence 
so many of them came. Those who first came 
were inspired with hope, which indeed "Springs 
eternal in the human breast," but they were re- 
garded by their friends who were left behind, as 
adventurers, soldiers of fortune, who, if they got 
through alive, would certainly never be able to 
return, unless they were jiarticularly fortunate. 
They were a sturdy race, who realized the inequal- 
ity of the struggle in the old States or Countries, 
where humanity on the one hand, claiming a 
riglit to " life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi- 
ness," and the accumulations of labor in vast ag- 
greg.ations in sordidly avaricious clutches ou the 
(itlier. hedgcnl in with traditional i)ie<^edents and 



OENKll. 1 /. lih:^tA I! KS. 



■Ml 



biirriors, with every facility for receiving, but with 
few outlets for ilistribiition, and they resolved t<i 
establish tlicmsolves where merit would not be su))- 
planted by antiquated relics of feudalism, whii'h 
alllii't all the old communities. 

The men who came here to establish homes hir 
themselves and their i)osterity. were, as a rule, 
enterprising, open-hearted, clear headed and sym- 
p;ithizing; they were good neighbors and so 
good neighborhoods were created, and they made 
a practical illustraticm of the great doctrine of the 
" brotherhood of man," by example rather than by 
([noting creeds, or conforming to outward obser- 
vances which may or may not spring from motives 
of purity, with a bravery that never blanched in the 
midst of misfortune or danger, however appalling, 
they were nevertheless tender, kind, and consid- 
erate in the presence of disaster and adversity, 
and their deticiences in the outward manifesta- 
tions of piety, were more than compensated by 
their love and regard for the claims of humanitv. 

We, who enjoy the blessings i-csnltiug from the 
efforts of these men, many of whom are still in 
active life, would be less than human if we were 
not filled with gratitude to these early settlers 
who paved the way and made the condition of 
things we now find a reality. The value of what 
they accomplished can not be overestimated, and it 
should be constantly remembered that whatever 
of romance adhered to the hardy colonists, was 
more than compensated for by hard work. 

If this meed of praise is justly due to the men, as 
it certainly is, what shall be said in commenda- 
tion of the heroic women who braved the vicissi- 
tudes of frontier life, endured the absence from 
home, frietds, and old associations, whose tender 
ties must have wrung all hearts as they were 
severed? The devotion which would lead to such 
a breaking away, to follow a father, a husband, 
or a s<m, into the trackless waste beyond the 
Mississippi, where gloomy apprehensions must 
have arisen in the mind, is above all praise. The 
value of the part taken by the noble women who 
first came to this uninhabited region cannot be 
overestimated. Although by nature liberal, they 
practiced the most rigid economy, and often at 
critical times preserved order, reclaiming the men 
from utter despair during gloomy periods; and 
their example of frugal industry and cheerful- 
ness, constantly admonished him to renewed ex- 
ertions, the instincts of womanhood, constantly 
encouraging integrity and manhood. 



As to the cllei'ts of fnontior lif<', sixMally and 
morally, uiion tlu'S(! who have secured homes west 
of the Mississippi, a few ol)servati:_)ns may not be 
inap])ri)priat(!. 

During the last generation a noted divine in the 
l'',ast, Uev. Dr. Bushnell, ])reached a seriiuiii on the 
barliaioiis tendencies of ('ivilization in tlie W(«t, 
and on this the Reverend gentleman predicated 
an urgent appeal to Christianity to put forth re- 
newed and strenuous ellbrts to save this region 
from a relapse into barbarism. This tendency was 
supjjosed to result from the disruption of social 
and religious ties, the mingling of heterogeneous 
elements, and the removal of the external re- 
straints so commcm, and supposed to be so ])otent 
in older communities. It is evident, however, 
that Dr. Bushnell did not have a sufficiently ex- 
tended view of the suljject, for the arbitrament of 
time has shown that his apprehensions were 
groundless, for if he had carefully surveyed the 
history of the past, he would have found that in a 
niunadic condition there is never any real j)ro- 
gress in refinement. Institutions for the elevation 
of the race must be planted deep in the soil, be- 
fore they can raise their heads in beauty and 
majesty toward heaven and bear fruit for the en- 
iij;htenment of the nations. The evils that so 
alarmed Dr. Bushnell were merely temporary in 
their character, without a lasting impression. 
The planting of a new colony where everything 
has to be constructed, involves an obvious increase 
of human freedom, the conveutionalities of society 
are necessarily disregarded to a great extent, but 
the elements of sincere regard for the feelings and 
welfare of others, and of self government every- 
where, largely predominates, and the fusion of 
the races modifies the asperities and the idiosyu- 
cracies of each, and certaiidy will in due time 
create a composite nationality in which it isho))ed, 
in conformity to the spirit of this remarkable age, 
will produce a nationality or a race as unlike, as it 
must be superior to those that have preceded it. 
Even now, before the first generation has passed 
away, society here has outgrown the irritation of 
the transplanting, and there are no more vicious 
elements in society, if as many, as there are 
in the old communities, as the criminal statistics 
abundantly show. 

Besides the West is already ■• pointing with 
pride," to her educational institutions, where the 
teaching is of an elevating and ennobling charac- 
ter. 



318 



HISTORY OF RICE UOVNTY. 



CITY OF FARIBAULT. 



CHAPTEK L. 

CENHUAL DESOlUrTION EAIiLY SETTLEMENT — 

KAULY EVENTS — INDOSTEIAL ENTEUrEISES — STATE 
INSTITUTIONS — SHATTUCK SCHOOI, — SEABUKY DI- 
VINITY SCHOOL CHURCHES — PUBLIC SCHOOLS — 

FKATEISNAL AND OTHER SOCIETIES. 

This is an inJeiJenJent political subdivision of 
the county of Rice, with a city government, and 
embraces a fraction from Cannon City, from 
Wells, from Walcott, and ivu\n Warsaw, the pro- 
portionate quantity of territory being in the or- 
der named, and three miles scpiare, which gives, of 
course, nine square miles. 

Its jjositiou brings the center of the city within 
three milej of the geographical center of the 
county of which it is the capital. It originally 
possessed advantages of a high order, which have 
been so well appreciated that it is one of the finest 
and most prosperous cities in Minnesota. It is 
situated with a prairie comiug uj) from tlic south 
and leaving it in the concave of a lunette of tim- 
ber called the "Big Woods," extending north and 
west for a great distance. 

It is on the Straight lliver, on the jieuiusula 
formed by its continence with Cannon River. The 
water-power is large and reliable, and its utiliza- 
tion has been one of the important elements con- 
tributing to its growth and prosperity. The ex- 
tent of the timber above mentioned was at least 
1,800 square miles, or 1,1.52,000 acres, consistiug 
of oak, maple, bass, elm, poplar, and in some 
places black walnut, butternut, cedar, and syca- 
more; and immediately around Faribault it would 
out a handsome amount of lumber to each acre, 
and leave good material for fences and fuel. The 
Straight River timber, which laid to the south and 
east, running into Steele county, comprised an area 
of from three to four thousand miles. The Can- 
non River belt came in at an acute angle, so that 
both bodies were ready to be drawn from, not with 
that extreme economy which is |)racticed in com- 



munities where, from its scarcity, timber is fully 
appreciated, nor has it been wasted, as in the local- 
ities where the getting rid of it is the problem 
that exercises every new comer. The Cannon and 
Straight Rivers run with strong currents, the 
Straight being the smaller of the two, and this, it 
is estimated, at the lowest stages passes 1,600 cubic 
feet in a minute. 

Three lime stone ([uarries were opened at an 
early day, one by Mr. A. Faribault, operated by 
Mr. Whipple, one by Charles Wood, and one i>y 
M. N. Pond. 

In 1856, two lime kilns were opened, Levi Nut- 
ting had one, and Mr. Woodman the other. Take 
these natural resources, associated with a county 
having a rich and valuable soil which was rapidl.y 
occupied with an industrious and intelligent popu- 
lation, and you have the elements tor the growth 
and prosperity of the city of Faribault. All this 
being supplemented by the advent in the city of 
an unusual pioportion of enterprising and puljlic 
spirited men and women, and there is no wonder 
at what has been accomplished toward bringing 
the shire town of Rice county so far along in the 
race for metropolitan distinction. 

In preparing the history of a county in which 
the city plays such a prominent part as does Fari- 
bault in that of Rice county, the difficulty of 
drawing lines of demarcation between what should 
apjiertain to the one or the other, excepting in 
mere political or governmental atfairs, can be 
readily appreciated after a moment's thought, and 
in this work it will be seen that a sketch of the 
early settlei'S of the city would be a simple reca- 
pitulation of the coanty article, which is so 'full 
iu this regard. An attempt is made, howi^ver, to 
group the items clearly belonging to the city in 
this part of the book. 

The first pi-oprietors of what was known as the 
"Old Town," were Alexander Faribault, Luke 
HuU'tt, W. Morris, H. H. Sibley; and afterwanls 



CITY OF h'AltllSAULT. 



:!H) 



came the names of J. W. North, Porter Nutting, 
J. H. Mills, R. Sherwood, Sen., Samuel W;ileott; 
and in the fall of 1855, (Sen. James Shields, of 
Mexican war fame, who had been a United States 
Si.'uator from Illinois, and was afterwards Senator 
from Minnesota for the first short term after the 
St.ite was admitted into the Union. He was sub- 
se(inently a Senator from Missouri, the only iu- 
stauoe in this country where a man has represent- 
e 1 three diilerent States in the American Senate. 
He purchased an interest in the town site, and be- 
came the agent and attorney for tlie company, re- 
ceiving his deed from Judge Chatfield, who form- 
ally entered the town according to the act making 
j)rovisions tlierefore, on the 'i'Jth of May, 18.55, 
and for several years General Shields issued titles 
to all the lots sold. 

The oi'iginal town, as surveyed and platted by 
B. Densmore, contained 280 acres, but additions 
were soon made as follows: Paquiu's, surveyed 
by G. C Perkins and recorded December 7th, 
18.05, and April 16th, 18.50, eighty acres; Cooper's, 
surveyed by A. H. BuUis, and recorded April 3d, 
18.50, forty acres; McClelland's, surveyed by S. 
Wade, and recorded April 30th, 185G, forty-two 
acres; South Fariliault, surveyed by G. G. Perk- 
ins, Shields and Fiiril)ault, proprietors, and re- 
corded May 1st, 1850, fifty acres; North Fari- 
bault, surveyed by A. H. Bullis, F. Faribault, pro- 
prietor, forty acres, making in 1850, a total of 532 
acres. All the lots were four by ten rod.s, making 
one-fourth of an acre each, except the business 
lots, which were two rods sliorter. 

In the winter of 1857, the lots were selling at 
from .ftSOO to $3,000, which ought to have biien a 
satisfactory advance on thirty-one and one-quarter 
cents, paid the government a year or two before. 

The tidal wave, or avalanche, whichever is most 
ai)propriate to designate an oncoming of human- 
ity and wealth, was in the s])ring and summer of 
■ 1850, for at the beginning of that period there 
was not a score of buildings in town, while 
in the fall there were more than 250, and the 
population had swelled up to lie 1,500 or more. 
There were in the town early in 1857, twenty- 
three stores, fimr good hotels, live wagon shop.s, 
with blacksmith and shoemaker shops, two livt^rv 
stables, two meat markets, and three steam mills, 
and surrounded by a rich country, fast tilling n\\ 
its growth and prosperity was an assurance which 
has been well realized. 



In the winter of 185G, Faribault had a lit(^rary 
association, and |)ublislied a paper called "The 
Pioneer." 

Goods at first hail to be hauled from Hastings, 
making ;i round trip of about 110 miles, although 
in somi seasons of the year su])plies wen? landed 
on the Mississippi at Iveed's landing, at the foot 
of Lake Pepin. 

The first frame buihlnig |mt up here was by 
Mr. Faribault, cpiite a good one and in striking 
contrast with the log cabin.s, hovels, and shanties 
which wore extempoi'ized by the pioneers on thi'ir 
first arrival, to meet the imperative demands for 
shelter. The cost of this first building was SI, 000. 
The lumber for its construction was brouglit from 
St. Paul; a ])art of it was left on the road, as the 
team was unable to get through with such a load, 
and this was burned by a prairie tire. The next 
frame was erected by the Messrs. Barnard, at a 
cost of SI, 000, which was afterwards occupied by 
J. H. Mills. This was in August, 1855, and 
during that season (prite a number of others went 
up. Faribault's house still stands, not far from 
the Barron house. The Post-office, which was 
ke[)t. by Mr. E. J. Crump, the deputy, was o])po- 
site where the Arlington House stands. 

At first there w,as a struggle between the two 
ends of the village, the south and the north. Mr. 
Faribault lived at the south, and the French (!a- 
nadian settlement was at the north end, and in 
any contest where there was a vote on the ipies- 
tiou, the countrymen of Mr. Faribault would go 
with him, apparently against their own interest. 

Mr. Crump had a pre-emption claim which lie 
was induced to waive in consideration of the 
company's giving him the eutiie block upon 
which the Arlington hou.se stands. 

General Shields had several thousand dollars, 
and procuring a pair of hor.ses and a carriagiN he 
traveled all over this country finally bringing up 
in Shieldsville, where lii^ was getting quite a 
settlement wIk'm Mr. Faribault oll'ere<l him such 
liberable induei'nieuts to act for the town site 
company, that he at once came here. The trouble 
as to the ownership, and the adjustment of the 
rival pre-emption claims, was considerable, but 
the General went to Washington where his ex- 
perience in tlie lantl olliee enabled him to .secure 
a clear title. It is supposed that the diaappoiut- 
raeut attcuding his political aspirations led to the 
sudden abandonment of his property here to his 
nephew. 



320 



HISTORY OF RIGE COUNTY. 



One of the first meetings for religiotis instruc- 
tion was in A])ril, 1854, in the grove near Luke 
Hulett's, north of the bridge, on the Solomon 
Atliertou place, by an itinerant evangelist. The 
audience was made up mostly of the Wau-pa-ku- 
ta-Dakotas who were here in considerable num- 
bers. The first denominational service was by 
Jonathan Morris, a follower of Alexander Camp- 
bell. 

The village lots were surveyed in April, 1854, 
and there were five claims covering the town at 
that time. Mr. A. Faribault had the upper 
claim; J. B. Faribault, the father of Alexander, 
had another; Mr. N. Paquin had the lower part 
of the town; while H. H. Sibley held the central 
part, which, at that early day, Mr. Faribault in- 
formed his particular friends sub roxtt, was to 
linally make a city with that as a center. 

It was found that under the pre emjjtion law, 
town sites could be laid out in advance of the 
land sale, and so it was arranged to lay out the 
town at once, and the west, or prairie half, was 
surveyed and platted, and filed in the recorder's 
office at Mendota, in the name of A. Faribault, 
H. H. Sibley, Walter Morris, and Luke Hulett. 
This survey was subsequently cancelled, and, 
under the auspices of J. B. North, a re-.survey was 
made in the spring of 1855. This became per- 
manent. In the fullness of time. Judge Chat- 
field was induced to become the trustee; the land 
of Gen. Sibley was pre-empited, and through the 
paramount iufiuence of Geu. James Shields, who, 
as mentioned elsewhere, had dawned upon the 
scene, the title was finally vtstedsoasto be lasting. 

The city of Faribault proper is mostly in the 
ciil lie .vac, formed by the coming together of the 
Straight and the Cannon Rivers on the northern 
boundary. A part of the platted city lays east of 
the Straight River including the Shattuck School, 
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, St. Mary's New 
Hall, the Divinity School, the Asylum for the 
Blind, and the Institute for the Idiotic and 
Feeble Minded, and <juite a number of residences. 
These two parts of the city are connected by tour 
bridges. The cast side is ou a bluff which rises 
abruj)tly from the river and overlooks- the rest 
of the city and country beyond, affording a fine 
view from the jmblic institutions located there. 
The direction of the streets are coincident with 
the cardinal points of the comijass. The east and 
west street crossing the river at the uppermost 



jioint is Front street, and soiith of this, iu the 
same direction are Hickory, Pine, and South 
streets. North of Front, the streets are numbered 
consecutively. First, Second, and so ou up to 
Fifteenth, which is at the confluence of the two 
rivers. The north and south streets are, Main, the 
principal business street, which, commencing at the 
south end, goes north to near the junction of the 
two rivers. Willow is east of this, and next to 
the river; next is Water, which, on account of a 
curve in the river is on both sides of it, then 
comes Oak, Walnnt, Vine, and Ash. On this side 
the Hastings' road is a continuation of Second 
street which deflects to the left. West of Main 
street, and parallel with it, the streets are Elm, 
Chestnut, Maple, Cherry, Cedar, Plum, Sycamore 
and Buckeye, which is next east of the railroad. 
West of the railroad are Ir\dug, Cross, and Lin- 
coln streets. This rejjresents the street system of 
Faribault, and there are several other short diag- 
onal streets particularly at the south end of the 
city. The streets are of good width and have 
sidewalks, some of the outlying ones, however, 
only on one side. They are usually of plank. 
All the resident streets have shade trees which 
are young and thrifty, and the common mistake 
is made of allowing them to limb out too low 
down, so that they obstruct the light and the 
passage way, as in many streets an average man 
cannot walk without getting his hat brushed, 
which is anything but agreeable, especially in a 
wet time, but this is evidently a result of a facetious 
conspiracy against the glossy integrity of the few 
remaining sill: /mis, or it may bo from simple 
thoughtlessness, which attention to the subject 
will correct without the interposition of a city 
ordinance. The blocks are laid out without 
alleys which will be missed more and more as the 
city gets solidly built up. A few, however, have 
been opened up. The city is admirably situated, 
with good drainage facilities, and high and dry 
above possible inundation by river floods. As to 
healthfulness, there are seldom any prevailing 
diseases. 

In addition to the regular residents of the city; 
there is a ti'ansitory population, brought hither 
by the schools which have such a wide reputation' 
and who remain for longer or shorter periods, 
pending the education of their children. While 
the city is metro]jolitan as far as churches, schools, 
public halls, mercantile establishments, and the 



CITY Oh' h'AinHAULT. 



321 



various coucomitants of an advanced civilization are 
concerned, it ia nevertheless a rural city, where 
the advantages of urban and suburban lite can be 
enjoyed together, without the annoyances inci- 
dent to conditions where they have to bo sought 
separately. 

The business houses and manufacturing estab- 
lishments are commodious and well adapted for 
their several purposes. The residences are in ac- 
cordance witli prevailing ideas as to what consti- 
tutes a home, and there is a gratifying absence of 
those extremes met with in older communities, 
where the palaces with their columns, pilasters, 
caryatides, entablatures, cornices, towers, and 
minarets, in the midst of ornamented grounds, 
with trees, flowers, fountains, and statuary en- 
closed by lofty walls, and gates guarded by por- 
ter's lodges, which suggest and point with un- 
erring certainty to miserable hovels and abodes of 
squalor and wretchedness, which are the counter- 
part, or the other picture, upon which it is not so 
pleasant to look. The luxuriance and ease on the 
one hand being procured by the labor and depri- 
vation on the other. These extremes are not met 
with here, the pei)j)le are all well housed and com- 
fortable, showing that our republican institutions 
are not a failure, but that they have realized the 
idea that all men are created free and equal, and 
also established the possibility of their remaining 
so after they are born. 

VARIOUS EVENTS OF INTEREST CHRONOLOGIC.\I.LY 
ARRANGED. 

A ladies' benevolent association was formed in 
1855, and the first annual meeting held on the 
14th of January, 1856. Mrs. Charles Jewett was 
the president, and the other oaioers were, Blrs. 
Armsby, Mrs. Rising West, Mrs. Tower, Mrs. 
Stevens, and Mrs. Edwin Armstrong. This sliows 
that the noble women who first came here brouglit 
with them a regard for humanity in its dependent 
moods. 

THE YEAB 1857. 

On the 7th of January the Congregational 
church was dedicated, and Rev. Lauren Armstrong 
was installed as pastor of the church. Those as- 
sisting were. Rev. Mr. Cressey, of Cannon City; 
Rev. Mr. Barnes, of Cannon Falls ; and Rev. Mr. 
Secombe. The people adhering to this faith ex- 
hibited great energy in thus providing, at such an 
early day, for their spiritual wants. 
21 



The laid office was removed here from Winona 
some time toward tlio last of January. The teams 
were eight days on the road with the documents. 

On the 24th of February three young men 
started to drive to the lake, and on tlieir way were 
liailed by a young Indian with a gun, who asked 
for a ride, and without slacking up they beckoned 
him to " come on," which he did. As he reached 
the carriage, and was about clambering in, his 
musket was discharged, and the ball penetrated 
tlie arm of one of the young men, Godfrey Xa- 
vier, breaking the bone above the elbow, and sev- 
ering an artery. The Indian was arrested, but on 
an examination the accidental character of the 
shooting was shown, and he was discharged. 

On the 17th of February two children of Mr. 
Frederick Faribault, residing in an addition to 
the city, while he was away from home, were 
burned to death in the house, which was con- 
sumed, it having caught or been set on fire, the 
other membtrs of the family escaping with great 
difficulty, one or two of them being seriously 
burned. 

The lirst quarterly returns of the Fariljault 
Post-office footed up .§'24(1 on letters alone. 

At the election for delegates to the Constitu- 
tional Convention, the whole number of votes cast 
was 1,089. 

Mr. Tillotson was appointed Receiver of the 
land office in place of L. D. Smith, who had re- 
signed. 

Business at the land office for a single month, 
ending on the 19th of June, 1857, was as follows: 
Acres located, 118,178; with land warrants, 106,- 
380; with cash, 11,798. 

The taxable property In Faribault, returned on 
the 1st of January, 1856, was $613,364, and the 
tax assessed was .f613.36, or one per cent. 

Mail matter received and sent at the Faribault 
Post-office in 1857 averaged from 1,800 to 2,000 
pieces a week, which was (|uite a jump from two 
pieces, in 1853. 

Judge H. C. Lowell was appointed register of 
the land office in this year. 

A surveying party on a projected line of rail- 
road reached Faribault in June. 

During the summer a jjlank road was built be- 
tween Faribault and Cannon City. 

In July McCarn & Co. put on a new stage 



322 



UTSrOllT OF niOE COUNTY. 



line to Hastings. The first line whs run by 
White, and afterward by Walker, the great fron- 
tier stage driver. 

Clark and Weld got their saw mill rnuning *in 
Faribault in July. 

The first Saturday iu August the bell of the 
Congregational church was hung in Faribault. It 
weighed 1,000 pounds, and was claimed to be the 
first bell, of which there is a large family, west of 
the Mississippi. 

In 1857, the grasshoppers came in the vicinity 
of the county, and excited considerable curiosity, 
not unmingled with alanu. 

On the 15th of September a meeting was held 
iu the city to organize a oemetery association. A. 
J. Tanner was the Chairman; E. P. Mills, William 
Thoter, Charles Wood, K. A. Mott, E. D. GilTord, 
(i. W. Balch, Elder L. S. Pease, H. Kiedoll, Arch, 
(iibsou, Charles Williams, Thomas 8. Buckham, 
and others, were interested in the movement. 

The first movement to establish an institution 
of learning in Faribault was in September, by a 
committee consisting of Rev. Solon 'W. Mauuey, 
Rev. E. .Steele Peake, Messrs. Lloyd and Breck_ 
At this meeting Messrs. Dike, Mott, Faribault, 
Paquin, and Boardman were designated to receive 
subscriptions of land or money. 

There was a robbery of the land office in Sep- 
tember of warrants to the amount of .'i!40,000. 
They -Here, however, recovered, except four from 
the abstractor. Mason B. Clark, a Postmaster, who 
lived at Sacramento, a place sixty miles west of 
Red Wing. 

In the fall of 1H57, at the time of that financial 
depression, Faribault had arrived at a condition of 
prosperity which was most remarkable, and it is 
certain that all who were here at that time should 
be designated as old settlers, and so a sketch of 
the city, written by Mr. Mott for his paper, is re- 
jjroduoed. 

"But one church now stands in this place, viz., 
the Congregational. A fine church, built by the 
Catholics, was liurned last fall. In addition, Bap- 
tist, Methodist, Episcopal, and Lutheran organiza- 
tions exist, stated preaching having been secured 
to each. 

One schoolliouse has been erected at a cost of 
$2,000. It is now occupied by two teachers. An- 
other school is sustained in a commodious hall. 
These teachershave now under their tuition, about 
125 pu])ils. 



A brass band; a string band; a vocal club; a 
singing school; a Mason's and Odd Fellow's lodge, 
are all in successful existence. 

Our mail service has been decreased since the 
close of summer, but we still have fifteen arrivals 
and eighteen departures weekly. 

We have been unable to obtain the last census 
re])ort, but tlie enumeration made by the assessor 
last June gave this town a population of 1683. It 
is now reported at over 2,000. By actual count 
there were, some time since, over 250 buildings in 
the place. Faribault has become the center of 
trade for a large section of country, of the exten- 
sion of which some idea can be formed from a list 
of business establishments which we now proceed 
to give: 

There are eight establishments in the general 
variety line, comprising dry goods, groceries' 
hardware, farming tools, Arc. — The amount of busi- 
ness transacted bj' these houses now during these 
hard times would give them an annual trade of 
over 8200,000. 

There are four large houses dealing exclusively 
in hardware. 

Tliree heavy grocery stores. (These have no 
connections with the Devil's recruiting stations, of 
which there are six or eight. ) 

Three clothing and furnishing stores. 

Three meat and provision markets. 

Two drug stores. 

Two first-class restaurants. 

Two furniture stores and cabinet shops. 

Three livery stables. 

Three blacksmith shops, which employ eight 
hands. 

One harness shop. 

Two boot and shoe stores. 

One wagon and sleigh shop. 

One broom factory. 

One grist-mill, with three more within three 
miles. 

Two saw-mills, with seven more witliin three 
miles. 

One planiug-mill. 

One billiard saloon. 

Two bowling alleys. 

One race course. 

So far as our memory serves, the following list 
comprises the business men of the place: 

Town Puopeietors — Shields k McCutchen, A. 
Faribault, J. Cooper, H. McClelland, N. Pacpiiu, 
A. Faribault, Turner & Batchelder. 



CITY OF l<'AI{lllAUi:r. 



;i'23 



Cleuoymen — L. Armsby, T. K. Cressey, J. H. 
White. 

Physicians — Bemis, Leighton, Biirluiiis, Deni- 
sou, Stevens, and Turner. 

Dentistry — Dr. Stevens and Dr. Biggs. 

Teacheks — L. A. Fish, Miss Parish, Bliss Sanih 
Fisk. 

Landlokds — Barron House, H E. Barron; 
National, E. D. (Jifford; Faribault House^ T. 
Nutting. 

Bankees and Land Agents — Shields & Mc- 
Cutcheu, G. W. Boardmau & Co., H. Wilson & Co., 
Mcllrath, Cole & Co., L. S. Pease & Co. 

Attorneys and Cottnsellors at Law — Batch- 
elder k Buckham, Cole & Raymond, Davis & Tan- 
ner, Berry A- Perkins, H. W. Lamberton, O. A. 
Dalrymple, C. Williams, G. E. Skinner. 

Surveyors — A. H. Bullis, R. H. L. Jewett, G. 
F. Batchelder. 

Merchants — General Variety — Tower <t 
Brother, J. A. Moore, J. H. Mills & Son, Mr. 
McGreavy, Van Brunt & Misener, Fuller & Smith, 
J. H. Winter, D. Munch. 

Hardware -C. T. Hinde & Co., Cottrell & 
Brother, T. H. Loyhed, Cooper & Renwick. 

Geocekies — Chaffee & Berry, F. B. Nason & 
Co., Mr. Braley. 

Clothinc; — W. S. Eastman, Raunecker & Hart- 
man, P. B. Crosby & Co. 

Provision Markets — M. Cole, C. T. Winans, 
Nutting & Dickinson. 

Restaurants— C. M. Milspaugh, J. & A. Man- 
heim. 

Drug Stores — Wheeler k Thayer, Stevens & 
Thayer. 

Fdrnitcre Stores — Hill i- Brockway, Wandell 
& WorliH. 

Millinery — Mrs. L. Clement, Mrs. O. M. Cran- 
dall. 

Liveries— D. Smith & Co,, T. Smith. 

Jewelry — J. L. Wilcox & Co. 

Harness Shop — E. C. Hinde. 

Wagon Shop — J. D. Denison. 

Architects and Builders — Hink & Newcomb, 
Davison i: demons, R. W. Russ, A. A- J. Nutting. 

Broom Factory — Misener & Brother. 

Shingle-Mill — J. M. White. 

Saw-Mills — Gibson & Co., H. Riedell. 

Grist-Mill — Gibson & Co. 

PL.4.NINO-M1LL— Clark i- Weld. 

Shoe Shop— D. O'Brien. 



Our merchants are all well stocked, and tlioy 
are generally as fine dealers as ever stood l)el)iiid 
the counter. Our landlords are all gentlemen, and 
spare no pains to make travelers at home. Our 
mechanics have increaK(Hl, greatly, their facilities 
for doing good work. Our places of amusement 
would lose their objectionable features if intoxi- 
cating drinks could be banished from their jire- 
cincts. 

We would urge eastern mechanics and capital- 
ists, who feel like hrcitking out into the frea North- 
west, to grow up with it, to jiay us a visit next 
spring. We want men with bronzed faces and 
horney hands; men and women who can cheerfully 
lock arms with toil. We promise you that toil 
will here be richly remunerated. We are, now 
especially, in need of plough, reaper, and mower 
factories, and a pair of jolly coopers." 

Those who are acquainted here now, will not fail 
to notice the names of many Inisiness men who 
are still here, some of them in the same business, 
and some of them engaged in other occupations, 
although in any case twenty -five years makes sad 
havoc with mercantile firms and street signs. 

The Catholic church at Faribault was burned on 
the 8th of October. The structure had cost about 
$1,000. 

Early in the winter a literary association was 
organized, Charles Williams was the president 
and the other oflicers were, H. E. Barron, G. W. 
Jacobs, G. E. Cole, H. Chaffer, T. S. Buckham. 
The meetings served to make the residents 
acquainted with each other, and, to a certain ex- 
tent, to reveal the mental calibre of those who par- 
ticipated in the exercises. 

The estimated improvements of the city of Fari- 
bault in 1857, amounted to .¥100,000. The fol- 
lowing from the "Herald" will give an idea of the 
improvements of this year : 

It is truly gratifying to take a view of the im- 
provements which have been effected in our place 
during the past year. In nothing is this advance 
more apparent than in the erection of new 
buildings. 

The building of the past year has been alto- 
gether of a dillerent and superior character from 
that which preceded it. In place of pre-emption 
shanties which constituted many of those before 
numbered, we have now the stately edifice from 
two to four stories in height. The buildings 
erected within the last year would probably reach 



324 



IITsTOIiY OF RICE UOUNTY. 



in nnmber one hiindrecl and fiffv, the most notice- 
able of these are as follows: Residence of A. Fari- 
bault on a sightly bluff over the river, costing 
about .f4,000; the beautiful residence of James 
Tower at a cost of $2,500; the residences of Gen. 
Shields, J. Cooper, N. Paciuin, H. McClelland, F. 
Faribault, Rev. L. Armshy, S. Barnard, Mr. 
Humphrey, H. Riedell, J. Gibson, Messrs. Decker, 
Alby, Lines, Whipple, Arc, at an average of about 
$2,000 each. The followingare among the most 
important business erections: Store by M. Cook, 
24x40; Cottrell k Co., 24x50; A. Blodgett, hall 
and billiard saloon at an average of $2,500; store 
and hall by Faribault & Co. ; restaurant by Mills- 
paugh; bank by J. A. Moore; store by J. H. 
Mills; drug store by Stevens & Thayer; Receiver's 
office by J. B. Cooper; store by Mr. Merrill; allot 
these new buildings are two stories and cost about 
•12,000 each. A number of creditable one-story 
buildings for oflices, banks, stores &c., have been 
erected. A number of fine buildings show them- 
selves on Paquin"s addition, among which we 
uotice one by I. H. Craig, 22x45, three stories 
high, for store or hotel ; F.Craig has built two, 
one lGs36, the other 19x36, both two stories; two 
stores, one by Predette and one by Langeuin, both 
20x40, two stories. 

We cannot report in full, suffice is to say that 
the amount expended in private building the past 
year cannot fall short of !|!100,000. 

In addition our commissioners have erected an 
office and jail at an expense of about S5,000. The 
school trustees have built a schoolhouse costing 
about .$2,000. The Congregational church has 
been enlarged and a bell procured. Three bridges 
have been built across Straight River, and one 
across the Cannon. A pleasant and commodious 
cemetery has been laid out, and many other im- 
provements which give great satisfaction to the 
citizens of Faribault who love their homes." 

TUE YEAE 1858. 

The leading men early saw the necessity of en- 
couraging the cultivation of the best in all de 
partments of agriculture, and as early as the 22d. 
of January, 1858, met for the purpose of organiz- 
ing; and about the same time the young men 
organized a students' literary association, which 
served its purjjosc iu an admirable way. 

Faribault Mills, Warner & Buckhout, were 
burned on the 5th of February, and in March Mr. 



Sentill's mill was also burned. Soon after an- 
other mill burst a boiler. 

Graham's mill was burned on the 22d of Feb- 
ruary, aud also another on East Prairie, which 
was a serious loss to the whole community, as well 
as to the owners. 

Dr. Charles Jewett, of Faribault really, al- 
though his farm was in Warsaw, in the winter of 
1858 went east and gave lyceum lectures on the 
west, and Miimcsota in particular, and also wrote 
numerous articles showing the especial advan- 
tages of this location, which, without doubt, was 
the direct means of keeping the stream of emigra- 
tion flowing in this direction, with a good class of 
citizens. 

A Ladies' Literary Association was organized 
on the 7th of February. The officers were: Presi- 
dent, Mrs. H. A. Pratt; vice-president, Mrs. T. S. 
Buckham; Recording Secretary, Miss Ada E. Hil- 
ler ; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Nellie Mott; 
Treasurer, Mrs. Hudson Wilson; Executive Com- 
mittee, Miss E. Whitney, Mrs. George B. Whip- 
ple, Mrs. A. E. Haven, and Mrs. J. H. Winter. 

On the 15th of May, a meeting was held to see 
about organizing an Epi.scopal University. 

A Lodge of Gcod Templars was instituted on 
the 13th of May, by Rev. Mr. Quigley, with 
twenty -seven charter members. 

Messrs. Judd & Dike put up a barrel factory. 

THE TEAK 1862. 

Leander Gague, while at work on the roof of a 
church at Faribault, on the 18th of June, fell a 
distance of thirty feet, and was instantly killed. 

The Baptist church was built in this year. 

The 4th of July was celebrated in Faribault 
in the time-honored way, with Hon. James W. 
Taylor as the orator of the day. 

On the 7th of July there was a violent storm in 
Faribault and vicinity, doing great damage in its 
track. 

A daily mail was put on between Owatonua 
and St. Paul, via Faribault, iu the summer of this 
year. 

The saw and grist mill of Morris & ItTelhom, on 
the Cannon River, was destroyed by fire on 
Wednesday morning, November 26th. This was 
the second mill burned there. 



CITT OF FARinAULT. 



825 



THE YEAR 1863. 

Faribault had a taunery started by Mr. O'Brien. 
A brewery also wont up that year. 

The 4th of July was duly celebrated. 

THE YEAR 1864. 

The Congregational Church was commenced in 
the summer of this year. 

An Episcopal church was completed during the 
year. 

Early in the sixties, ginseng, an aromatic tonic 
root, exported to China, and used by the Orientals 
as a remedial or luxury preparation, began to be 
extensively gathered, as it is found indigenous in 
certain localities here. Ten dollars a day, or 
more, was often made by a single individual. 

On the 23d of February a terrible and fatal 
accident happened to Charles Babcock, who was 
caught in the mill of Dike & Co., and mangled in 
such a fearful manner that he died a few days 
afterwards. 

The first national bank was started in Fari- 
bault in May of 1864. 

When the cars began running, in 1864, a new 
stage route to connect with the trains was started 
by Burbank & Co., which reduced the staging 
considerably. 

THE YEAR 1865. 

The census of Faribault was 2,339. Of these 
1,216 were males, and 1,123 females. There were 
si.xty-nine soldiers in the service at that time. In 
1860 the population was 1,520. 

The Sisters of St. Clara Benton, five in num- 
ber, arrived in Faribault in August to establish a 
school. 

The Central Minnesota railroad got in ojjeration 
as far ar Northfield in September. 

During the year 1865, sixty buildings went up 
in Faribault. 

THE YEAR 1866. 

In the winter of this year the demand for more 
and better buildings was <|uite urgent. 

The Good Templars re-organized on the 22d of 
January, with a good list of charter members and 
capable officers. 

There was a Legislative excursion to Faribault 
in the fall. Governor Marshall and other State 
officers were present. It was in the interest of the 
educational institutions established here. 



In April a meeting was held which was very 
important in negative results. The subject was 
to see about the establishment of a Congrega- 
tional college, which was subsequently located in 
Northfield. 

In the summer of 1866, the Faribault jjapers 
stated that there was not a single soda fountain in 
town. 

The corner stone of the Shattuck grammar 
school was laid with appropriate ceremonies on the 
26th of July. 

The total number of farms under cultivation 
in Eice county was 1,200. Nrunber of sheep, 
16,947. 

St. Mary's Hall was opened on the 31st of Oc- 
tober. 

THE YEAR 1867. 

There were thirty-eight Sioux remaining in Fari- 
bault in July, when they were removed tu their 
reservation in Nebraska by Kev. S. D. Henderson, 
the agent for the purpose. 

The amount of building in Faribault this year 
was $178,000. 

THE YEAR 1868. 

The Shattuck grammar school building, which 
was erected in 1866, was burned on the 24th of 
January. 

The citizens had a meeting on the 24th of Jan- 
uary to see about having a city charter. The 
Chairman of the meeting was L. Dearborn; the 
Secretary, K. H. L. Jewett. A committee consis- 
ting of T. S. Buckham, Luke Nutting, George 
W. Butchelder, Ciiarles "Wood, and T. B. Clement, 
was appointed to report at a sul)sequeut meeting. 

On Thursday, the 3d of .January, the Minne- 
sota Fruit Grower's Association met at Fariliault. 

A Board of Trade was organized in August, 
with the following olficers: President, T. B. 
Clement; Vice-President, W.W. Knapp; Treasurer, 
Hudson Wilson; Secretary, Thomas Mee; Corre- 
sponding Secretary, G. F. Batchelder; Directors, 
D. O'Brien, W. H. Dike, Moses Cole, and others. 

The Shattuck school was hjrmerly reopened in 
October. 

The old schoolhouse in Faribault was sold this 
year for S356, as there was no further public use 
for the building. The new schoolhouse was com- 
pleted in September, at a cost of S23,190. 



326 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



The population of Faribault was stated to be 
3,424. 

THE TEAR 1869. 

Rev. Dr. S. W. Manny, who was connected with 
the Seabury mission, on the 10th of January was 
carried to 

"That other side," 

"That heavenly shore." 

Lieut. .John C. Whipple received his final 
"marching orders" on the 5th of February, 1869. 
He was at Fort Ridgely at the time of the Indian 
massacre. Lieut. Whipple was bom on the 12th of 
September, 1823, near the corners of New York, 
Massachusetts, and Vermont. When quite young 
he wont on a whaling voyage, and was treated 
with such cruelty by his brutal captain that he ran 
away, and among savages had many thrilling ad- 
ventures. He was a First Lietenant in the Thir- 
tieth Minnesota Regiment, was a brave officer, and 
was buried with Masonic honors. 

About this time, Taope, a noted red man, started 
for the happy hunting grounds. He was always 
friendly to the whites. 

A plow and agricultural imjilemeut factory was 
started in Faribault this year. 

On the 14th of June Fleckenstein's brewery was 
liurned. 

The cathedral of Our Merciful Savior was dedi- 
cated on St. John's day, the 24th of June. 

W. A. Heinrich, at his ashery, in 1869, made 
19,000 pounds of potash. 

The value of agricultural implements sold in 
Faribault in this year was $27,715. They con- 
sisted of 95 reapers, 47 horse rakes, 7 threshing 
machines, and 12 mowers. 

The Congregational church was dedicated on tlie 
12th of October. 

In October of this year a Horticultural Society 
was formed. 

THE YEAl! 1870. 

The German Catholic church was opened in 
January. 

The freight business done in Faribault during 
the year 1869, was as follows: wheat shipped, 
69,492 bushels; Hour, 62,743 barrels; hogs, 398,660 
pounds; total freight, 19,985,250 pounds. 

Early in February there was a destructive fire in 
Faribault, destroying several buildings. D. 
Stevens, carpenter; and Smith, Mr. Sheeran, N. O. 



Winans, J. Berghlems, Rogers & Stevens, and 
others were sufferers. 

Rev. Dr. Riddell, who was well and favorably 
known here, died in Kansas in February. 

On the 28th of June the Shattuck boys had a 
regatta on Cannon Lake. There were four boats 
in the race and they made the distace of two miles 
as follows: 

Undine 20 min. 14 sec. 

Red Bird 20 " 24 " 

Rover 20 " 36 " 

Ariel 20 " 56 " 

A flag was presented to the winning crew by 
Miss Emily Du Bois. In the evening there was a 
supper with the usual accessories. A Minneapolis 
boat club afterwards sent a challenge, but as no 
suitable boat could be procured no contest was had 
with that club. 

The census for Faribault in 1870 was 4,371. 

THE YE.\R 1871. 

The second regatta was on Thursday, the 8th of 
June, 1871, at Cannon Lake. The contest was be- 
tween the Shattuck school, the St. Paul, and the 
Tritonio Club, of the University, During the 
progress of the race the University boat filled and 
went under. The other boats stopped to rescue 
the floundering oarsmen, and then the St. Paul 
crew pulled in and were declared the winners. 
Since that time boating has not been a specialty 
with the Shattuck Cadets. 

In May the old Van Brunt store was removed 
from the corner of Main and Third streets to the 
south side of Third, in the rear of the First Na- 
tional Bank. This building was put up by Van 
Brimt & Misener in 1855, the lumber having been 
brought from Red Wing. 

A Turners Society was organized on tlie 10th 
of August, with the following corps of officers: 
President, C. E. Brandt; Vice-President, A.Muel- 
ler; Treasurer, F. A. Theopold: Secretary, W. 
Hendrick; Instructors, Newsal and Hcrljst; Su- 
perintendent, Mr. Kraft. 

Building improvements in 1871, in the city of 
Faribault, amounted to .$176,576. 

THE TEAR 1872. 

Hon. George W. Tower, the fir.st mayor, was 
inaugurated on the 9th of April. 

In June the Shattuck and Seabury .kc1;oo1« had 



CITY OF FAIiriiAlILT. 



327 



a boat rnce, and the gray came in iihead of the 
hhiok. 

A Golden Weduino. — Dr. and Mrs. IloUis 
Howe celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their 
wedding. The assembly met at the residence of a 
son of the aged couple, Mr. George Howe. The 
rooms were appropriately decorated for the rare 
occasion. The parlor had an arch emblazoned 
with "Golden Wedding, June 4th, 1872." The 
groomsmen and bridesmaids for this auspicious 
occasion were Blr. and Sirs. James Gibson, Mr. 
Andrew Gibson, and Mrs. Deusmore, a sister of 
the bride of half a century. Rev. Mr. Hiutun, in 
a few well-chosen words, exacted anew the promise 
to "love, honor, and protect," and thus the well- 
preserved couple started on the last half of the 
century, the completion of which will certainly 
find them on — 

" The other fiide of Jordan, 
Where the sweet fields of Eden, 
Where the tree of life is blooming.'' 

A golden wedding is such a rare event that it 
should certainly be recorded in this permanent 
form, for very few can realize what fifty years of 
wedlock means, with its journeyings, it may be in 
the wilderness, with the long deferred peace and 
plenty, which is always hoped for in the not dis- 
tant future, still deferred ; or it may be a journey 
margined by fruits and Howers; but although the 
paths have been those of pleasantness and pros- 
perity as a predominating feature, there must 
have been rough and rugged places, and if they 
have been haj^pily passed without asperities from 
either side, the journey has been indeed fortunate, 
and these two lives have not been failures. 

Dr. Howe was born in Marlboro', Massachu- 
setts, in 1791), and was married in June, 1822, to 
Miss Julia Bird, of Litchfield, Connecticut. 

The Memorial Chapel of the Good She])hpril 
was dedicated, and assigned to the use of the 
Shattuck school on the 24th of September. 

Hill's furnittire factory was burned on the 22d 
of November, involving a loss of S25,000. 

Seabury Hall was destroyed by tire on the 28th 
of November, entailing a loss of .f 20,000. 

THE YE.\I£ 1873. 

The city fire department was thoroughly re- 
organized on the first of January, 1873. The 
steam fire engine arrived on the 7th of February, 
after being sixty days on the road. 



E. W. Leavens was appointed Postmaster in the 
spring of this year, and his " flag is still there." 

Quito a serious fire took place on the 10th ol 
April. The losses sustained were by, Tuttli! aue 
Barnard, a meat market ; Spo & Dappings, J 
McCutcheu, George M. Gilmore, .T. Stocklein, and 
a few others. The exj3eu.se of this conflagratioi 
was about .f(),000. The new steam fire engint 
was out, but it met with several comical mishaps, 
and before the various snarls it encountered could 
bo untangled the fire was extinguished. 

In November H. E. Barron had a re-union of 
his old friends at his hotel. He came to Fari- 
bault in 1855, and built and started the Barron 
house, with E. N. Leavens as clerk. 

S. H. Jaijuos died on the 22d of December, in 
Philadelphia, of ty]ihoid fever. He was a promi- 
nent citizen of Faribault, and was in the real es- 
tate and insurance business with H. W. Barry, 
and was succeeded by J. D. Green. He was Secre- 
tary of the Board of Trade, and interested in 
other public enterprises. 

The Faribault Driving Park was opened on the 
24th of July, under the patronage of the Cannon 
Valley Agricultural and Mechanical Association. 

THE YE.VR 1874. 

So.4NDiNAVi.vN Literary Society. — An institu- 
tion with this name was organized on the 13th of 
February in Faribault. A constitution and by- 
laws were adopted, and ofiicers elected as fol- 
lows: President, H. A. Larsou; Vice-President, O. 
L. Haraery; Treasurer, A. T. Broudvold; Secre- 
tary, ,T. J. Schey; Assistant Secretary, M. J. Hol- 
men. 

In February a catamount weighing thirty-six 
pounds was shot within a few miles of Faribault. 
Presumably he was one of the last of his nice in 
this section. 

Maj. Dike's house was burned on the 11th of 
May.' 

On the 25th of May the Shattuck Guards had 
an excursion to Minneapolis and St. Paul. 
Ninety-eight cadets turned out, with Captain J. 
M. Lancaster in command of the battaliou, and 
Captains Pierce, Casvillo, Talbot, and Lieutenant 
Wiley in commaiul of the several companies. 
Arriving at Fort Snelling the band joiueil them, 
and in Minneapolis the University Cadets fell in. 
They were received in an address by O. C. Merri- 
uiau. President of the Council. Col. W. W. Fol- 



328 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



well of the State University also atldressed the 
party. At six o'clock the detachment started for 
St. Paul. Theie they were addressed by Gov- 
ornor Davis, and there was a parade, etc. They 
were most hospitably received and entertained at 
the State Capital, and returned the next day. 

On Sunday, the 2d of August, an insane stu- 
dent of the Diviuity School attempted to shoot 
Bishop Whipple. He started from the audience 
and walked into the chancel, where he raised a 
pistol to shoot the Bishop, but he had forgotten 
to cock the weajjon, and his arm was siezed; others 
interfering, he was secured and subsequently sent 
to St Peter. 

The church of the Immaculate Conception, in 
Faribault, was consecrated on the 9th of October, 
with imposing rites. 

A Building and Loan Association was organ- 
ized. C. W. Andrews was president. 

THE YEAR 1876. 

On the 22d of February the Masonic Hall was 
dedicated with suitable exercises. 

William A. Shaw, of the firm of Carpenter, 
Smith & Shaw, clothing dealers, died on the 11th 
of March. He was a native of Seneca Falls, New 
York, and came here in 1857. He left a widow 
and one child. 

A veteran re-union of the First Minnesota Regu- 
lar Volunteer Infantry of the war of 1861, occurred 
in Faribault on the 1.5th of June. An address of 
welcome was presented by Mayor Nutting. H. 
C. Whitney was the President of the Veteran As- 
sociation. A collation was served, new officers 
elected, and an enjoyable time passed. 

The Grange Mill was Immed on the 8th of No- 
vember, entailing a loss of .$10,000. 

The new engine house in Faribault was built in 
this year, at a cost of $7,300. 

The Houring miU of Bean Brothers it Tennant, 
on the Cannon River, a mile and three-fourths 
from town, was Imrnod on the 9th of December, at 
a loss of $25,000. 

THE TEAK 1878. 

At the spring election of 1878, the question of 
"License" or "No License" for the sale of intoxi- 
cating beverages was sharply coiitested at the 
polls, and the "No License" party succeeded in 
obtaining a majority on the direct question, Imt 
the other side elected their candiiliitis fur llio sev- 



eral oflices, which proved to be a distressing state 
of affairs. 

The telephone, with its intenninable "Hello," 
struck the city this spring. 

A golden wedding on the 17th of May was a 
notable affair. The happy couple who had seen a 
half century of realization of "loves young 
dream" were Rev. and Mrs. J. Hoover. As the 
parties began to arrive on this semi-centenial, it 
was soon found that their parlor was much too 
small for the company and so Mr. T. H. Lewis, 
who lived near, kindly opened his house. Among 
those present were, Mr. and Mrs. J. Jepson, Mr. 
and Mrs. George Dampier, Ml', and Mrs. N. 
Travis, Mr. and Mrs. W. Neel, Mr. and Mrs. 
D. Buckham, Mr. and Mrs. E. Hanes, Mr. and 
Mrs. W. Walrod, Mr. and Mrs. E. Hoover, 
Rev. and Mrs. Guyton, Miss Alice Neel, with the 
host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Lewis, and 
others. The dinner at half-past two was an en- 
joyable affair. The aged couple came here from 
Ohio in 1855, in the month of April, and he was 
the first resident minister, as stated at the time, 
and organized the first worshiper's C(mgregation. 
A beautiful poem of a dozen stanzas, composed by 
a daughter, was read by Miss Alice Neel. A few 
lines are here transcribed as a specimen of the 

whole : 

"to father and mother." 
When in a world of fancy my spirit will roam, 
Memory carries me back to my childhood's home, 
The meadow, the orchard, and each shady nook. 
And back of the house the laughing, silvery brook. 
The orchard my father grafted with such care 
The rosy-cheeked apple that yearly hung there. 

***** 
But there's a bright circle forming above, 
In that home, prepared by infinite love.'' 

* :i= * * * 

The company separated at a seasonable hour, 
well pleased with the display of affectionate re- 
gard thus bestowed upon the venerable and worthy 
pair. 

The board of trade was reorganized on the 24th 
of June. 

The most disastrous fire that ever happened in 
Faribault was on the 17th of June of this year. 
Almost an entire square was consumed, including 
two banks and ten stores; the losses were estimated 
at $125,000, and embraced a long list of sufferers. 

THE YEAR 1879. 

A company to erect and ojjerate an amber cane 
sugar ri'liuery was orgauizf'<l in FMrib.'iull in 1.S79, 



CITY OP FAIilDAULT. 



329 



with a capital of SO.OOO. S. H. Kenney, John 
Mullin, auj I. B. Spencer were the officers. 

The wind-mill company was organized in this 
year. 

THE YE.\U 1880. 

The silver wedding of Captain and Mrs. E. H. 
Cutts was celebrated on the 9tli of Januar}', 1880. 
There were al)out forty friends of the worthy 
oiiuple to congratulate them on arriving at the 
half-way station on the road to the golden wedding- 
The ancients considered silver to be the emblem of 
wisdom, while gold was the representative of love> 
and among the tokens of regard, the cake baskets, 
the butter dishes, and knives, enough of them were 
gold lined to signalize the beautiful correspon- 
dence of these two grand divisions of the human 
mind and which are so indispensable in married 
partners. Mrs. Cutts, on this occasion was arrayed 
in her original wedding suit, and after a repast, 
the joyous occasion was concluded with promises, 
with that inevitable //', to be there when the goldcu 
period shoxild roll around. 

In the summer of 1880, a stone manufactory 
was added to the industries of Faribault. 

On the 29th of October the Matteson Houring 
mill, on the Cannon River, was destroyed by fire, 
losa $23,000; insured for $18,000. 

In this year J. D. Greene & Co.'s mill was revo- 
lutionized and transformed into a new process mill, 
and its capacity put up to between three and tour 
hundred barrels a day, of the very best of flour. 

The railroad business in Faribault during this 
year was as follows: freight forwarded, 32,305,222 
pounds; local charges, .$85, .516; freight received, 
19,316,901 pounds, local charges, $48,364; ticket 
sales, $24,667. 

Births in the city, 772; deaths, 340; showing a 
natural increase of 432. 

The Faribault elevator was burned on the 10th 
of June, at a loss of !?65,000. It was built in the 
winter of 1865, was 52x162 feet, and had a storage 
capacity of 100,000 bushels. The losers were A. 
W. Pratt, Pratt and Eobinson. Hartford Brothers 
ife Tennaut, .T. D. Greene * Co., .lames Murphy, 
with numbers of farmers who lost from one to two 
hundred dollars worth each. 

THE TEAR 1881. 

Another golden wedding occnrreil on the 30th 
of June, 1881, the subjects of the hearty demon- 
stration being Mr. and Mi's. Samuel Crossett, 



the parents of H. N. Crossett, of the United 
States Express. They were married in East 
Berkshire, Vermont, on the 30th of ,Tune, 
1831. Beautiful gifts of cut flowers, a purse of 
gold from the Masonic brotherhood, of which he 
was one of the oldest members, and other tokens 
of esteem and regard were presented. As a sequel 
to this joyous occasion it must be added, that on 
the 16th of August following, Mr. Crossett's 
spirit took its flight, to a land unknown, beyond 
our mortal sight. 

THE TEAR 1882. 

Early in 1882, the city was numbered cm the 
Philadelphia plan, by George W. Cheney, agent 
of the Pennsylvania Numbering Company. 

Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Winter were treated to a sur- 
prise silver weddmg on the 20th of January. They 
were married in Amherst, Massachusetts, on the 
20th of January, 1856, Miss Harriet N. Kellogg 
being the name of the bride. Several who were 
present at the original wedding were here at the 
ipiarter century reunion, amimg them being Mrs. 
Levi Nutting, James A. Winter, and Mrs. E. N. 
Leavens. 

On the 13th of January there was a fire on 
Third street, a building owned l)y Godfrey Flecken- 
stein was burned. 

Faribault City Mills changed to Hungarian 
system in the winter of 1882. It delivers 125 
barrels a day. 

On the Ist of March a fire practically destroyed 
an old landmark in Faribault, Maj. Fowler's store, 
which was used as the first Deaf and Dumb school, 
and some other buildings were injured. 

On the 25th of February, Orrin Wilson, one of 
the pioneers of the coupty, died in Ohio at the age 
of 78 years. 

The Barron House was burned on the 17th of 
March; Hummel's photograph gallery and Joseph 
Thompson's confectiopery store, and the Post- 
office apartments were also burned, but the con- 
tents of the office were safely removed. The loss 
ou the hotel was .IjaQiOOO, and then> were many 
personal losses. The hotel is rebuilding by G. E. 
Cole, J. B. Wheeler, and H. W. Pratt. 

The railroad business for 1881, in Faribault was 
as follows: 

Flour shipped, barrels 146,935 

Millstuff", pounds 6,894,000 



330 



HFSTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Wheat, pounds 6,182,000 

Dressed bogs, pounds 357,000 

Cattle, cars 28 

Live hogs, cars 12 

a orses, cars 1 

Sheep, ears 4 

Total iirodneo slni)peii, pounds. . .48,436,960 
Total freight received, pounds. . . .41,187,650 

Charges $125,482 

Tickets sold 25,620 

THE CITY GOVERNMENT. 

Faribault was at first a town embracing perhaps 
a half of Cannon City, defined by an irregular 
line running diagonally across the original govern- 
ment township in a southeast and northwest direc- 
tion. But, as elsewhere mentioned, it was finally, 
for the most part, restored to Cannon Cit-y, and 
three miles square was determined as the form 
and size of the city. In this way the government 
went on in an uneventful manner until the grow- 
ing town began to realize that a city government 
was recjuired. 

On the 22d of January, 1870, a meeting of the 
citizens of Faribault was held at the office of Gor- 
don E. Cole. H. E. Barron was called to the chair, 
and J. C. Parshall was appointed secretary. A 
committee was appointed to take the subject of 
procuring a city charter into consideration, and 
report at a subsequent meeting. This committee 
consisted of the following gentlemen : Gordon E. 
Cole, T. B. Clement, and Hudson Wilson. About 
forty of the leading citizens were present, and sev- 
eral meetings were afterwards held to formulate 
the matter. 

The requirements of tlie city were seen and ap- 
preciated by the State Legislature, and an act to 
incorporate the city of Faribault was passed, and 
approved by the Governor on the 29th of Febniary, 
1872. The question of its acceptance by the jieo- 
ple was submitted to a vote on the 2d of April, 
and accepted, and the first city government insti- 
tuted by the choice of officers. The wheels of 
autliority which were then set in motion have been 
aluKJst noiselessly kept running ever since, and 
"Law and order everywhere prevails." 

Hon. George W. Tower, the first Mayor of the 
city, was inaugurated on the 9th of April. The 
other olficers elected were: Aldermen, C. D. Ham, 
J. H. Harding, S. C. Hunham, L. C. Ingram, J. 
H. Winter, T. H. Nutting, W. L. Turner, and H. 



E. Barron. H. E. Barron was elected President of 
the board, and Henry E. Sime was appointed 
Clerk; Justices of the Peace, Joseph C. Mold, O. 

F. Perkins, J. B. Quinn, and J. L. Smallidge; City 
Attorney, John C. Morrow; City Assessor, Henry 
Dunham. 

The organization of the city government was a 
prominent milestone to mark the progress that had 
been made, and to show the direction in which it 
was moving. 

The brief inaugural address of the Mayor-elect 
is here presented. He said: "I came to Faribault 
in October, 1855, and it has been my home ever 
since. Many of the voters, the business men, the 
wives, and the mothers of this young city were 
then pratting children in other States, or on the 
other Continent. The town itself, except as to the 
mere territory, was not in existence, having been 
subsequently entered as a town site by Judge 
Chatfield. The rapid settlement of the village 
commenced in the spring of 1856, and its location 
at siich an important point very soon assured its 
success, and it became the most promising place 
in .southern Minnesota. In 1857, Gen. James 
Shields, who had already been a United States 
Senator, by his influence in Washington secured 
this as a point to be provided for in the congres- 
sional land grant in aid of the Minneapolis & 
Cedar Valley railroad, which finally secured this 
most important railroad connection with the East. 
Early in the sixties our delegates in the Legisla- 
ture secured the location of the Deaf, Dumb, and 
Blind Institute in Faribault, and in due time the 
school was opened and the buildings erected. 
About the same time, in a humble way, was laid 
the foundation which has proved to be deep and 
broad, of the Bishop Seabury University, and we 
now point to these institutions with pride, and it 
becomes us as a city to cherish for them a friendly 
and fostering interest." 

PuESENT City Government. — Mayor, H. W. 
Pratt; Board of Aldermen, Dennis Cavanaugh, 
Henry Chattee, Patrick Devrey, E. Kaul, J. F. 
Lindeman, A. J. Mennell, E. J. Moran, J. D. 
Shipley; Recorder, J. J. Byrnes; Treasurer, S. I. 
Pettitt; Justices of the Peace, J. J. Byrnes and 
James Hunter; Street Commissioner, R. M. Lynch; 
City Attorney, W. H. Keeley; Health Officer, Dr. 
B. Mattocks; Clock Tender, J. Andrews; City 
Printer, A. E. Haven; Pound-keeper, Reuben Ran- 
dall; Chief of Police, J. D. Shipley. 



CITY OP VARIBAULT. 



331 



The Police Depaktment. — -The police, depart- 
ment was organized at the time of the institntion 
of the city government, in 1872. At first there 
were four members of the force. Moses Cole was 
Chief, and Henry Eoth, David Eeed, and James 
Hunter were patrolmen. Mr. Cole remained at 
the head of the force for two years, and then James 
Hunter was Chief for two years, and after him 
came S. C. Dunham and William Campbell. In 
the spring of 1882, J. D. Shipley was appointed^ 
and there arc still but four men on the force. 

FiBE Department. — The fire department of 
Faribault is among the most efHcient in the State. 
It was organized in a small way in 1866, as a 
hook- and- ladder company, and it kept branching 
out and extending and consolidating, until it 
reached its present condition of competency. In 
1866, a hook-and-ladder truck was procured, and 
as the .iepartment grew others were added, with 
hose carts, etc. In 187i, the first steam fire en- 
gine was purchased of the Sillsby Company, in 
Kew York, at a cost of iJI.OOO, and is considered 
the best kind made. 

The department, as now composed, is made up 
of five companies, as follows: Engine Company, 
No 1; Niagara Hose Company; Young America 
Hose Company; Straight River Hose Company; 
and the Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company. 

Each of these companies has a separate organi- 
zation, with a foreman, two assistants, a treasurer, 
and secretary, all, however, amenable to the cen- 
tral department, the officers of which are: Chief 
Engineer, G. H. Palmer; First Assistant, J. F. 
Whalon; Second Assistant, William McCiinnis; 
Treasurer, Thomas Mee; Secretary, William Mil- 
ligan. 

The present equipment of tlie department con- 
sists of the Sillsby engine, a hook-and-ladder 
truck, and three hose carriages. The engine 
house is on the north side of Third, between Elm 
and Chestnut streets, and was constructed in 
1876, at a cost of .'i?7,3Ul). The ground story is 
occupied by the engine, trucks, and other appa- 
ratus. The second story has a fireman's hall, 
neatly furnished, and city oflices. Indeed, the 
building is sometimes called the City Hall. It is 
of brick, is surmounted by a cupola with a bell, 
and is a creditalile building for a city of this size. 

When the first fire company was formed it was 
a mere "bucket" company. A pair of wheels were 
procured, the boys manned the ropes, and with 



their "Hi! hi! hi!" made a tour of the village, 
stopping at every shop and store to seize buckets, 
whi<'Ii they hung upon their ])rimitive truck, and 
thus the first fire extinguishing apparatus was se- 
cured. 

Post-office. — Alexander Faribault was the first 
Postmaster, and E. J. Crump was his deputy. 
The office was opened on Main street, opposite the 
location of the Arlington House. This was early 
in the spring of 185.5, and a mail route was es- 
tablished between St. Paul and Owatonna, with a 
weekly service. The first mail carrier was Mr. 
Davis, and afterwards J. J. Braokett, who was a 
well-known character; and for some time he could 
carry the whole mail in his pocket, as not unfre- 
quently Mr. Hulett's iVcw York Tribune, would he 
the only paper received in a week. 

The service under Mr. Crump was satisfactory, 
as he was a man of education, and of an accomo- 
dating disjjosition. After a time a Mr. Young 
became the deputy and acting Postmaster, and he 
severely tried the patience of those having busi- 
ness with the office. He was too indolent to rise 
from his chair and hand over a letter, so he would 
declare there was " nothing," and having thus 
committed himself he would stick to it until the 
next weekly mail came l)etore delivering it. After 
a time he was removed, and the office was located 
in the Moses Cole block, on the comer of Willow 
and Front streets. 

In 1857, George S. Skinner was appointed Post 
master, and the office was then kept on the west 
side of Main, between Third and Fourth streets, 
in a building belonging to Skinner himself. The 
office was afterwards moved across the street, and 
he held the keys until the change of administra- 
tion in 1861, when James Gibson succeeded to the 
position, and kept it eight years. Prescott Fish 
and Frank Roberts were at diffierent times his 
depTities, and did most of the work. 

In 1869, J. S. Fuller was appointed, and he con- 
tinued in the place until 1873, when E. N. Leav- 
ens was commissioned. He kept it in the same 
jilace for four years, when it was removed to the 
Barron House, between First and Second on 
Main street. This was burned on the 17th of 
March, 1882. By strenuous exertions and careful 
management nothing was lost, and the same 
evening the office was in running order at its 
present location, on Third between Main and 
Elm streets. 



332 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



There are three assistants in the office — the 
deputy, J. S. Bemis, Mrs. Nellie Williams, the 
mailing clerk, and Will. Wilson, who attends the 
general delivery. 

In 1873, the amount of stamps sold was $5,000. 
Now the sales amount to .flO.OOO a year. It was 
made a mtmey order office during Gibson's term, 
and the whole number that have been issued is 
41,000. The business of this department amounts 
to eighty or ninety thousand dollars annually. 

Tliere is a daily mail to Waterville, ma War- 
saw, a tri-weekly to Red Wing, one to Holden, 
and one to Rochester, and twice a week to Shields- 
ville ; these are by stage routes. By railroad 
there are two or more mails each way every day. 
The office is accessible, well-managed, and well- 
appointed, with Yale lock and other boxes. The 
mail is promptly delivered in a gentlemanly way, 
and gives general satisfaction. 

INDUSTRIAL ENTERntlSES AND MANUFACTURING 
ESTABLISHMENTS. 

Faribault may be said to be, to a large extent, 
a manufacturing city, its citizens realizing that 
mere trade in this age of the world is not the 
principal source of wealth and prosperity. The 
endeavor is made to notice the principal manu- 
factaring and industrial enterprises, that the his- 
torian of the next generation may, by a compari- 
son with what may be found then, appreciate what 
changes may have been wrought. The transfor- 
mation that has taken place within a quarter of a 
century is most marvelous, and if progress in the 
future should be equally extensive and wonderful, 
a comprehension of the changes at the present 
time would draw upon the imagination in a way 
that the possessor of only the broadest idealty 
could honor. The purpose of this part of the 
work is not to give a business directory, but 
rather a bird's eye view of the material interests 
of the city, and without doubt many meritorious 
enterprises have been overlooked, but they can 
console themselves that they will grow into notice 
by real merit. 

SxRAKillT RiVEK FLOURING MiLL. — This is 
usually called Greene's mill. It was originally 
built by Mr. Faribault and got in operation on the 
1st of April, ISfi'i. In the building of this mill 
a large amount of energy and enterprise was dis- 
played. Mr. Faribault was induced to go into 
the undertaking (|uite as much in the interest of 
the town as with tlic idea that it would be remu- 



nerative. It is one of the pioneer mills of the 
county, and in itself illustrates the progress that 
has been made in city and county. 

In 1872, the mill was bought by Greene & 
Carnfel who immediately made extensive improve- 
ments and operated it until 1878, when an addi- 
tion of 40x40 feet, four stories, was made, and a 
complete transformation effected at a cost of 
•130,000. Among other improvements a Corliss 
engine of 120 horse-power was put in, and the 
Hungarian system of reduction with corrugated 
porcelain rolls was adopted. The mill was run in 
this way until 1880, when, learning that there was 
still another system which was an improvement on 
this, another extensive reconstruction was made, 
and Stevens' corrugated chilled iron rolls were in- 
troduced. This machinery is made liy the John 
G. Noye Manufacturing Company, at Buffalo, 
New York. A great point gained, as is claimed, 
is in "granulating the grain without cutting it." 
The process of manufacturing flour is now very 
complicated, it is done by gradual reduction, the 
grain is squeezed a little at first, and what flour 
results is carefully sifted out, then it is squeezed 
again, and this process is repeated five or six 
times with variations in the manipulation, and 
three grades of flour result from all this handling. 
The wheat itself, after being received, goes through 
various machines to separate other grains or foreign 
substances and to thoroughly clean it. 

This mill now has six porcelain sets, one large 
iron set, and six sets of Stevens' rolls, with the 
reels, the middlings purifiers, and other apparatus 
to make the highest grade of flour in the market. 
The choice brands are "Old Hickory" and 
"Olympia." The mill has a capacity of about 400 
barrels a day. In relation to the water-power it 
may be mentioned that the fall is from twelve to 
fourteen feet. 

Crown Point Roller Mill. — This mill was the 
incidental outgrowth of a saw-mill which was Imilt 
by Henry Riedell in 1856, at the corner of Fifth 
and Willow streets. The saw-mill was run by a 
portable steam engine and had a circular saw. In 
1857, Mr. Riedell concluded to construct a grist- 
mill, and so he ripped out the lumber for that pur- 
pose and put it up and got it enclosed the same 
year. W. H. Dike, who still resides here, and Wil- 
liam Judd, now of Minneapolis, at this stage pur- 
chased the building, put in the machinery, and had 
it completed alid in running order in 1859. The 



CITY OF FAIilBAULT. 



333 



mill Wits 30x40 feet, three storiea liigb aud bad four 
run of stones, with six reels, aud could make 100 
barrels of flour a day, which was au enormous 
amount in those early days. The [lOwer was 
derived from an upright engine with two boilers 
aud two flues in each. In 1862, Blr. Judd sold out 
and the firm became Dike & Greggs. It was thus 
ruu until the year 1867, after which Mr. Dike run 
it aloue up to 1870. Previous to this time it was 
known as the "Rice County Mills." It is claimed 
that this mill was the first to ship Hour to New 
York from Minnesota, and that it was thus the 
jjioneer in the business which has become so cole issal 
in Minneapolis. The fir.st cousignmcnt of Hour 
was to Plummer & Co., in 1859, and the brand was 
^'Cannon River Mills." It was what might be 
called a straight grade of flour. While Mr. Dike 
was sole owner he made an addition of an elevator 
to the mill with a capacity of 25,000 bushels. 

lu the fall of 1871, Turner & Riedell leased the 
mill, and the following year the property was pur- 
chased by the present pi'oprietor, W. G. Turner, 
who increased its size and capacity and trans- 
formed it, in obedience to the milling revolution 
which was sweeping over the country, into a roller 
mill, and it now has three run of stones aud eight 
sets of corrugated rolls, with purifiers aud all the 
improved modern machinery for the manufacture 
of the finest grades of flour. The power is de- 
rived from au eighty horse-power engine, made at 
the North Star Iron Works iu Minneapolis, it be- 
ing their first flouring mill engine. It now turns 
out 150 barrels of flour a day, and the mill is well 
managed by John N. Gwathmey, the head miller. 

Faribault City Floueino Mill. — In 1877, Mr. 
J. S. Hillyer leased from A, L. Hill, in his furniture 
establishment, certain rooms, 30x50 feet and four 
stories in height, and a basement 50x100 feet, with 
sufficient power, and at cmce put in machinery for 
the manufacture of flour, consisting of three ruu 
of stones, and a cajiacity of 100 barrels a day. Iu 
1881, George Tileston became an equal partner iu 
the concern, and it was transformed into a roller 
mill with eight sets of rolls and three run of 
•tones, two of which have been discarded smce 
then. It contains all the newly improved machin- 
ery for a first-class flouring mill and turns out 110 
barrels a day, also Graham tlour, corn meal, aud 
feed. The best brand is "The Belle of St. Mary's." 
It is what may be called a custom, sale, and 
merchant mill, and its production has a wide repu- 



tation. 



Faribault Grange Flouring Mill. — A milling 
company was organized aud incorporated in .luly, 
187-t, with a capital of .'ii!:!O,O0O. The stock was 
owned by the farmers, and the following gentle- 
men were directors: G. W. Fox, John Thomson, 
Robert Hedges, John H. Passon, Isaac Hamlen, E. 
A. Rice, James Murphy, William Close, Patrick 
Healy, J. A. Mathers, S. M. West, N. H. Stone, and 
Joseph Goar; about forty farmers were stock- 
holders. Six acres of land was purchased, and a 
mill was built and running in Sejjtember. It was 
50x60 feet, a frame building three stories high with 
a stone basement, aud there was an engine hou.se 
34x50 feet, aud a 125 horse-power engine. The 
mill had seven run of stones aud the machinery 
was fully up to those times. It could deliver about 
two hundred barrels of very superior flour per day, 
which ranked as such in the eastern market. The 
whole cost of the building aud machinery was 
about $30,000. This mill had a successful career 
until the Sth of November, 1876, when it was de- 
stroyed liy fire. J. H. Passon was president and 
general superintendent, and Miles Hollister, secre- 
tary aud financier. 

Polar St.*.r Mills. — This mill was commenced 
soon after a mill was burned which occupied the 
same place, and is a three-story brick building 
with a stone basement, 60x62 feet. At first it had 
seven ruu of stones, and in about a year two more 
were added, and in addition to the water a steam 
engine of 125 horse-power was put in. The cost 
of the engine and house was about .S!(,000. The 
mill was built by a stock company, consisting of 
the following: T. A. Bean, William Tennant, A. 
P. Stary, Miles Hollister, T. B. Clemeut, L. R. 
Weld, G. W. Lewis, R. A. Mott, G. G. Gunhus, H. 
W. Bingham, and D. W. Humphrey. The com- 
pany operated the mill until 1878, when it was 
leased by Bean k Tennant, who have since oper- 
ated it. In 1881, it was transformed into a roller 
mill, aud it now has the ability to deliver 325 
barrels a day. The company has kept the mill 
up to the modern standard of etticiency in order 
to produce the best flour. A cooper shop is in 
operation in connection with the establishment. 
The cost of the mill with the power was about 
47,000. The old mill that occupied this site was 
built iu 1862, by Alexander Faribault and Henry 
Mehlhoru. It had two run of stones, driven by 
two wheels, and eight feet head of water — now 
there is eleven feet fall. The building was orig- 



334 



UISTOliY OF RICE OOUNTT. 



inally frame, hut was veneereil over with brick. 
It was sold to Siiter & Baugs not long after it was 
built, who improved it somewhat. Sater subse- 
quently sold his interest, and Mr. Baugs con- 
verted it into a five-run mill. In 18G7, it was sold 
to the Bean Brothers & Tennaut, and they oper- 
ated it until it was burned on the 9th of Decern - 
er, 1876, at a loss of $25,000. 

Matteson's Mill. — In 1865, H. M. Matteson 
aud Luke Hulett began the erection of a mill a 
few rods above the conflueuce of the two rivers. 
The size of the mill was 30x80 feet, and was 
adapted to four run of stones. The power was 
derived from a dam thrown acro.ss the river at the 
point meutioned, and was a combined mill and 
elevator. The firm continued as Matteson A- Hu- 
lett for eighteen months, when Matteson becanie 
the proprietor. This mill kept in operation, and 
in 1879 a set of rolls were put in. In 1880, an- 
other was added, and the capacity increased to 
one hundred barrels a day. The principal brands 
were "We Bet," "You Bet," and "Old Comfort." 
The mill was burned in 1881. 

Kendall Mill. — In 1866, this mill was built by 
Louis Carnfel and J. D. Greene. In 1874, it 
came iuto the hands ©f Greene & Gold. Its loca- 
tion is on Fourteenth street and the Straight 
River. Water and steam are both used as a 
power, there being a head of six or seven feet. 
When the general revolution in milling was in 
full progress this mill, being exposed, caught the 
epidemic, and went through the change suooeas- 
fully. There are the corrugated and smooth 
rolls, five of the one and three of the other, and 
one of porcelain. It turns out 150 barrels a day 
and has a storing capacity of 25,000 bushels. The 
flour i.s high grade. 

Millers' Association Elevator. — This was 
jmt up iu 1881. The size is 32x60 feet, and oue 
hundred feet high. It has a capacity of 60,000 
bushels. The power to work it is derived from 
the foundry near where it is located. Mr. J. D. 
Gr('ifU(!, one of the most enterprising millers in 
this region, built this elevator aud owns and 
operates it. In its construction due regard was 
paid to tlie most economical methods of handling 
the grain, and the latest devices that had proved 
valuable wore adopted. An enormous amount of 
grain is handled iu it iu the course of the year. 

Phatt's Elevatob. — When the railroad was 
first completed an elevator with a capacity of 



100,000 bushels was built, and this was operated 
until may, 1881, when it was burned. The pres- 
ent building was put up by S. W. Pratt. It is 
30x50 feet, and reaches up eighty feet high; it has 
a capacity of 50,000 bushels. The power is de- 
rived from the engine that jmmps water to supply 
the tank at the station. 

Faribault Woolen Mill. — 0. H. Klemer, in 
1865, put a carding machine into an old wagon 
shop 18x20 feet, situated on Chestnut street be- 
tween Fourth and Fifth, using a five horse-power 
steam engine. In 1869, a feed mill was put into 
the establishment, which, however did not ruu 
long. He then made cotton batting for two 
years or so, bringing the material from St. Louis. 
After awhile, as the business did not prove remu- 
nerative, it was suspended. Iu 1872, having 
meantime enlarged the building, a regular set of 
woolen machinery was put iu, for the manufac- 
ture of yarn. Iu 1877, .still other machinery was 
added, including three looms and other appliances 
for making cloth. The mill now has three cards, 
a spinning-jack, with 144 spindles, one wide loom, 
and three narrow ones, one twister, one shearing 
machine, one brush machine, one jig, one picker, 
with warping, washing and other machines for 
the manufacture of Haunels, blankets, yarns, and 
other woolen goods that are in active demand. 
Mr. Klemer is now building a stone factory, two 
stories and a basement, 44x100 feet, near the 
river on Third street, and will greatly enlarge the 
business. 

E. M. Leach's Sash, Door, and Blind F.\ctory 
AND Planing Mill. — This is oue of the old estab- 
lishments of Faribault, as it was first started in 
1857, by L. C. Ingram, as a sash, door, and blind 
factory, using a wind-mill for power. Its loca- 
tion was uot far from the railway station. Some- 
time during the war it was moved up to Main 
street. In 1865, the concern was purchased by 
E. M. Leach, the present proprietor, and removed 
to its present location on Elm between Fourth 
and Fifth streets. Its capacity for business was 
at once enlarged by the introduction of a twenty 
horse-power steam engine aud considerable new 
machinery. The size of the building now is 20x80 
feet, two stories, for the main structure, and two 
additions of a single story, covering stjll more 
ground thau the other. Iu the wood -working 
department about eiglit men are emjjloyed. There 
is also a feed-mill in connection with the estab- 
lishment, au(J a lumber yard. 



CITY Oh' i''A/:niAi/i/r. 



335 



The Hazen Wind-Mill. — In the year 1875, 
Tliayer & Wintor established a fouuJry and nia- 
chiue shop near the Jeiiot, and iu 1878, the com- 
pany commenced manufacturing the imprt)ved 
wind-mill invented by Mr. S. Hazen, of Hipon 
Wisconsin, which is supposed to be the very best 
yet arranged for all purposes for which a wind 
engine can be used. The works have a capacity 
of one thousand a year. The establishment was at 
lirst where the sugar refinery now is, but iu lS7It, 
the company erected the shops near the staticju. 
where the work is now carried on. In addition 
to the wind-mill work, a general jobbiug business 
is done in mill and other machinery. The Hazeu 
wind engine is iu extensive use in Iowa and Ne- 
braska particularly. There is about .S'20,000 in- 
vested in the business, which is one of the most 
substantial in town. Another point in regard to 
this mill ought not to be overlooked in this 
sketch; it is prepared to repair and regriud the 
rolls of the new jjrooess system for flour making, 
the only one in the State, outside of Minneapolis. 

Faribault Wagon Wokks. — This establishment 
is located on Elm, between Third and Fourth 
streets; heavy wagons and bob sleighs are manu- 
factured, and has been in continuous operation 
since February, 1866, when it was started by Wil- 
liam Frink who had bought out au old shop. He, 
immediately built a frame building 32x40 feet on 
the site of the present building, with a blacksmith 
shop adjoining, both two stories high. Mr. Frink 
run the establishment with different partners up to 
1873, when G. W. Stafford became associated with 
him and the business was thus continued until 
1882, when P. S. Bateman was admitted into the 
firm, the name of which now is Stafford and Bate- 
man. They turn out about 150 wagons a year, 
and from 20 to 30 sleighs, all the work being of a 
very superior quality. 

LiNDEMAN Bkotherh" Careiahe Factory. — This 
shop was commenced iu 1876, by the erection of a 
building 22x40 feet, on the corner of Main and 
Fifth streets. At first they did all of their own 
work, and met with such success that in 1877, au 
addition was made, 20x22 feet, and in 1877 still 
another. They now employ thirteen men. The 
projjrietors personally assist in the shop and super- 
intend the work, which is confined to light car- 
riages and sleighs which have an excellent reputa- 
tion, and are sold all over the State. The business 
amounts to |45,000 a year. 



Fahiiiault Carriagu Works. — There are three 
buildings connected with this enterprise, one is 
22x45 feet, two stories, another 30x50 feet, a single- 
story, and the blacksmith shop, situated on tiii^ 
corner of Elm and Front streets. It was com- 
menced as long ago as 1858, by J. D. Denison, 
who at first did repairing, but finally enlarged it and 
began to set up farm wagons. In 1866, the manu- 
facture of carriages and sleighs was commenced, 
and ([uite a business built up as there was no 
t)pposition in the city, and the amount of rejiairing 
done was very large. In 1876, Frink, Andrews & 
Stafford became owners and run it until 1878, 
wheu its present owner bought out the other mem- 
bers of the firm and now has the exclusive control. 
He is turning out large numbers of fine carriages 
and cutters, and doing an extensive rej)airing 
Ijusiness. 

Adam Weyer's Wagon Factory. — In 1868, this 
shop was started in two small frame buildings on 
Willow, near Second street, under the name of 
Bieler & Weyer. In 1874, the present stone shop, 
30x65 feet, two stories high, was built. About 
fifty farm wagons a year are now made here witli 
thirty or forty "bob sleighs," and there is a gen- 
eral blacksmith shop in the Ijuilding which turns 
out a large amount of work. Mr. Weyer is now 
the sole proprietor. 

Faribault Furnithre and Chair Factory. — At 
first this was owned and operated by N. S. Flint. 
The business was commenced in 1807, on a small 
scale, in a building on the corner of Fifth and 
Buckeye streets, which was small and but three or 
four men were employed; a single luirse-power 
drove what little machinery there was. In 1870, 
a brother, M. M. Flint, became interested in the 
firm. He put in a steam engine and increased the 
capacity of the factory, and it has been doing a 
very profitable business. From twenty-five to 
forty men are employed, and from $30,000 to 
if!40,000 worth of furniture is turned off iu a year. 
The engine is of thirty-five horse-power. Iu 1870, 
great improvements were made in the establish- 
ment; among other things a saw-mill being put 
in. Mr. M. M. Flint is now the sole owner. 

Wandell's Furniture Factory. — The manu- 
facture of furniture was commenced here in 1856, 
on a small scale, and by hand. In 1857, some 
machinery was put in, with a six horse-power 
engine, and the business was entered into more 
extensively. The location was on Main between 



336 



HISTORY OF RICK COUNTT. 



Third and Fourth streets. It was owned and 
oiierated by C. Wandell. In 1862, it was moved 
to the rear of the block and its capacity increased. 
lu 1872, a twenty horse-power engine was put in 
and new machhiery introduced. For some reason 
— a want of enterprise and business capacity — the 
establishment is in idleness and has been so for 
several years. 

Hill's Fuenituke Factory. — One of the largest 
and most important manufacturing industries in 
the city is the above-named establishment, owned 
and operated by A. L. Hill. It was first brought 
into existence in 18.55. Mr. S. B. Brockway was 
one of the proprietors. It was located on the Hat 
near the river, on Willow street between Second 
and Third. At first it utilized a blind horse for 
power, and a circular saw and a turning lathe was 
all the machinery in use. One man only was at 
first employed. There was serious trouble in pro- 
curing lumber to build the mill, as men stood at 
the saw-mill awaiting their turn to snatch each 
board as it was cut. The first building was 20x30 
feet, one and one-half stories high; the business 
was continued here eight years and then moved tr) 
a larger building on the corner of Third and Wil- 
low streets. This was in 1863, and he put in a 
twenty horse-power engine and employed from 
twenty to twenty- five men up to 1872, when the 
whole establishment was lapped up by the flames. 
The present building was soon constructed; it is 
50x100 feet and four stories high, with au engine 
house 50x50 feet. In 1878, a Corliss engine of 
125 horae-power was put in. The old engine is 
still used in the saw-mill which runs in connec- 
tion with the factory, and which can cut up about 
6,000 feet of lumber in a day. The factory is run 
to its utmost capacity and makes all kinds of 
furniture, except upholstered goods, and is a valu- 
able institution in the city. 

Cigar Factory. — In 1880, Philip Loeft'el com- 
menced the manufacture of cigars in Batchelder's 
block, employing from eight to twelve hands, but 
he soon failed and Kaul k Filler bought the stock 
and continued the manufacture, removing the 
business to the corner of Second and Main streets. 
In the year 1882, M. C. Sheeran was taken in as 
a partner, and the business is now carried on by 
those parties. Tliey employ about ten men. Un- 
der the United States revenue laws this factory is 
No. 8 of the First district of Minnesota. 

Fabibault Plow Comiwny. — A plow manufac- 



turing company was organized in 1869. The 
active members were, John Mullen, Henry Chalfee, 
and C. A. Snyder. A main building, 35x100 feet, 
was put up, with an engine room, and the manu- 
facture of a good pattern of a plow commenced 
and carried on for about two years. Then the shop 
was used for about five years as a general foundry 
and machine shoj), and afterwards transformed into 
a sugar refinery. 

Faribault Iron Works. — W. P. Wiukley estab- 
lished this industrial enterprise eariy in the sixties, 
and the establishment was owned and operated by 
him until 1870, when it was purchased by A. 
Moore who still retains it. It is a well appointed 
shop with machinery for the manufacture of steam 
engines, and general jobbing work. A feed-mill 
is run in connection, that was put in operation in 
1879. The establishment cost nearly $10,000, 
and employs a dozen men. Its location is north 
of the railroad station. 

Straight Rivee Woolen Mill. — I. G. Beau- 
mont and N. W. Blood put up a building on Wil- 
low street. Some wool machinery was put up 
and run by steam for about three years, when it 
was sold to Mr. C. H. Klemer. The building is 
now used as a sale stable. 

Je.sse Sumner's Planing Mill. — Several years 
ago a planing mill was started on the corner of 
Fourth and Buckeye streets, by Blr. Sumner. It 
run until in 1881, when business being duU it 
was removed to St. Paul. This was the mill that 
was built in 1857 by Clark & Weld, who brought 
the machinery from Vermont. It was a planing 
mill, and cost originally about .S4,400. Its loca- 
tion was at first north of Greene's mill, and was a 
frame building, 20x40 feet ; it run here for about 
seven years, and then was sold to Cole «fc Risen g. 
They operated it for about a year, when the ma- 
chinery was sold to Jesse Sumner as above men- 
tioned. 

Lumber Yards. — When the country was first 
settling up, of course the lumber business was 
very active, and at one time ' there were seven 
lumber yards in active operation, all doing a flour- 
ishing business, but now there are only two. The 
present firms are A. Blodgett & Son, and E. M. 
Leach; the latter has a lumber yard in connec- 
tion with his planing mill. Both of tuese firms 
do a good business. 

Case & Taylor's 'Bus Line. — -This is an insti- 
tution that* is really a credit to the city, as it is 



CITY OF FAllIBAULT. 



337 



managed by thoroughly obliging men who under- 
stand the requirements of the business, and meet 
all engagements, couuecting witli all ])assf'nger 
trains, and have never, in a single instanee, failed 
to connect. It seems that Bishop Wlii|)ple met 
Mr. 0. B. Case in Tallahasse, Florida, engaged in 
the same business, and ol.iserviug his piM.iraptuess 
and reliability, suggested that there was a grow- 
ing town in Minnesota where a good business 
coald be built up in this line, and he was thus in- 
duced to come here. At the completion of the 
railroad to this place, two of the hotels bfgau 
running carriages to the depot on their own ac- 
count, and more in their own interest than that of 
the general public. Mr. Case bought the old 
hacks, procured a new omnibus from the East, 
and commenced making regular trips to the 
trains, having order slates at convenient points. 
He afterwards took in Horace Taylor as a partner 
and they drive the regular " busses," of which 
they have five, and the necessary baggage wagons. 

Beeweby. — N. Pacjuin, in 1857, started to build 
a hotel, but seeing how thirsty people were likely 
to be, after coming so far as they had to, to settle 
in this county, and realizing how grateful they 
would be to receive the fresh brewed amber-col- 
ored liquid, and how they would be likely to re- 
munerate him for his outlay and interest in their 
behalf, changed his mind and built a l)rewery. 
The situation was on Willow street between 
Eighth and Ninth. The dimensions of the struc- 
ture were 26x40 feet. A still was also put in for 
the manufacture of whiskey. The business did 
not seem to flourish as he had hoped, and in 1860, 
the concern was leased to E. Flecken.stein, who 
run it a few months, and then Brandt and Gerdes 
managed it for about two years. Edward Kelley 
then got hold of it, and kept it in operation as a 
distillery until about 1865, when it fell a victim to 
the devouring element and has never been re- 
built. 

G. Fleckstein's Brewekt, — On the corner of 
Oak and Third streets this concern was built in 
1857, the machinery coming from St. Paul. At 
first about five barrels a day were turned out 
without the aid of machinery. The cost was 
about S2,000. The Fleckenstein Brothers owned 
the place, but in 1860, E. Fleckstein retired from 
the firm. A horse-power was afterwards put in, 
and the capacity enlarged. In 1872, it was torn 
down and rebuilt on a much larger scale, with a 
22 



two-story basement and two stories above this, 
the vaults running five liundred feet into the 
blufr, the cost of the establishment being $20,000. 
The capacity is thirty barrels a day. In 1859, a 
still was j)ut in, which was operated until the ne- 
cessities of the governiuc^nt established an excise 
law, when this part of tlie business was suspended. 
There is a good supply of spring water from the 
bluff's above. It now has steam power, and is 
fully occupied. 

A. W. Mueller's Breweiiv. This is located 
in the southern part of tlie city on South Willow 
street. It was started in aliout 1862, l)y Brandt & 
Gerdes. At first it was about 24x10 feet, of stone, 
two stories high. In 1870, it was enlarged, a 
twenty-five horse-power engine put in, and since 
that time the whole establishment has been en- 
larged and is now well appointed, with flrst-class 
machinery and extensive cellars in the blufT in 
the rear. 

Star Bottlinii Works. — This establishment 
was started in 1872 by Sheeran & Misgen, on 
Fourth street between Elm and Chestnut. At 
first Soda Water was principally made. In 1875, 
the concern was moved to Tenth Street and the 
business enlarged, and the manufacture of Seltzer 
Water, cider, and pop was added. Tlie firm sub- 
se(iuently became Sheeran A' Filler. In 1877, they 
began to put up Beer from the brewery of G. Fleck- 
stein, and this business has amounted to about 
S16,000 a year besides their own manufactures. 
In 1880, the business was moved to the corner of 
Third and Oak streets. They have all the mod- 
ern improvements and do good work. 

E. Fleckenstein's Brewery. — This is located 
liy the bluff" on the road to the Shattuck School. 
It was built by its present owner and manager in 
1861. It is (piite extensive and has a vault ex- 
cavated into the rock of which the bluff is com- 
jrased. The establishment is of stone and has the 
fixtures and appurtenances for delivering twenty- 
five barrels of lager beer per day. A ten horse- 
power engine is employed, and the business seems 
to be eminently successful. 

Amber C.^ne Sugar Manufactory and Befi- 
NERY. — In 1879, a stock company was organized, 
with a cash capital of $9,000. The first officers 
were: President, Seth Kenny; Treasurer, S. B. 
Spencer; Secretary, John Mullen. It is one of the 
finest establishments of the kind in the country, 
with machinery, apparatus, fixtures, and facilities 



338 



UI8T0RT OF RICE COUNTY. 



for manufacturing the juice into syrujj and sugar, 
and for refining this into the best white varieties. 
Like all new enterprises there have been vicissi- 
tudes attending the inauguration of the business. 
The stockholders of the company were, Capt. B. 
Blakely, James Wilhelm, and S. F. Jolly. The 
real estate belongs to John Midlen. Its location 
is on the comer of First and Willow streets. 

The First Saw-Mill.— In the fall of 18.54, 
Harvey Y. and James G. Scott commenced the erec- 
tion of a saw-mill, and it was completed during 
the winter, but the cold was so intense that it was 
not set in operation until the spring of 1855. It 
was in a good-sized building, 20x40 feet, with a 
large wing shed. It had an engine with suiBcient 
power, supplied with steam from a double flue 
boiler. At first it had a vertical saw, but a circular 
was soon put in. Its location was where Hill's 
furniture factory is, on Willow near the foot of 
Third street. The Scotts run it for about one year, 
when it was sold to James Gibson. Tlie land, 
about four acres, was given to the Scotts by the 
proprietors, on condition that they build a saw- 
mill. Some time the first year a run of stones was 
put in and feed and Hour was ground ; this was the 
first grist-mill in the county. The building was 
finally torn down and the machinery placed in a 
mill near Greene's, but it was finally burned. A 
full account of all the difficulties overcome in 
getting the machinery together to construct this 
mill, w(juld be very interesting. The machinery 
was bought in St. Louis and came up by boat to 
Hastings at an enormous cost, and it took twelve 
yoke of oxen to haul the boiler from that point. 
They were a long time in getting it from Cannon 
City, as they had to cut a road through the dense 
woods. A party they met after dark, as they 
looked at the huge cylinder, exclaimed : "Well! 
that is the biggest saw-log I ever saw!" When the 
mill got in operation it run night and day, and it 
did what may be called, "a land office business." 
At one time it was in the liands of Mr. Turner, 
but at last it failed to pay. 

Bankino House of W. H. Dike. — This was 
started in 1857, and the name of the firm was G. 
W. Boardman & Co. The "company" being W. H. 
Dike ami Jerod Bishop. Bishop's interest, what- 
ever it was, was looked after by Mr. Judd, now 
well known in Minneapolis, who was an active man 
in the business, lint owing to certain financial in- 
tricacies could hold no property in his t)wn name 



at that time. It was not a bank of issue, but they 
did a general banking business. Their bank was 
near the comer of Third and Main streets, where 
S(|uier's dry goods store now is, in a frame build- 
ing which lacked latli and plaster, but inside had 
cotton cloth as a substitute, and this was pajjered 
over and gave the place a business air. In 1858, 
Mr. Boardman retired and it was then carried on 
under the name of the Banking House of W. H. 
Dike .t Co. In those days of silver, gold, and land 
warrants, not unfrequently there would be exposed 
in the window of the bank $40,000 worth of this 
kind of currency, which would astonish the new 
comens. Bishop retired in 1863, but Mr. Dike con- 
tinued until 1872, when the business was closed. 
FiBST National Bank of Fabibadlt. — The date 
of the organization of this institution was on the 
2d of December, 1868, with the following Board 
of Directors: W. L. Turner, T. A. Berry, A. W. 
McKinstry, and F. A. Theopold, in addition to the 
oiKcers, who were: President, T. B. Clement; 
Vice-President, E. W. Dike; Cashier, Thomas S. 
Blackman. The capita) was .'8;50,000. The bank- 
ing rooms were on the corner of Third and Main 
streets, the front being a frame and the back part, 
wliere the directors met, of logs. In 1876, a three 
story brick building was erected at a cost of $115,. 
000. On the 17th of June, 1878, this was, with 
several others, razed to the ground by fire. The 
structure was immediately rebuilt and the bank 
occupies the ground floor on the corner, and is one 
of the substantial financial institutions of tlii^ 
country with over $200,000 in deposits. 

The Citizens National Bank. — President, Hud- 
son Wilson ; Vice-President, G. B. Skinner ; 
Cashier, E. P. Brown; Assistant Cashier, W. S. 
Hill. This bank was first established in 1857, as 
a ])rivate bank with Mr. Wilson at the head of it. 
In 1871, it was organized as a National Bank. 
The institution seems to be too full of business to 
furnish much information as to its hi.story. 

Faribault Gas Company. — This was organized 
in 1873, with a capital of $40,000 which has since 
been increased to |50,000. It is a joint stock 
company organized under the laws of the State. 
The executive officers were and still are: President, 
T. B. Clement; Vice-President, J. L. Noyes; Sec- 
retary and Treasurer, A. W. McKinctry. The 
works are located between Ninth and Tenth streets, 
east nf Main. There are about four miles of four 
inch mains. The gasholder has a capacity of 



CITY OF h'AHir.AUI/r. 



:539 



10,000 feet. The gas is made from naptha and the 
quality is satisfactory. I'he charges for gas to 
consumers is S3 per thousand with a discount of 
ten per cent, for payment on presentation of the 
bill, making the cost $2.70 net. The company has 
a contract to furnish the strerts with light at .'it!3() 
a post, and to light, extinguish, audkce]) in repair. 

THE MINNESOTA INSTITUTE FOK Till! EDUl!ATI()N OP 
THE DEAF AND DUMB, THE BLIND, AND THE 
SCHOOL, FOB IDIOTS AND IMBECILES. 

This is a pretentious name, broad in its mean- 
ing and comprehensive in the work contemplated, 
but, nevertheless, it is the true title, as the Insti- 
tute now stands chartered by the State, and 
warranted by the co-operative departments. 

In the brief history of this Institute herewith 
given the writer hopes to be able to explain why 
this Institute was established, when founded, how 
organized, the methods employed, the manner of 
support, the present status of its affairs and 
some of the results already realized. 

Before Minnesota became a State, and while the 
general government was providing liberally for 
the public schools and the University, it was dis- 
covered that there were children and youth still 
unprovided for in matters of education, care and 
training. In all our States and Territories the 
deaf and dumb have been found to number from 
one in fifteen to one iu ten hundred; the blind 
from one in fifteen hundred to one in two thousand; 
and the idiotic and imbecile as numerous as both 
of the former classes together. We may safely 
estimate forty thousand deaf-mutes, thirty-five 
thousand blind, and sixty-five thousand idiotic and 
imbecile persons in the United States, and this 
State has her share of them. It was in anticipa- 
tion of such facts as these, with no provision of a 
public nature to meet the emergency, that the 
friends of education, humanity, and the common- 
wealth, gave thought, time, and labor, and urged 
upon successive legislatures the importance, yes, 
the necessity, of establishing just such schools as 
are found in Faribault to-day. 

The Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. — The 
State Legislature, during its first session in 1858, 
passed an act establishing " The Minnesota State 
Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb" 
within two miles of Faribault, in Rice county, 
upon condition that the town, or county, should, 
within one year from the passage of the law, give 
forty acres of land for its use. The land was do- 



nated, but the school for varif>us reasons was not 
opened till five years later. 

The Legislatur(M)f 18C.'i, passed a law esfabli.sh- 
ing a department for the care and education of the 
blind, together with the deaf and dumb, and under 
the same authority and management, but this 
school was not opened till 18()(). During the sum- 
mer of 1800, Miss. H. N. Tucker was employed as 
teacher and three blind children were received, 
provided for and taught in the Fitzgerald house, 
in the south part of the town. Subsequently this 
school was moved to the north part of the town 
to the Tanner House, so called, and in May, 1868, 
soon after the deaf and dumb occuj)ied the north 
wing of their building, the blind were removed to 
the same building with them. Here the blind re- 
mained till their removal to their present quarters 
on the old Faribault place, where for one year 
they were under the care and instruction of Prof. 
A. N. Pratt, acting principal, and subsequently 
that of Prof. J, J. Dow who is still in charge and 
has prepared the following brief history of the 
blind department. 

"As early as 1872, it had become evident that a 
permanent separation of the two classes for whom 
the Institution was designed, was desirable, and an 
appropriation for the erection of a separate build- 
ing was asked for, which the next legislature 
readily granted. The home property of the orig- 
inal settler and founder of this city, Alexander 
Faribault, at that time coming into market it was 
jmrohased for the new home for the blind. It 
recommended itself for such a j)ur)iose by its 
beautiful situation upon the high blulf over- 
looking the town from the .southeast and com- 
manding an extensive view of the valleys of the 
Straight and Cannon Rivers, and the early and 
extensive improvements made by its former owner, 
by which immediate posses.sion was obtained of 
twenty years growth of orcamental, shade, and 
fruit trees and shrubbery. 

A commodious building for the use of the blind 
was speedily erected, and in the fall of 1874, they 
were removed to their new (|uarters, about one 
mile from the building for the deaf and dumb, and 
placed under the immediate charge of Prof. A. N. 
Pratt. 

At the close of the first year in this new home 
Mr. Pratt retired from his connection with the 
school, and J. J. Dow, Superintendent of the pub- 
lic schools of the city of Austin, was selected to 



340 



HISTORY OF RICK COUNTY. 



fill the place thus m^de vacant. For the next four 
years little in the history of the school worthy of 
mention occurred. Faithful and constant eflbrt 
was put forth to secure the best results possilile in 
the literary and musical departments of the school, 
and a reasonable degree of success was attained, 
but it was constantly felt that there should be a 
department for training the youth here assembled 
in such forms of manual labor as might be bene- 
ticial in after life. 

At the opening of the year 1878, an attempt 
was made in a small way to aocoinjjlish this by 
teaching the art of caning, with quite satisfactory 
results. 

At the opening of tlie next year an experiment 
was made in broom-making, with such success that 
during the year a shop was erected and the indus- 
trial department permanently established. Since 
that time it has continued to give evidence of the 
substantial benefit arising from it, and there are 
oven in so short a time several broom shops in dif- 
ferent parts of the State, operated l)y young men 
who learned the trade in this Institution. 

In 1879, the congress of the United States made 
a subsidy grant of money, the income of which 
was to be annually expended for tlie education of 
the blind throughout the country. This has been 
of great hel]) to the library depart;nent in fur- 
nishing needed l)ooks, maps, and school apparatus 
without expense to the State. The amount so re- 
ceived has varied from seventy-five to one hundred 
and forty dollars jier year, according to the num- 
ber of pupils in attendance. 

At the beginning of the year 1881, J. J. Dow, 
who had for six years been the principal and the 
resident officer in charge, was elected superintend- 
ent of the blind department, thus completing the 
separate organization of the department. 

The attendance of pujiils during the last seven 
ys'irs has varied from eighteen to thirty-five which 
was the attendance of the last school year. This 
number is in excess of the capacity of the build- 
ing, and an addition to the accommodations for the 
blind is a pressing necessity, which it is confident- 
ly expected will be appreciated and met by the 
next legislature. 

The .schcjol work as now organized is carried on 
in three departments, the puf)il spending an as- 
signed portion of each day in each department. 
In the literary department instruction is given in 
reading and spelling in the common or embossed 



raised letter, and in a special system called the 
New York point method which possesses the ad- 
vantages of being more legible to the touch and 
of being written by the learner, through the aid of 
simple and cheap apparatus; in writing with pen- 
cil in a letter approaching common script in form, 
and legible to the ordinary reader, in the New 
York point sistem and upon the type writer; in 
arithmetic, both mental and written, the latter by 
means of a simple arrangement of type, which 
takes the place of the ordinary slate; in geography- 
through the aid of excellent raised and desected 
maps, by means of which the form and outlines of 
the diilereut ]iolitioal divisions and the general 
elevations and depressions of the earth's surfice 
are readily perceived; and in history, both ancient 
and modern, with especial reference to the insti- 
tutions of our own country. Elementary instruc- 
tion is also given in such other branches of study 
as the advancement and capacity of the pupil 
seems to re(|uire. Among the studies whicli have 
been pursued, in addition to those mentioned, are 
grammar, composition, and rhetoric, English lit- 
erature, political economy, and civil government, 
mental and moral philosophy, natural philosophy, 
cliemistry, physiology, geology, zoology, and al- 
gebra. In many of these departments of study, 
text books are now printed in tyjie for the blind, 
while in those in which books are still lacking or 
are unsatisfactory, oral instruction alone is em- 
ployed. The facilities for the literary education 
of the blind are improving year by year, with the 
increase of books and apjjaratus for study and in 
choice works in literature for general culture. 

In the musical department instruction is given 
in vocal music and upon the piano, three of which 
instruments are owned by the Institution, cabinet 
organ, violin, and several other orchestra instru- 
ments. The recently perfected New Y'ork point 
system of musical notation, by means of which the 
simplest as well as the most ditficult music can be 
written and read by the blind, is now being intro- 
duced, and bids fair to be of great service to this 
department. Yet for much of his music a blind 
musician must always depend upon a seeing read- 
er, and instruction is chiefly given by reading. 

In the Industrial department the broom and 
cane work have already been mentioned. Besides 
tliis work, which is especially for the benefit of the 
boys, the girls are instructed in such of the house- 
hold arts as can be most advantageously pursued 



CITY OF FAIilBAULT. 



341 



by the blind. All are tausjht to sew by hand, 
many become proficient in phiin and fancy knit tiiif;', 
crochetting, etc., and a fair proportion learn to 
operate a sewing machine sncoessfully. The mak- 
ing of fancy bead work by the girls and smaller 
boys gives excellent practice in securing delicacy 
of touch, and minute exactness of detail iu work. 

In all of the departments the aim is to do for 
blind persons what the home, the school, and the 
shop may do for his more fortunate brothers and 
sisters, but what, for lack of skill and appliances, 
they cannot do for him. All fif the peculiar metli- 
ods and apparatus in use are adapted to so supjily 
the want of sight in securing an education, as to 
produce, as nearly as possible, the same degree of 
physical, mental, and moral culture, and the same 
capacity for meeting with success iu life as the 
seeing may so much more easily secure. 

The officers and teachers for the last school year 
(1881-82) are as follows: J. J. Dow, superintend- 
ent; Miss Kate Barnes, Matron; .Tosiah Thomp- 
son, teacher; Miss Julia Johnson, pupil assistant; 
Miss C. C. La Grave, music teacher; Michael C. 
Schneck, foreman broom sho))." 

The School fok Imbeciles and Idiots.- — The 
importance of estaVjlishing at an early day a 
school for the care, education, and training of 
feeble-minded children and youth, has been rec- 
ognized by many citizens of the State. The first 
puhlii' advocacy of such a step was made in the 
annual report of the Superintendent of the L)cat 
and Dumb, who had from time to time been 
obliged to remove such unfortunate youth from 
the school under his charge. As early as 1H(>8, 
attention was called to these children in his an- 
nual report, and the same was emphasized iu 
1877. The State Board of Health also advocated 
the movement in their annual reports. 
* The Legislature in 1879 took up the subject 
and established in Faribault an experimental 
school for idiots and feeble-minded children under 
the same authority and management as the Deaf 
and Dumb and the Blind, and made appropria- 
tions for two years. In giving the history of 
this State School for Imbeciles, we cannot do 
better than to quote from the first report of the 
Directors: 

"The last Legislature having entrusted the 
Board of Directors of the Minnesota Institution 
for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind with the 
charge of such children and vouth as had driftc d 



into the Insane hospitals of the Stale and were 
found to be Imbecile and feeble-minded, rather 
than lunatic, and seemed capable of improvemeut 
and instruction, the Board early proceeded to the 
trust. 

The first want presenting itself was reliable in- 
formation as to the special needs of this class of 
eliildreii ami the most approved methods of or- 
ganizing and conducting an institution for their 
training. Fortunately for us and our enterprise, 
the late Dr. H. M. Knight, the founder and super- 
intendent (if the C!ouuecticut School for Imbeciles, 
visited our State iu June, 1879. He was a man 
of large brain and noble heart, and zealously in- 
terested himself in our behalf. His long experi- 
ence in this country and his personal examination 
of the" principle Schools of Kurope for the feeble- 
minded, fitted him to give us such aid and counsel 
as we most needed. He directed our preparations 
and superintended the organization and opening 
of the school until his sou. Dr. G. H. Knight, who 
had been brought up to the work by his father, 
took charge in the latter part of September, 1879." 

The report of the Acting Superintendent for the 
first eighteen mimths states that during that time, 
while the school was still an experiment, the 
number of children cared for were twenty-five, 
all that the building then t)ccupied could be 
made to accommodate. During that time the pro- 
gress of those cared for proved conclusively that 
the time had passed when the education of the 
feeble-minded could be looked upon as simply an 
experiment 

Accordingly the Legislature of 'SO and '81, 
upoQ being ask<'d to make the school one of the 
permanent Institutions of the State, did so with* 
out a dissenting vi>te, and also appropriated the 
sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, ($25,000) 
for building purposes. The result of that sum is 
a stone building 80 x 41 accommodating fifty- 
five children, and (Completely equiped with steam 
and water and all the conveniences for carrying 
on a work of this kind successfully. 

The Board of Directors is the same as that of 
the I^eaf and Dumb. 

Officeks and Teacheks. — Dr. George H. 
Knight, Superintendent; Miss M. E. Powers 
and Miss Susie Smith, Teachers; Miss Ella An- 
derson, Matron. 

Thus it will be seen that by the several enact- 
uicnts of the Lecislature the Institute founded in 



* Sec Errata, page 603. 



342 



HTSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Faribault has been enlarged till, as ita title sets 
forth, it embraces what, in most all of the States 
comprises three separate institutions, — and so far 
as unity of aim and purpose in doing the work 
for the State, and economy in its management, 
and freedom from impartial and unjust legisla- 
tion are concerned, this union of three schools 
under one Board of Directors is wise and timely 
and will appear so just as long as competent men 
are placed in authority over it. 

Organization op the Deaf and Dumb De- 
partment. — The first appropriation of the Leg- 
islature for the support of the deaf and dumb 
was in 1863. The same Legislature appointed 
George F. Batchelder, K. A. Mott, and David H. 
Frost as a Board of Commissioners to start the 
school. Mr. Mott was sent to Ohio, where he 
obtained the services of Prof. K. H. Kinney, an 
experienced teacher, who came to Faribault and 
organized the first deaf-mute school in Minnesota. 
On the second Wednesday of September, 1863, 
the school opened with five pupils in attendance. 
The building occupied was the store and dwelling 
on Front street known as Major Fowler's store. 
The next year the school increased, and George 
W. Chase was employed as assistant teacher. 

In 1864, the Legislature appropriated four 
thousand one hundred dollars for the support of 
the school, eight hundred and fifty dollars of 
which were expended in erecting a small wooden 
building, 18x24, just east of Fowler's store, tor a 
boys' dormitory. This building was subsequently 
sold and moved to Fourth street, and is now used 
as a marl)Ie factory. 

Prof. Kinney experienced difficulties and some 
hardships in his work and sore bereavement in his 
family, and at the end of his third year resigned 
the office of Superintendent. 

About this time an important change took place 
in the contemplated site for a permanent building. 
The original forty acres of land donated by the 
citizens of Faribault were sold and the present lot 
on the bluff east of Straight River was obtained. 

Prof. Kinney having retired, the Board of Di- 
rectors employed J .L. Noyes, of Hartford, Conn., 
to take his place. 

On the 7th of September, 1866, Mr. Noyes and 
family, with Miss A. L. Steele, assistant teacher, 
and Miss Henrietta Watson, matron, arrived in 
Faribault to carry on the work already begun. 
This year chronicles the appropriation of fifteen 



thousand dollars by the Legislature for the first 
permanent building for the deaf and dumb on 
the site already mentioned, and the next year the 
foundation of the north wing of the present edi- 
fice was commenced, and February .5th, 1867, the 
comer-stone was laid by the Governor in the 
presence of the members of the Legislature. The 
citizens of Faribault had now eontriliuted funds 
to ])urchase fifty-four acres of land for the use 
of the Institution, and by appropriation and pur- 
chase in 1882 more was added, making the pres- 
ent site nearly sixty-five acres in all. 

NoKTH Wing.— On the 17th of March, 1868, the 
North Wing was occupied by the deaf and dumb 
for the first time. This was a day of great joy 
to the pupils and all concerned with the school. 
The building was designed and arranged to ac- 
commodate fifty pupils; sixty was the maximum. 

In May of the same year the blind pupils were 
added to the deaf-mutes, and soon the quarters 
became too strait for the occupants. 

During the year 1869 the foundation of the 
South wing was laid, and the sujjerstructure was 
to be a building suited to accommodate the girls, 
with class rooms for the blind. These two wings 
were of equal size, and stood ninety-six feet apart 
with a temporary passage way between them. 

September 10th, 1873, the school was re-organ- 
ized, with the boys occupying the North Wing, 
and the girls the South, with appropriate rooms 
for the blind in each. 

The same year steps were taken to provide a 
separate permanent home for the blind pupils, as 
there was not room enough for both classes in the 
two wings, and it being obvious, after a fair trial, 
that the two classes were so dissimilar that they 
required sejoarate apartments. Accordingly the 
old Faribault farm of ninety-seven acres was pur- 
chased and suitable improvements made, and here, 
in Sej^tember, 1874, the school for the blind was 
re-organized, with A. N. Pratt, Acting Principal ; 
John J. Tucker, Maria E. Crandall, and Cora Ship- 
man, teachers. 

The places vacated by the blind were soon 
filled by the deaf and dumb, and in 187',), the 
plans of the main center building were completed 
by the architect, Monroe Sheire, Esq., of St. Paul, 
and steps taken towards completing the entire 
edifice. In the fall of 1879, the entire building, 
main center and the two wings, were occupied by 
the pupils, and the school re-organized under the 



CITY OF FAItTBAULT. 



343 



moat favorable oiroumstanoes ever enjoyed iu Min- 
nesota. The entire edifice is admirably ventilated 
and warmod by steam, lighted by gas, and abun- 
dantly supplied with pure spring water. 

It is worthy of note to mark the steady growth 
of the institution in periods of five years each. 
Five years after the passage of tlje first act estab- 
lishing the Institute in Faribault the school was 
opened. Five years later the North wing was com- 
pleted and ready for occupancy. In five years 
more the South wing was erected and occupied by 
sixty pupils, and the completion, furnishing and 
heating of the main center building marks a 
period of five years more. Every advance has 
been made as the circumstances of the school de- 
manded it, and not ujion conjecture, or mere 
probabilities. It is confidently expected that the 
Imildings now provided will afford ample accom- 
modations for the deaf-mutes of the State for the 
next ten or fifteen years. The object kept in view- 
has been to build sulistantially, in good taste, with 
an eye to utility and the wants of the future, and 
in a manner becoming a State enterprise. 

It was the result of no pre-arrangement, orcou- 
ti-act, that the same architect drew the jilans of the 
entire building — the main center and two wings — 
at thrtC different times and under three different 
contracts. Whatever, therefore, of success has been 
attained in the effort to unite the three portions in 
one symmetrical, harmonious whole, is due to the 
architect in faithfully carrying out the instructions 
of the Board of Directors. And fortunately a 
majority of the directors has remained on the 
board during this building period, and have bad 
ideas, more or less definite, in regard to the deaf 
and dumb, and the size and nature of the build- 
ings re<[uired in providing for them. 

The entire cost of all the buildings erected by 
tlie State for the deaf and dumb in Faribault, to- 
gether with heating apparatus, will, in round num- 
bers amount to .S200,000. This outlay for one 
school seems large, and yet it is for all time and is 
moderate in comparison with what neighboring 
States have expended. 

Methods. — The methods employed in the work 
of instructing and training the deaf and dumb 
have been those in common use in the older State 
institutions at the East, and known as the French- 
American system of signs, and the combined 
method, together with a well arranged system of 
iiidustri;il schools. The sign language is taught, 



not as an accomplishment, or as an end, but as a 
means to an end. No better method lias been de- 
vised liy which the mass of deaf-niutf? cliildren 
can be initiated into the moaning and (Construction 
of the English language tlian by the; use of 
natural signs as now employed iu all the older 
instituticms for the deaf and dumb in the United 
States and Canada. It is sinijily using the known 
to obtain a knowledge of tlie unknown. And ail 
other devices have failed to bear the test of pro- 
tracted experience. 

Combined Methods. — By the combined method 
is meant the union, or combination, of the sign 
and oral systems so far as the condition and ability 
of the pupils will warrant. Recognizing the fact 
that quite a number — not over twenty per cent. — 
of the dtaf and duml) children received into our 
scliools have some knowledge of spoken language, 
or by natural endowments, possess the ability to 
acquire considerable knowledge of speech, pro- 
vision is made to lencli articulation and lip-reading 
so far as circumstances warrant, and the pupils 
give evidence of the proper ability. There 
are a few schools that use only the oral method of 
instruction, but they fail to educate all, and the 
sign method has been found to succeed in many 
cases where the pure oral system failed, hence the 
wisdom of the combined method. 

DiUEtTIONS FOR TrACHINO THE DeAF AND DlIMB 

AT Home.'" — Deaf- mutes begin in early childhood to 
use the language of natural signs; it is their 
mother tongue; and parents, Ijrothers, and sisters, 
should improve every opportunity to talk with 
them. 

Any person with a manual alj)habet can select 
the letters d-o-g, c-a-t, c-o-w, and teach the mute 
child to spell these wonls, placing its fingers in the 
projjer position for each letter. Talie but one 
word at a time, spell it slowly and repeatedly. 
When these words are learned, teach the name of 
other objects in and about the house. Write these 
words upon a slate, and re(]uire the child to copy 
them, till it can write them with ease. Then teach 
its own name and the names of familiar persons, 
distinguishing them by some ajiprojiriate sign. 

If a person would consult the welfare of a mute 
child, it must bo taught obedience, right and 
wrong, just as other children are taught. A nod 
and smile t)f ajjproval, or a shake of the head and 
look of disapjjroval cannot fail to be understooil. 
There is no mystery in this, as any one may learn 
who makes the trial." 



344 



BISTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



Industriai, Classes. In 1869, a cooper shop 
was opened in which the mute boys were taught 
coopery. Having been well satisfied with the re- 
sult of this experiment, in due time a tailor shop, 
a shoe shop, a printing office, and a department 
for dressmaking and plain sewing were organized, 
and all of these have been continued with highly 
beneficial results. The forenoon is given to school 
exercises proper, and the afternoons to industrial 
work. By this method habits of industry, skill 
and regular physical exercise are formed, and, at 
the end of their course pupils are graduated with 
minds that can think, and hands that can use tools 
skillfully. Thus the^e unfortunate, dependent 
children become useful, independent citizens 
through the aid and bounty of the State. 

The Manner or Suppokt. — As this is strictly 
a State Institution, the support comes from ap- 
propriations made by the Legislature from time 
to time. The appropriations for buildings and 
improvements come from the same source. 

The products of the farm and garden contribute 
something toward the table supplies, but at best 
they yield but a very small part of what is con- 
sumed during each year. 

The shops are hardly self-supporting. As a 
whole, when once provided with shops and a com- 
plete outfit of tools, they have, as a rule, just 
about met current expenses. Hence they cannot 
be regarded as a source of pecuniary profit or in- 
come, even under the best management. As fast 
as the boys become skillful workmen they leave, 
and more Ixiys take their places to repeat the 
same thing in a few years. Biit the knowledge 
and skill are valuable to the graduates in after 
years. 

The Present Status. The condition of affairs 
in this Institution at this time may be indicated 
by stating that the Board of Directors consists of 
Gov. Ii. F. Hubbard, Hon. D. L. Kiehle, ex officio; 
Hon. T. B. Clement, President ; Rev. Geo. B. 
Whipple, Vice-President ; Hon. R. A. Mott, Sec- 
retary ; Hudson Wilson, Esq., Treasurer ; Hon. 
Geo. E. Skinner. 

Officers and Teachers: J. L. Noyes, super- 
intendent ; George Wing, Pender W. Downing, 
Mary E. King, Ellen M. Franklin, Fannie Wood, 
Anna Wicktom, Teacliers ; Dr. P. G. Denninger, 
physician ; Mrs. A. R. Halo, matron ; Horace E. 
Barron, steward ; D. F. Munro, foreman of tailor 
shoj) ; J. R. Scnduer, foreman of shoe sho|) ; 



George Wing, editor of the Companion: Philip 
Slaveu, foreman of cooper shop ; Mrs. S. M. 
Perry, mistress of sewing room ; A. B. Irvine, 
engineer ; N. P. Rood, night watch. 

One hundred and sixteen pupils were in attend- 
ance the last term, twelve of whom completed the 
prescribed time, or course, in the school, and 
graduated at the close of the term in June last. 
The deaf-mute pupils have deported themselves in 
such a manner that not a single expulsion has 
occurred in the last sixteen years. 

The finances of the institution are in a good 
condition, the Legislature never having declined 
to make the necessary provision for buildings, or 
support, provided there was money in the State 
treasury. 

The citizens of Faribault and the State gener- 
ally foster the school with special interest and 
personal pride, and look upon it as one of the 
most beneficial institutions the State has estab- 
lished. It is not local or sectarian in its work, 
nearly all classes, nationalities, and almost all the 
counties in the State being represented in it. 

Tne Mute's Companion. — This little paper, 
issued every two weeks of the school year, is 
edited by one of the teachers, and the work of 
setting the type and printing, besides considerable 
job work, is done by the pupils themselves. It 
pleads the cause of the deaf and the blind in 
many a household, and by way of exchange in 
many of the papers throughout the State, and 
brings to the reading room a copy of nearly all 
the newspapers published in Minnesota. Many 
copies of papers and periodicals from other States 
are obtained in exchange for "The Companion," 
and thus the reading matter for the pupils is 
greatly enlarged, and they are thereby provoked 
to habits of reading and thought which, without 
"The Companion," would be wholly lost. Parents 
and patrons by it are called into a deeper sympathy 
and interest in this school and its benevolent 
work. 

A slight change in the management of the In- 
stitute has been made that deserves a passing 
notice. From the commencement of this State 
enterprise there has been only one board of trust, 
one superintendent, and one steward until May 
19th, 1881, when, with entire unanimity on the part 
of the board, and the hearty approval of the Su- 
perintendent, the latter was relieved of all care and 
responsibility in regard to the blind department 



CITY OF FARIBAULT. 



345 



* and the sebool for idiots and imbeciles, and Prof. 
J. J. Dow and Dr. George H. Knight were ap- 
pointed superintendents of their respective depart- 
ments, so that at this writing Minnesota has in 
Faribault a trinity of humane and benevolent 
institutions under one board, one steward, and 
three superintendents, all working together not 
only harmoniously and zealously, but efficiently 
and economically, and are illustrating by practice, 
what no other State has done, that these three in- 
stitutions can be successfully and satisfactorily 
managed in one place and by one board. The 
State has heartily endorsed the plan, and successive 
Legislatures have appropriated the funds necessary 
for their establishment and support with great 
unanimity, and with reason, for the improvements 
have all been made, the buildings erected, and the 
current expenses met by the appropriations, and, as 
a rule, a balance left in the treasury. It is but 
gi\'ing utterance to public opinion to say the 
buildings are first class in constriiction, well lo- 
cated, well adapted to the work, and no stealing 
and very small profits to contractors. 

So.ME Kesults Realized. — Two hundred and 
eighty-five deaf and dumb children have been re- 
ceived into the Institution since it was organized. 
A large majority of the graduates learned a trade 
while at school and have become rpiiet, useful, and 
industrious citizens, possessing the respect and 
confidence of those who know them, and earning a 
comfortable Jiving. A few have been very success- 
ful. One is the editor and proprietor of a leading 
country newspaper. Another is a highly esteemed 
bookkeeper in a large banking house. Six have 
entered college at Washington. One is the fore- 
man of a cooper shop. Three have been success- 
ful teachers of the deaf and dumb. A few have 
excelled as type-setters. Fourteen have married 
and have fourteen children, and as parents and 
citizens they are acting well their part in life. 
There are others who as farmers, coopers, shoe- 
makers, tailors, and laborers, are earning an honest 
comfortable living and no longer eating the bread 
of dependence. Not one, so far as heard from, has 
become a vagrant, or an idler, trying to make 
capital out of his misfortune. 

The graduates are realiziug more deeply every 
year how much the Institution has done for them. 
Isolated from society, shut out from public lec- 
tures and Saljbath instruction, which they enjoyed 
at school, they fail to grow in intelligence and 

• See Errata, page 1)03. 



knowledge of wordly matters like persons with all 
their senses. Reading and writing comprise their 
medium of communication with others and in this 
sometimes they are deficient. 

The nature and object of the Institution are be- 
coming better known and parents realize more 
than formerly the importance of an education and 
a trade tor the deaf and dumb, and moreover that 
this cannot be obtained at home, or in the space of 
four or five years even under very favorable cir- 
cumstances. In order to realize more effectually 
what the In,stitution has been doing the reader 
should go to some of the homes of these children 
and contrast the sadness, gloom, and despondency 
that had settled over the hearts and minds of once 
happy loving parents, and mark the contrast as 
the cloud disap^iears before the joy, intelligence 
and usefulness of the graduate as he takes his 
place in society and the world. In instances not 
a few jJarents have found language inadequate to 
express their gratitude for what has been ac- 
complished. As the educated deaf-mute proves 
the comfort in sickness, the stay and staff in age to 
many parents throughout the commonwealth the 
beneficial results of this State Institute will 
widen and deepen in ratios beyond computation, 
and in values that money cannot equal. 

It is unquestionable that the State of Minnesota 
has been most remarkably fortunate in the pubUc 
institutions located in Faril)ault. In the first 
place the commissioners who were authorized to 
make a beginning and to take the whole subject 
into consideration, to ascertain the number of the 
unfortimate who wei-e by rights w-ards of the 
State, and to report, did their work faithfully and 
well, and while the officers of the State have had 
literally to feel their way, as the labor magnified 
on their hands, they have never made a mistake; 
and what is most wonderful, in all the expendi- 
tures for buildings and support, they have never 
exceeded the appropriation, except in a single 
unimportant instance.. The institution in all re- 
spects has been in its administration conducted in 
an honest and economical way, and the gentle- 
men who are in charge of the various depart- 
ments are remarkably well adapted to the work, 
and have kindly furnished this sketch, excepting 
these concluding remarks. 

There is considerable that might be said in this 
connection, in relation to the personal fitness and 
the remarkable adajjtability of the officers to the 



346 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



performance of their duties ; the kindness and 
consideration that has characterized their contact 
with the various inmates ; the rare judgment that 
has uniformly been displayed in the every day 
affairs and iu numerous trying emergencies ; but 
the usual anxiety is for results, and as here they 
have been entirely satisfactory, this statement 
must close our final, pointing with pride at these 
institutions. 

SHATTUCK SCHOOL. 

The Shattuck School is under the patronage of 
the Episcopal authorities, and is a most impor- 
tant part of the denominational system of educa- 
tion. It was organized in 1866, and placed in 
charge of Eev. J. L. Breck. D. D,, who became 
Ractor of the school, and on his removal to Cali- 
fornia, in 1.S67, the Eev. James Dobbin succeeded 
him. The object of the school is to train up boys 
for the active business of life, which also embraces 
a preparation for college, and to make it for Min- 
nesota what Eton is for England. Of course 
tliere weie at first many trials, but constant ad- 
vances have been made, and it is now thoroughly 
established on a lasting foundation, and in the 
confidence and esteem of the community. The 
buildings consist of two large halls built of stone, 
a school-room, drill-room and gymnasium, and 
one of the most beautiful college or school chap- 
els in America, the whole costing over .1580,000. 
There are fifty acres of land on a plateau back of 
the bluff, opposite the lower part of the city, and 
north of the State Institutitm for the Deaf apd 
Dumb. 

The school is a military one, and the boys as 
they arrive are assigned to one of the organized 
companies which are officered by the students in 
accordance with the United States tactics, the 
promotions being in the direction of competency 
and seniority. The cndets are dressed in a neat 
gray uniform, and the proficiency of the " Shat- 
tuck Battalion" in the manual of arms and com- 
pany and battalion movements, is very striking. A 
Captain in the Regular Army is detailed as in- 
structor, commandant, and professor of Natural 
Sciences. 

The following article from a St. PaTil paper, 
from the pen of one of the stuff of the journal is 
here reproduced, although it covers some of the 
points already presented, but it will give a view 
from a ditl'erent standpoint. Besides, the school 
is of such a diaractcr that if tautology is to be ex- 



cused in any case, it certainly will be iu this in- 
stance. 

"THE ETON OF MINNESOTA. 

You can tell a town in which institutions for 
the education of the youth abound almost as 
soon as you enter it. There is an air of dignity 
and scholastic quietude which permeates certain 
portions thereof, and militates not one whit against 
the mercantile or manufacturing activity likely 
enough to be found in other localities. Then, too, 
the surroundings, if not the town itself, are al- 
most always characterized by especial beauties of 
scenery. There is always a stream, and it is 
usually picturesque, while foliage in abundance 
mingles with plenitude of spires. The residences 
show greater attention to the religion of the beau- 
tiful, and the people more outward evidences, at 
least, of culture than in towns where elevators are 
the building of most note and the price of pro- 
duce the principal topics of conversation. The 
differences noted are more especially marked in a 
State so new, comparatively, as our own, and no 
one who has ever visited Faribault will wonder at 
its serving as a text for the above. It is more 
like a New England town, wherein decades have 
merged into generations, and generations into 
centuries, than a place of most modern foundation 
and growth, and the claim that it is the prettiest 
town in the State is hard, successfully to contro- 
vert. The seat of the Deaf and Dumb Institution, 
which crowns a commanding height on the east 
side of the Straight River (what a pity the name 
of the latter was changed from the euphonious 
Owatonna), it is more widely known as the locale 
of the two schools — Shattuck and St. Mary's — 
founded by Protestant Episcopal liberality, and 
supported by scholars of all denominations. It is 
also the diocesan home of Bishop Whippl<>, and 
here also is located Seabury Divinity School. 

SHATTUCK SCHOOIj. 

The choice location of the city, so rich in sites' 
has unqiiestionably been taken by Shattuck 
school, an institution more thoroughly academic 
in appearance, scope, and plan than any in the 
State. Its founders wisely eschewed the preten- 
tious name of " College," or the often bombastic 
title of "University." knowing that sucL appella- 
tions would, tor many years at least, be misnomers, 
if not shams, and adopted the expressive, if old- 
fashioned, generic name. The success attendant 



CITY OF FAUIBAULr. 



347 



upon the earnest efforts of Bishop Whipple and 
his coadjutors must be surprising even to them. 
The parish school established as far back as 1858 
was really the nucleus of Shattuck as it was of St. 
Mary's, and when Bishop Whipple assumed 
charge of the newly created diocese, in 1860, he 
found the parochial school in anything but a fee- 
ble condition, the population considered. In that 
year the Bishoj} Seal)ury mission was incorporated 
by H. B. Whipple, J. L. Breck, S. W. Manney, 
and E. S. Peake, the charter giving ample educa- 
tional powers to the board of trustees therein pro- 
vided for. 

In the autumn of 1865, it was determined to 
separate an academic department from the Sea- 
bury mission, the latter being more purely theo- 
logic in its curriculum. Shattuok School took 
high rank from the start, and not the least happy 
of the ideas of its originators was that of making 
the school 

CLOSELY RESEMBLE WEST POINT 

in many important particulars. While the mili- 
tary code is subordinate to the educational, it is 
merged with it as well, and plays a highly im- 
portant part in the discipline. The pupils are 
styled cadets and have their own commissioned and 
non-commissioned officers, the commandant being 
an oiBcer of the regular army who is next to the 
rector in academic rank. The government has 
furnished ritles similar to those used by the West 
Pointers, and weighing only seven pounds, while 
other acoout«rments have also been provided in 
plenty. 

The uniform is of gray and the cross belts of 
white exactly similar to the national cadets in cut 
and trimming, while as far as possible, the organ- 
ization is modeled after that of the best military- 
school in the world. The flag-staff on a com- 
manding knoll, the frowning artillery, the uni- 
forme.l cadets with their erect and soldier-like 
beoring, the calls, and the hundreds of addenda of 
a martial nature, are exceedingly pleasing to the 
eye or ear, and better still have served a most ad- 
mirable purpose. No one physically able is 
excused from drills and concomitant military duty 
and the esprit dii corps is fostered by awards and 
rewards into vigorous Hfe. 

THE CORPS AND BUILDINGS. 

The limit of membership is fixed at 103 for the 
present (it is to be enlarged to 150 as soon as 
added facilities will admit), and there is Imt one 



vacancy at present. Applications for the reception 
of a much greater number are yearly received, but 
are not acceded to, as the limit is rigid. The pre- 
ceptors do not believe in crowding the cadets, 
being of the opinion that the harm done would be 
poorly compensated for by the increase of revenue. 
Of course, the time is looked forward to when new 
buildings will allow of an increase to 200, 300 or 
400 students, and, if present popularity is any 
criterion, the pupils will l)e ready ere the build- 
ings are. There are now fully 100 acres in the 
academic grounds, so that the room is ample. The 
buildings are two large stone halls, each three 
stories in height, for recitation rooms, dormitories, 
and refectories, and in the ne<ir future an addi- 
tional hall 100x65, with a dining room 55x65, is to 
be erected. The Manney Armory Hall, named in 
honor Rev. Solon W. Manney, D. D., is of com- 
paratively recent erection and is a model of its 
kind. The lower story is fitted up as a gymnasium 
and reading room, the latter not so well supplied 
with books as it will be in the ciuniug time, many 
books having been burned in 1872, when Seabury 
Hall fell victim to the flames. The gymnasium 
proper is all that could be desired and is provided 
with every possible appliance far athletic culture, 
while the .-esthetic sense is pleased by the finish of 
the entire building in hard woods, innocent of dis- 
figuring paint, and handsome as are most of na- 
ture's products. Up stairs is the armory and drill 
room, a spacious apartment ample for the evolu- 
tions of the corps, the room being unobstructed by 
supports or columns of any kind, and the floor so 
braced and held l>y iron hearted girders as to be 
absolutely safe. In the southern part of the 
grounds and facing westward toward the river, as 
do most of the buildings, is the beautiful Shum- 
way Memorial Chapel, erected by Mrs. Hunting- 
tim, of Cincinnati, in remembrance of a beloved 
child. The Chapel is of suitable size and is most 
perfect in all its appointments and exquisite in de- 
sign. The stained windows were made abroad and 
are very handsome, representing in mosaic of 
glass, scenes in sacred history of the symbolisms 
of the Church. The organ and altar within the 
chancel are suited to the chapel, which necessarily 
plays an important part in the exercises of the 
school. The Rector's house is also a fine one, and 
is finished in the latest style of modern ornamen- 
tation, without mere display. East of the armory 
there has recently been erected a handsome cot- 
tage for the use of the commandant, who formerly 



348 



HISTORY OF BIOB COUNTY. 



lived in the city. It is proposed soon to heat all 
buildings by steam from central buildings, and it 
would not lie surprising if the electric light shiiuld 
be introduced within a short time. The parade 
ground for the out door evolutions of the cadets is 
large and smooth, and a dress parade of the corps is 
an exceedingly pleasant sight. At the present time 
music is furnished by an excellent drum corps, but 
as the school grows in size it is not at all improba- 
ble that a band will be. formed among the 
cadets. * * *" 

In relation to the scope and character of the 
study in this school there is one point which is 
most admirable, and which is so frequently, and 
we had almost said criminally neglected in so 
many schools that it should be emphasized in the 
most striking way, and that is the physical train- 
ing which goes along paripasee with the intellec- 
tual. No plan to do this has ever been found 
equal to the school of the soldier, as it combines 
pleasure and labor in a way that is most condu- 
cive to develoiDment from youth to manhood, 
because there is enough of the intellectual with it 
to give it zest, even with the mentally inclined. 

Without publishing the curriculum it will, per- 
haps, be sufficient that a list of the text-books be 
printed, although it must be understood that thes» 
are mere auxiliaries in the realm of instruction. 

The following Text Books are used in the 
School : 

Arithmetic, Mental Stoddard. 

Arithmetic, Written Hagar. 

Algebra Wentworth. 

Astronomy Gillet & Bolfe. 

Botany Gray's School and Field. 

Book-keeping Meservey. 

Chemistry Avery. 

Civil Government Towuseud 

Copy Books S|jencerian. 

English Literature Townsend. 

Geography Colton. 

Geography, Physical Geike. 

Grammar Harvey, Whitney. 

German Grammar Cook's Otto. 

Geometry Davies' Legendre. 

Greek Lessons White. 

Greek Grammar and Header Goodwin. 

Greek Prose Jones 

History, U. S Seavey's Goodrich. 

History, England Guest's Lectures. 

History, General Talhcimcr 



Latin, Introductory Lessons Harkness 

Latin Grammar and Reader. .Harkness, Stan. Ed. 

Latin Prose Arnold. 

Military Tactics Upton- 

Natural Philosophy Gillet & Eolfe. 

Political Economy Faucett. 

Physiology Hutchison. 

Readers Appleton's, Shaw's Selections, 

LefEngwell'a Classics. 

Rhetoric Hart. 

Elocution Mitchell. 

Spellers Harrington. 

Study of Words Trench. 

In this line, a presentation of the corps of in- 
structors will add still further to an idea of what 
ground is covered by the teaching of the school. 



The Right Reverend H. B. Whipple, D. D., 
Bishop of Minnesota, Chancellor and Visitor. 

Rev. James Dobbin, A. M., B. D., Rector. 

Rev. George H. Davis, Vice-Rector, and In- 
structor in English Literature and Political Econ- 
omy. 

Capt. Charles A. Curtis, A. B., U. S. A., Com- 
mandant, and Instructor in Military and Natural 
Sciences. 

William W: Champlaiu, A. M., Mathematics. 

Harry E. Whitney, A. M., Latin and (rerman. 

E. Webster Whipple, A. M., LL. B., Greek Lan- 
guage and Literature. 

Charles E. S. Rasey, A. M., History and Elocu- 
tion. 

Mrs. H. E. Wliitey, Instrumental and Vocal 
Music. 

Charles W. Clinton, A. M., Preparatoy Depxrt- 
meut. 

PHYSICAi CDLTURB. 

G. Weston Wood, M. D., Physician and Sur- 
geon. 

Mrs. C. N. Parker, Matron. 
Mrs. C. F. Sheldon, Nurse. 
The officers of the Battalion organization are 

FIELD AND STAFF. 

Captain C. A. Curtis, U. S. A., Conunanclant. 

G. W. Wood, Surgeon. 

Cadet Lieut. E. L. Welch, Adjutant. 

Cadet Sergeant Major, F. E. Evans. 

Cadet Qiiartermaster Sergeant, S. S. Tanner. 



C'lTV OF FMllli.WLT. 



349 



Touching the government of the school, upon 
which so much depends, the following extriict 
from the published rules is made: 

UULES OF CONDUCT. 

"Only such rules are imjrased as are known to 
lie necessary to correct, or to prevent improper 
conduct and neglect of duty. The utmost watch- 
fulness is maintained over the habits and conduct 
of the cadets. The discipline, while kind and 
just, is meant to he very strict. Everything is 
designed to imbue each one with such a manly. 
Christian spirit, and such n wholesome respect for 
law as will secure cheerful as well as exact obedi- 
euce. 

The discipline of the school is semi-military. 
All riiles and regtdatious, except such as are 
purely military, are imposed by the Kector. The 
cadet officer.^ of the battalion are required to aid in 
their enforcement. The Commissioned officers are 
detailed in rotation as " Officer of the Day." 
During his term of duty the Officer of the J)ay is 
rosponsible, together with his Sergeant and Cor- 
poral of the Guard, tor the maintenance of good 
order, and the observance of all the regulations of 
the school. In case of disorder, or of any known 
or suspected violation of the rules, it is the duty 
of the officers to report it. These reports are 
made regularly each day in writing, through the 
Commandant, and the penalties are assigned, in 
all cases, by tLe Rector or his representative. 
Every cadet who is reported for any delinquency 
is given an opportunity to make an explanation 
before he is punished. In this way all hasty, un- 
just, and discriminating punishments are avoided, 
and the discipline of the school is made, in its 
truest sense, corrective. A record of all delin- 
quencies and punishments is preserved, and is fur- 
nished to parents if de.sired. So far as the various 
faults and dispositions of cadets will allow, these 
are uniform, and con.sist in the performance of ex- 
tra drill, and stmly. the loss of holidays and 
pocket money, confinement to close bounds, de- 
merits, etc. 

HABITS P'OEBIDDEN. 

The folliiwiug habits arc strictly forbidden: 

The use of ardent spirits. 

The use of tobacco in any form. 

Visiting saloons or billiard rooms. 

The use of profane or obscene language. 



Leaving the school groumlH witliout permission. 

Playing cards. 

The contraction of debts. 

Willfully marring and d(stroyiDg school prop- 
erty. 

Reading books and papers disapjirovcd. 

An habitual and wilful indulgence in any of 
these habits is held to be sufficient groiiml for re- 
moval from the school." 

The United States (iovernmcnt lias sn|)phed the 
school with one hundred and fifty cadet riHe- 
muskets, fifty cavalry .sabres, eighteen small swords, 
and two artillery piece.s, with all the necessary 
eqifipments. It also furnishes annually for prac- 
tice firing, two thousand rounds of musket cart- 
ridges, and one hundred rounds for .six pounder 
guns. The cadet rifle, including bayonet, weighs 
nine pounds. No one able to drill is excused from 
it. Each cadet is held personally responsible for 
the arms assigned to him. An excellent drnm 
corps is attached to the battalion. 

A paper, "The Sh.\ttuck GcnooL," is printed at 
the school, and there are various societies, such as 
"The Reading Room Asst)ciation," the "C. S. 0. 
Society," the "Athletic .Association," the "Base 
Ball Club," the "Choir," the "Orchestra," the 
"Band," and others. There are various honors 
and prizes to be contended tor, and of course the 
latter will increase as the school goes on. 

FEES. 

Tuition, military drill, board, fuel, 

lights and washing, (one dozen ) 

per annum SaSd 00 

Payable September 14th $200 00 

Payable January 4th 150 00 

Entrance Fee ( paid but once ) . . . 2.5 00 

German, except to those pursuing 

the graduating course Ifi 00 

Lessons on piano 00 00 

Use of piano for practice 15 00 

Medical attendance 5 00 

Day scholars, payable half-yearly 

in advance 50 00 

A vejy liberal rediu-tion is made to the sons of 
clergymen. 

The school year consists of thirty-eight weeks. 

.SE.iBCKT DIVINITY SCHOOL. 

In the year 1858, Rev. Dr. T. L. Breek, Rev. S. 
W. Manney, and Rev. E. S. Peake organized an 
associate mission at Gull Lake, and Mr. Breck and 



350 



HISTORY OF HIGH COUNTY. 



Mr. Manney begau mission work in Faribault. 
They acquired about forty acres of land, built a 
small wooden Chapel, two dwelling houses, and a 
Divinity School of the dimensions of 16x18 feet. 
By the next autumn — 1859 — when H. B.Whipple 
was elected as the first Bishop of Minnesota, they 
had a flourishing parish school, and had com- 
menced the Seabury Divinity School with eight 
or ten pupils. 

On the 15th of May, 1858, the citizens of Fari- 
bault, who were adherents of this faith, met and 
formed an organization tor the avowed purpose of 
creating an "Episcopal University." The Chair- 
m^in of this meeting was A. J. Turner, the Secre- 
tary was O. F. Perkins. A committee was ap- 
pointed to receive contributions as follows : G. E. 
Skinner, Levi Nutting, and J. B. Wheeler. 

It seems that the Rev. T. Wilcoxson had prev- 
iously visited Faribault, and there was a mission 
at St. Columbia, one hundred and fifty miles north, 
and on the 30th of July, 1869, there was an event 
of unusual interest in ccmnection with this mission 
work. Three Chippewas had come down from 
that distant mission; two, Ma-ne-ta-wah, a Chris- 
tian chief, and En-me-gah-bowh, had come to be 
ordained by the missionary Bishop Rt. Rev. J. 
Kemper. Here indeed was the frilit of missionary 
labor, the service was crowded with Indians and 
whites to witness a sight beheld for the first time 
in America, the ordination of a full-blooded Indian 
into the Priesthood or Deacouship of the church. 

In 1859. a little missionary paper was printed 
which revealed the wants of the mission and the 
progress made. 

The first anniversary exercises of the Seabury 
Mission were on the 17th of August, 1859, and 
according to the reports then made, the number 
of scholars during the first quarter was fifteen, the 
second sixty-seven; the third eighty-three; and 
the term just closed one hundred and two. It can 
thus be seen that the school at that time was needed 
and appreciated. 

The clergy and teachers then were: Rev. J. 
Lloyd Breck, M. A.; Rev. Prof. Manney, M. A.; 
G.Clinton Tanner ;»S. Dutton Hinraan; James 
Dobbin; Miss M. J. Mills; Miss M. J. Leigh. 

The story of the conversion of the Chippewas 
and of the Dakotas, and particularly of the edu- 
cation of bright "Little Hattie" and "Clara Moko- 
manik," children of the forest, excited interest in 
this mission and helped to supply contributions 



for its support, particularly as the name of J. J. 
En-me-gah-bowh was added to the clergy of the 
mission. The first two graduates of the school 
were Indian missionaries. 

In 1860, in addition to the name of the Bishop, 
was added to the associate missionaries the names 
of Rev. G. C. Tanner and Rev. S. Dutton Hinman. 

On the 22d of May, 1860, the Bishop Seabury 
mission was incorporated with the following Trus- 
tees: Rt. Rev. H. B. Whipple, I). D.; Rev. J. 
Lloyd Breck, D. D. ; Rev. S. W. Manney; Rev. E. 
G. Gear; Rev. D. B. Knickerbacker; liev. E. P. 
Gray; Hon. H. T. Welles; Hon. E. T. Wilder; 
Gen. N. J. T. Davy; Rev. E. R. Welles; and C. 
Woolley. The school was named in honor and re- 
memberance of Bishop Seabury, the first Bishop 
in America, who was consecrated to this work in 
Scotland. 

These two men who thus cjme and entered upon 
this missionary work with such a comprehensive 
view of the requirements of the future, were the 
real founders of the Divinity school, and when 
Bishop Whipj5le came he at once took the enter- 
prise under his protection, and with an energy that 
never flags, has, with the assistance that has been 
secured, brought the school up to its present pros- 
perous condition. The construction of Seabury 
Hall was commenced in 1862. It is a noble stone 
structure, three stories with a basement, and cost 
about |;l 6,000. It was completed in 1864. For a 
few years there was a boy's collegiate school in 
the same building and under the same teachers, 
and various instnactors were employed. The 
necessity of the specific work of the Divinity 
School became so urgent that in 1865, the Shat- 
tuck School was organized, and since that time 
this school has been enabled to concentrate upon 
its special work. In 1864, Rev. E. S. Thomas 
joined the school, and Rev. Dr. S. Buel in 1866. 
Rev. Dr. Breck removed to California in 1867, and 
in 1869, to Rev. Dr. Manney, 

"The God of bounds who sets to seas a shore. 
Came to him in his fatal rounds, 
And said, no more!" 

He had been a chaplain in the army with .^1, 800 

a year, which he surrendered for $500 here with 

lalior and discouragements, but he lived long 

enough to see that his planting would become a 

fruitful vineyard. The Rev. Dr. T. Riuhey was 

elected professor of Ecclesiastical History. In 

1870, Mr. Thomas was called to the rectorship of 

St. Mark's Church in Minneapolis, and resigned 



677')' OA' FA/il/l.Un/r. 



It.'il 



his posiUon here. In 1871, Mr. Buel became a pro- 
fessor in the General Theological Seminary, and 
he was succeeJetl by Rev. Dr. J. S. Kidney. In 
1874, Rev. Creorge L. Chase became warden and 
Professor of Homiletics. The late Rev. Dr. H. Y. 
McMasters acted as Professor of Evidences for 
seven years. Rev. G. C Tanner was acting Pro- 
fessor of Exegesis for two years, and he was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. W.J. Gold. Dr. Richey was suc- 
ceeded by Mr. Humphrey, Acting-Professor of 
Ecclesiastical History, and Rev. E. 8. Wilson was 
elected Professor of Exegesis. 

In 1871, the Seabnry Hall was burned. It was 
a heavy blow and a serious loss, but another was 
soon commenced and the present edifice went up, 
and now the.^e is a noble hall, a beautiful chapel, 
a professor's residence, a library building, with 
several thousand choice volumes. 

The students read service at various outlying 
stations. 

The present staff is as follows, viz: 

Bishop Whipple, Professor of Pastoral Work. 

The Rev. George L.Chase, A. M., Warden and 
Professor of Homiletics and Liturgies. 

The Rev. F. Humphry, Acting Professor of Ec- 
clesiastical History, and Rev. E. S. Wilson, Pro- 
fessor of Exegesis. 

The Rev. J. Steinford Kidney, D. D., Professor 
of Divinity, and Acting Professor of Ethics and 
Apologetics. 

The ''Bishop Seabury Mission" has a board of 
trustees consisting of eight laymen and six clergy- 
men, the Bishop is the President. 

As a divinity school it has a high rank and is the 
advocate of no party or faction, but "within the 
liberty which the church gives, yields to every man 
all the freedom of opinion, which the church tol- 
erates." 

ST. mart's H.ibL. 

This is a school for girls which has obtained a 
wide reputation for usefulness during the sixteen 
years of its existence. The several hundred who 
have received instruction here are scattered over a 
wide expanse of territory, and each one, as she has 
opportunity, is the center of usefulness. The 
school was instituted by Bisbop Whipple, and 
opened in his residence in 1866, under the care of 
Rpv. L.J. Mills and Miss S. P. Darlington. Mr. 
Mills had been associated with Bishoj) Kerfoot at 
James College, and he brought the knowledge ac- 
quired by that school. He only lived to work with 



the school for four months, hut during that time 
left an imjircssion upon its characti^r which has 
moulded and will continue to mould its forms of 
instruction while it shall exist. At the end of six 
years from the time of its institution the school 
v/vs placed in the care of a board of trustees. At 
])resent tlie buildings occupy a block of land one 
sipiare from the Cathedral, diagonally across the 
street, they are spacious, comfortable, cheerful- 
and home-like, with shady walks and cheerful sur- 
roimdings. The avowed object of the school is to 
train up Christian women, and the theory main- 
tained is that religion should be a wellspring of 
joy and pleasure, and not a source of sadness and 
melancholy, and that girls will equal boys in 
every department of letters, with equal advantages. 
Rev. George B. Whipple, the brother of Bishop 
H. B. Whipple, is the assistant in the spiritual 
care of the school. It has accommodations for 
seventy boarders and forty day scholars. We pre- 
sent here as a fitting place, a brief sketch of the 
woman who for fourteen years had her life bound 
up in this school. 

Miss S. P. Darlington. — This estimable lady 
was the principal of St. Mary's Hall from 1862 
up to the time when she was called to — 
' A land unknown. 

That day of days drew nigh. 
Which shall unlock all hidden storcH, 

And bid our dreading, longing spirits rty 
To thy mysterious .shores." 

Her passing away was on the 19th of February, 
1881, after eight days of pain and sufi'ering. 
From the time when she took charge of the insti- 
tution, except one year, she was the capable, cul- 
tivated, and careful counselor of those under her 
charge. Few women have better administrative 
ability than she developed in the reponsibile posi- 
tion that she occupied in such an etBcient way. 
the monuments that she reared are living all over 
the country, as devoted wives, faithful and loving 
mothers, and beloved women. She came from 
Pennsylvania, a daughter of Dr. Darlington, a 
noted botanist. 

The mantle of Miss Darlington has fallen upon 
Miss E. A. Rice, her former associate, who is in 
every way qualified to fill the responsible posi- 
tion to which she has been called. 

The regular terms of the school begin on the 
third Thursday in September, and close on the 
third Tuesday in June, and has two weeks vaca- 
tion at Christmas, and ten days at Easter, when 
the juipils can, if they choose, visit home. 



302 



UJ6T0RY OF RICE COUNTY. 



The terms are 1300 a year, with no extra 
eharges for French or German. Music and paint- 
ing are an extra charge. 

The following are the officers and teachers for 
1881-82. 

Rt. Rev. H. B. Whipple, D. D., Rector. 

Rev. Geo. B. Whipple, Chaplain and Treasurer. 

Miss E. A. Bice, Principal. 

Prof. John Foster, A. B., Latin and Mathemat- 
ics. 

Miss E. Whitney, History, English Language, 
and Literature. 

Miss F. S. Beaue, Natural Sciences and Blathe- 
uiatics. 

Miss M. Finch, English Branches. 

Miss M. W. Greene, Preparatory Department. 

Miss Mary A. Smith, Elocution. 

Mile. M. P. Landerer, French and German. 

Miss Grace D. Sherwood, Music. 

Miss C. M. Hakes, Vocal Music. 

Miss M. P. Harbaugh, Drawing and Painting. 

Miss M. A. Williams, Matron. 

Miss Susan Phelps, Assistant Matron. 

Hon. Gordon E. Cole, Secretary. 

Eiglit acres of laud on the bhiff opposite the 
city and overlooking it, just south of the State 
Institution for the Deaf Mutes, have been secured, 
aud a building is now going up which will be in 
every way adapted to the requirements of the 
school and an ornament to the city. The cost 
will be $75,000. 

An account of the exercises attending the lay- 
ing of the corner-stone is printed here from the 
local press, and seems to be a fitting conclusion to 
this summary account of St. Mary's Hall. 

ST. mart's hail. THE CEREMONY OF LAi'ING THE 

CORNER-STONE. 

•' The laying of the corner-stone of St. Mary's 
Hall marks another era in the progress of educa- 
tional work in the city. The school has outgrown 
the primitive foundations upon which it was first 
reared, and the new and noble edifice which is de- 
manded by its necessities will soon become one of 
the chief ornaments of our attractive city. 

The ceremonies of Monday, June 19th, were 
witnessed by a large concourse of people, among 
whom were numerous visitors who were in attend- 
ance upon the commencement proceedings. 

About the stone ware grouped the bishop and 
resident clergy, tlie pupils of St. Mary's and 
Shattuck Halls, the architect, Mr. William Wil- 



cox, the contractor, Mr. William McNeil, of Chi- 
cago, and others. 

The services were in accordance with the usual 
church formuliB. 

The following articles were deposited in the box 
which was placed under the stone : 

English Bible, Prayer Book and Hymnal, Dako- 
tah Prayer Book and Hymnal, Chippewa Prayer 
Book and Hymnal, Catalogues of St. Mary's 
Hall, Catalogues of Shattuck School, Catalogues 
Seabury Divinity School, History of the Church 
Schools in Faribault, Journal of Diocese of Minne- 
sota, Conventional address of the Bishop, copies of 
the St. Paul Pioneer Press, of June 18th and 19th, 
1881, Minnesota Missionary for 1882, the Church- 
man, the Episcopal Register, Guardian, Standard 
of the Cross, Living Church, St. Paul Globe, St. 
Paul Dispatch, Minneapolis Journal, Minneapolis 
Tribune, Faribault Democrat, Faribault Republi- 
can, names of the President of the United States 
and Cabinet, names of the Governor and State 
Officers, Principal, Teachers and Pupils of St. 
Mary's Hall, Officers and Teachers of Shattuck 
School, and names of Superintendents of State In- 
stitutions at Faribault. 

The stone bears the symbol of the cross and the 
iusciiption "St. Mary's Hall, 1882." 

The Bisho)>, after laying the stone, delivered an 
address of which the following is an extract: 

BISHOP Whipple's address. 

Beloved Friends: I bid you all a hearty wel- 
come to share my joy to-day. It is a day for 
which I have waited long. Twenty-three years 
ago 1 came to Faribault a stranger. Every busi- 
ness man in the border village came to ask me 
to make Faribault my home. They were men of 
different creeds, mostly strangers to the church. 
They had come here from far-off' Eastern homes 
to the distant West to found a State. They be- 
lieved that Christian education must be its corner- 
stone. They were, like myself, poor men. They 
had an abiding faith in the coming future. They 
gave me their pledge to he my helpers. Some of 
those who welcomed me are scattered far, others 
are sleeping with the dead, but the pledge they 
made has been fulfilled. 

I cannot tell you to-day the history of these 
halls whicli liave made the name of Faiibault a 
household word; nor can I tell you of a fairer 
temple, not made with hands, builded in living 
souls. That rude cottage on yonder hill was our 



CITY OF FMIIIIAULT. 



353 



University. Ou the fair grounds of Shattuck 
School, where stands thut noble oluiich, a loving 
woman's gift to God, was a tangled forest. Where 
DOW you hear the organ peal I heard the wierd, 
wild dunce of tlie Dakotah. Sixteen vears ago 
there came to me, as the voice of God, the thought 
that our schools would lose their rarest beauty un- 
less we had a hall to traiu and mould into perfect- 
ness Christian womanhood. Our other work was 
in its infancy; halls to be built, library to be 
gathered, professorships to found, an hundred 
ways for every dollar given. I did not ask coun- 
sel, save ot the best of all counselors, a Christian 
wife. We settled it tliat our home should be the 
new St. Mary's Hall. God sent me a woman of 
the rarest culture, the deepest faith, and the strong- 
est will. She heard tlie plan; she believed in it, 
and Miss Sarah P. Darlington became the princi- 
pal of our school. It was God's will that when 
her work was done, she should be called home, 
but the mantle fell on shoulders every way wor- 
thy the trust. It seems as yesterday when we be- 
gan this work. The school has to-day many hun- 
dred daughters; 1 hear of them everywhere — lov- 
ing children in happy homes. Christian wives and 
mothers, gentle women ministering to sorrow — 
and they have overpaid me an hundred-told for 
every care. To-day we reach another way -murk 
of our history. The school has outgrow-n its 
present home; we need a fairer, nobler building 
adapted to its work. Three-fourths of the cost to 
enclo.se this noble building has been the gift of 
women, and I should wrong my brothers' hearts 
if I doulited that they would complete a work so 
well begun. 

PUBLIC .SCHOOLS. 

Attention was early called to educational mat- 
ters. No sooner were the people located here with 
the children than they provided for a school. The 
first school must have been the one startt'd by E. 
J. Crump, who had for pupils the children ot Mr. 
Faribault and Mr. Hulett. Mr. Mott, at an early 
day, taught a select school. Other schools were 
opened at various times which are mentioned in 
another place. Ultimately the common school 
system was adopted in the State, and full advan- 
tage of its provisions was taken here. 

By an act of the Legislature in 18G4, school 

district No. 1 was made a corporate body by the 

name of "Faribault School District," and it is 

under the control of a Board of Education con- 

23 



sisting of five members, who are elected by the 
legal voters of the district. The Faribault Cen- 
tral School is located near the center of the district 
and is of blue limestone, 82x52 feet on the ground 
and four stories in height, including the basement. 
From basement to eaves is 57 feet, and "the roof is 
surmounted by a cupola which, including the 
spire, reaches 45 feet above the roof. A hall 19 
feet 5 inches wide, in which are the staircases, 
divides the building on the three principal Hoors. 
The basement has the heating apparatus, and a 
tenement for the janitor. On the first floor above 
the basement are three schoolrooms with accom- 
modations for 208 pupils. On the next story are 
two rooms with an ecpial seating capacity, while 
the upper one is finished in a single room as a hall 
for the use of the schools. 

The city of Faribault constitutes a s])ecial school 
district. The school department consists of a 
Board of Education of five members, as follows: 
L. W. Denison, President; S. B. Wilson, Clerk; 

A. 1). Keyes, Treasurer; and George W. Batch- 
elder. These members of the board are elected by 
the people on the first Saturday in October. The 
above were the members for 18^1-82. 

The corps of instruction consists of one super- 
intendent and nineteen teachers. The corps for 
the year, ending .Tune 16, 1882, was as follows: 

B. M. Reynolds, Superintendent. Ashworth Heys, 
High School; George K. Simpson, Miss Abbie L. 
Nutting, Miss Cliessie Gowdy,and Miss MaryGraut, 
Grammar Dejiartment; Miss S. H. Hussey, MissR. 

C. Adams, and Miss Mary Howe, Intermediate De- 
partment; Miss Fanny O. Anderson, Miss Gertie 
Denison, Miss .Tosephine H. Hegmon, Miss Mary 
Howard, Miss Carrie Wood, Miss Hattie Evans, 
Miss Auna Mahoney, Miss Mary Hughes, Miss 
Mary Alden, Miss Nellie Robertson, and Mr. A. J. 
Wolfe, Primary Department. 

The schools are divided into High School, Gram- 
mar, Indermediate, and Primary Grades. During 
the school year, ending June IG, 1882, one thous- 
and one hundred and ninety-eight different jnipils 
were enrolled in all the departments. The current 
expenses for the same year were a little over ten 
thousand dollars. 

The High School is under the supervision of the 
State High School Board, and receives aid from 
the State in accordance with an act of the Legis- 
lature, approved March 3, 1881. The High School 
course is sufScient to fit pupils for the different 
colleges of the University. 



354 



HrSTOHT OF UWE COUNTY. 



The public schoolhouse iu Faribault was built 
in 1868, aud comiileted ready for occupancy iu 
September of that year. Dr. L. W. Denison was 
President of the Board. The teachers were: G. 
H. Warren, Lavinia Philbrick, Ella Winter, Laura 
Van Horn, and Ellen Newcomb. The .school had 
300 pupils to start off with. 

There are four other school buildings on the 
west side, each capable of seating about fifty 
pupils. Two of these houses are of brick and two 
of stone. There is one on the east side that will 
accommodate one hundred; it has two rooms and 
two teachers. 

The main school building has chemical, astro- 
nomical, and other apparatus now found in the 
best schools in the country, with school furniture 
in striking contrast with the rude benches of a 
quarter of a century ago. 

Notwithstanding the denominational schools, 
which stand out so prominently in Faribault, and 
whicL have been the objects of so much care and 
tender solicitude, the common schools have not 
been neglected, but are in all respects up to the 
modern standard. 

CHUncHES. 

There are ten regular churches in town, iu addi- 
tion to the school chapels, where services are more 
or less frequently held. An account of their loca- 
titm and service is here printed, and it makes a 
pleasiug contrast with thirty years ago, when, near 
where they stand, 

"The rank thistle nodded iu the wind, 
And the fox dug his hole unscared." 

Whatever it may be in contrast with thirty 
years lience. 

Cathedkal of Ouu Merciful Saviouk. — Cor- 
ner of Sixth and Chestnut streets. Services at 
10:30 A. M. and 7:30 p. M. Seats free. Rt. Bev. 
H. B. Whipple, D. D., Rector; Rev. George B. 
Whipple, Assistant. 

Memorial Chapel. — Services at 3:00 r. m. 
James Dobbin, Rector. 

Congregational. — Corner of Third and Maple 
streets. Services at 10:30 a. m. and 7:30 P. M. 
Rev. E. Gale, Pastor. 

Baptist — Corner of Fifth anil Maple streets. 
Services at 10:30 a. m. and 7:30 p. m. Rev. E. C. 
Sanders, Pastor. 

Methodist Episcopal. — Corner of Third and 
Cherry streets. Services at the usual hours Sun- 
day morning and evening; also Tuesday and 



Thursday evenings of each week. Sunday school 
at 12 M. J. T. Squiers, S. S. Supt., R. Forbes, 
Pastor. 

Church of the Immaculate Conception. — Cor- 
ner of Front and Maple streets. High Mass at 
10:30 A. M. Vespers at 7:30 p. m. C. Genis, 
Pastor. 

German Catholic — Corner Eightli and Chest- 
nut streets. High Mass every Sunday at 10:30 
A.M. Vespers at 3 :00 p. M. Father Lette, Pastor. 

German Methodist. — Third street, between 
Maple and Cherry. Services at 10:30 a. m. 

French Catholic. — Corner Sixth and Cherry 
streets. High Mass every Sunday at 10:30 a. m. 
Vespers at 3:00 P. M. J. H. Leonard, Pastor. 

Norwegian Lutheban. — On Third between 
Chestnut and Elm streets. Services at the usual 
hours. 

ZioNS Church. — Corner of Sixth and Cedar 
streets. Regular services. 

The Congregational Church of Faribault. — 
This denomination was early in the field. About 
the commencement of regular religious services 
was in the summer of 1855. They were conducted 
liy various ministers who happened to be present, 
aud in the absence of a clergyman. Dr. Charles 
Jewett, who had settled about two and a halt 
miles from town, and who is well remembered as 
an apostle of temperance, conducted theesercises. 
On the third Sunday in May, 185(5, a society hav- 
ing been organized, a church was instituted by a 
council which had been regularly called for the 
purpose, and nearly thirty members were gathered. 
The next Sabl)ath a Sunday school was organized, 
and the services were regularly held in Crump's 
Hall. A call was soon given to Rev. Lauren 
Armsby, of New Hampshire, who accepted and 
continued to preach until elected as a Chaplain of 
the Eighth Minnesota Regiment in the war of 1801. 
Early iu 1850, plans were laid to build a church. 
Dr. Jewett wrote to a friend of his in Massachu- 
settB, a Reverend Doctor of Divinity, asking for a 
little help to erect a church, from friends in that 
locality. This appeal was published in the Cou- 
grogatioualist in Boston with favorable comments, 
and the result was that there were some contribu- 
tions from the East, a Sunday school library, 
means to procure the communion service, the bible, 
etc. The bell, which weighs 1,000 pounds, and 
was hung on the last Saturday in August, 1857, 
was presented by a cousin of Mr. Armsby, of 



VITY i)F FA/i/JlAL'LT. 



355 



WhitinsviUe, Miissiiohuaetts. The ohnrch, which 
was located on Third street between Chestnut ;ind 
Elm, was completed and dedicated on the 7th of 
January, 1857. The Pastor, Kev. Mr. Arnisby, 
was installed in tlie morning and the church was 
dedicated in the afternoon. It was a great acca- 
siou for these people and tor this town. Among 
those present were Kev. Mr. Cressey, of Cannon 
City, Rev. Mr. Barnes, of Cannon Falls, and the 
Rev. Mr. Secombe. In July, 1857, the church hav- 
ing been found to be too small, an addition was 
made, This building cost about S3,000, and was 
used until 1874, when it was S(_)ld to the Norwegian 
Lutherans. 

In 186-1, another Congregational church was 
provisionally organized and meetings commence d, 
and in the course of time a tine stone church was 
built, and its history miglit as well be introduced 
here. 

PLYMot'TH Church was regularly organized on 
the 25th of January, 1806, and the following Rev- 
erend gentlemen were present: Mr. Dudley and 
Mr. Hall, of St. Paul; Charles Secombe, of St. 
Anthony; C. C. Salter, of Minneapolis; E, S. Wil- 
liams and Mr. Goodsell, of Northtneld; Dr. Aiken 
and Deacon Williamson, of Medford; and E. L. 
Tappan, of Owatonna, Rev. J. W. Strong was in- 
stalled as pastor. 

About this tune an important meeting was held 
here to see what could be done toward securing 
Faribault as the location of the Congregational 
College which was in contemplation. Little in- 
terest was manifested and no special efl'orts made, 
and so Northfleld secured the prize. 

The corner stone of Plymouth church was laid 
on the corner of Maple and Third streets on the 
11th of September, 1867, with suitable ceremonies; 
a large number of clergymen were present witli a 
great concourse of people. The size of the edifice 
is 40x75 feet, with a spire 114 feet high. The 
building is of stone with a basement, built in a 
modern style of architecture; it was completed 
and dedicated to the service of Almighty God on 
Thursday, October 12th, 1869. The Rev. J. W. 
Strong, now president of Carleton College, was 
the pastor. Among thechrgymen of this denora- 
nation who were present may be named: Rev. E. 
M. Williams, of Austin; Rev. E. S.Williams, of 
Northfield; Rev. Mr. Packard, of Anoka ; Rev. Mr. 
Whiting, of Janesville, Wisconsin; and Rev. Dr. 
Secombe. Services were regularly held under sev- 
eral pastors and a good membershijj resulted. 



The two churches moved along in an uneventful 
way until 1874, when th<' old organizations were 
discarded and the members merged into a new so- 
ciety and church with the name at the head of tliis 
sketch. There is now a nu^mljership of 275, and 
without doubt this church has been, and still is 
one of considerable influence in the comnninity, as 
its leading members are also leading public 
sjiirited men in the city and county. 

As to the ])a.stors of tliis eliurch, the first, as 
above mentioned, was Rev. L. Armsby, whose 
place was held by the first church until his return 
from the army, covering about ten years. Then 
came E. Gail, whose services wore seven years; J. 
W. Strong and E. M. Williams, who was installed 
on the nth of October, 1871. liev. Mr. Chapin 
was next, and following were. Dr. Perrot, T. C. 
(Gardiner, Mr. Wilkie, T. C. Northcott, and E. Gail 
again, the present pastor. Up to the time of the 
organization, from the period of the seperation, of 
C(_>urse some two of the ministers were here at the 
same time. When thej united, the original church 
had 15U members, and Plymouth had 135. The 
church was largely made up of New England 
people, who have always assisted in building other 
churches. 

Baptist Church. — The movement for the or- 
ganization of this church was commenced in June, 
1856, by the following persons: Mr. and Mrs. M. 
Cole, E. Q. Rising and wife, J. L. Smallidge and 
wife, L. A. Fish and wife, D. Haskius and wife, 
Mrs. A. Van Brunt, Mrs. Emily A. Howe, and Mr. 
E. Darling. The organization was pulilicly effect- 
ed on the 7th of September, 1856, delegates being 
present from Prescott, Owatonna, Hastings, Minne- 
apolis, and St. Paul. The clergymen whi> partici- 
pated were the Revs. T. B. Rogers, of Prescott, 
Iowa ; T. R. Cressey, of Cannon City ; Rev. Towne, of 
Owatonna; Rev. E. W. Cressey, of Hastings; Rev. 
D. S. Deane, and M. Bailey, of Illinois. The first 
officers elected were: Trustees, Davis Has^jins, M. 
Cole, E. Q. Rising, J. B. Cooper, and G.G. Howe; 
clerk, L. A. Fish; treasurer, E. Q. Rising; dea- 
cons, Davis Haskins and E. Q. Rising. Since or- 
ganization the church has had 3ltO different mem- 
bers, the present membership being about 115. 
There has been eleven deaths of members. 

The church has had eleven pastors, in order as 
follows: Rev. T. R. Cressey, Rev. H. C. Haven, 
K(>v. T. S. Nize, Rev. Charles Swift, Rev. T. R. 
Peters, Itev. W. L. Sanders, Rev. R. F. Gray, Bcv. 



350 



UISTORY OF RICE COUNTV. 



C. J. B. Jackson, Kev. S. S. Utter, aud Bev E. C. 
Sanders. 

After organization the congregation met for 
some time in Phelp's Hall, subsequently, in 1857, 
Metropolitan Hall was rented for three years. The 
resolution to build a church edifice was adopted in 
May, 1857, but owing to various hindrances the 
building was not erected until May, 1862, being 
dedicated to the worship of God on the 4th of 
February, 1803. Three of the brethren purchased 
the lots on which the church stands, for the society, 
personally assuming the obligation. When the 
erection of a church was decided upon the society 
raised S900 and concluded t{.) go on and build to 
the extent of their fiuance.s. Geo. W. Tower 
offered them all the timber they wanted, and their 
funds were expended long before the building was 
covered. A committee appointed for a 4th of 
July celebration offered them the proceeds of a 
dinner to be served ujjou the occasion, if they 
would undertake the labor. The offer was ac- 
cepted and the ladies of Faribault provided the 
food, netting $.300 towards the church. 

On the 28th of December, 1881, the church cele- 
brated the 25th anniversary of organization, and 
the Faribault Republican says in commenting 
upon it, '-The first settlers of our city, who were 
largely of New England origin, brought with 
them the attachment to schools and churches that 
has ever characterized the descendants of the Puri- 
tants, wherever transplanted. It is not surprising 
therefore, that, as early as 1854, only a single year 
after the colonists had reared the first log cabins 
on the town plat, initiatory steps were taken for 
the organization of churches, the Baptist element 
being among the first in the field." The church 
is a comfortable frame structure situated on the 
corner of Fifth and Maple streets. 

Free Will Baptist. — A chiirch was organized 
on the 8th of April, 185S, Elder Smith, of Wasioja, 
Dodge County, officiating. Kev. D. O. Hink w-as 
the preacher and meetings were held in the school 
room with more or less regularity for some time. 

Methodist Episcopal.- -The first class was or- 
ganized in the summer of 1855, by Rev. T. M. 
Kirkpatrick, in the house of Mr. Truman Nutting 
This minister was appointed to the Cannon River 
mission by the Wisconsin Conference. The olass 
mentioned was (■omi)oscd of the following persons: 
Truman Nutting and wife, Morgan Noble and 
wife, J. M. White, E. J. Crum)), and H. T. Raw- 



son. Soon after, Rev. T. M. Kirkpatrick was ap- 
pointed presiding elder of the district and Dr. J. 
L. Scofield was employed to supply the Cannon 
River mission The Minnesota Conference was 
created by the general conference of 1856, and 
met" at Red Wing in August of that year, when 
Rev. Mr. Jennison was transferred from Iowa and 
appointed to Faribault. He remained in Faribault 
six weeks, when, from some cause unknown he re- 
signed the charge and returned to Iowa. Rev. Wm. 
McKinley next took charge of the .society. During 
this time meetings were held in Crump's Hall, and 
that was continued as their "meeting-house" until 
they built a church. 

Rev. Kirkpatrick preached his first sermon in the 
ofiice or bar-room of Nutting's hotel, to a respect- 
able audience, among whom was Gen. James 
Shields. The first quarterly meeting for Faribault 
was held in Crump's Hall, in November, 1856, 
aud was organized by Rev. Mr. McKinley. The 
latter gentleman says that when he arrived at the 
place of meeting, at the hour set, he found three 
boys performing on fiddles, who, upon being asked 
if they knew anything of the quarterly conference 
that was to be held, replied, ^^Ni.vie ,1 im /'' Not- 
withstanding this discouraging reply the (juar- 
terly meeting was held, by going to the houses 
and "drumming up" the members. 

The society built a church in 1800, aud in No- 
vember of that year dedicated it to the worehip of 
God, and although small, gave the society. 
".\ local liabitation and a name." 

The lot for the church was donated to the .society 
by Gen. James Shields. 

The order of ministers to offu'iate here has been 
as follows: Revs. T. M. Kirkpatrick, William 
McKinley, J. H. White, Thomas Day, J. O. Rich, 
W. H. St. Claire. C. G. Bowdish, E. R. Lathrop, 
J. M. Rogers, Ezra Tucker, I. H. Reddick, David 
Tice, J. F. Chattee, E. R. Lathrop, A. B. Bishop, 
Robert Forbes, and in the fall of 1881, Rev. Chas. 
N. Stowers accepted a call to the charge and is the 
present minister. The present membership is 
about 110. 

The building first erected by the church was 
used until 1875, when the present neat edifice was 
erected. It was not completed, however, until 
1881, the co.st being about S12,000. It is of brick 
and is located on Third Street, a block below the 
Court House. 

Geu-man Methodist Episcop.\l Church. — This 



ciry OF FAitni.wi.T. 



357 



congregation was organized ou the 23d of No- 

voraber, 1S68. The earliest meetings were hold in 
Mr. Kleiner's house by Rev. Felix Funk. Serv- 
ices were held over the store of (!liarl(M Degens 
for several years. lu 1870, the chureli was l)uilt, 
at a cost of !i!!3,578. There is a parsonage in the 
rear of the church. The first trustees were Rev. 
F. Funk, F. Deters, Jacob Roth, and C. H. Klemei*. 
There are now 110 members. The church edifice 
is located on Third between Maple and Cherry 
streets. 

The first quarterly conference was held in 1869, 
in Degens' Hall; Rev. F. Kopf was the presiding 
elder. F. W. Buckholz was the minister in 
charge. Rev. George Hartung is the present 
pastor. 

NoBWEOiAN Lutheran Chdrcii. — An organiza- 
tion was effected in 1869, the first services being 
held in Metropolitan Hall. Rev. Mr. Quemmen 
was an early preacher. In 1876, the Congrega- 
tioualist society having built a new church, the 
old one was sold to this society for .§2,2.50. Its 
location is on Third street nearly opposite the 
engine house. At that time it had thirty mem- 
bers, now it has 100. The officers of the church 
arc: Trustees, Ole Peterson, J. Madsen, an<l N. 
To;kelson; treasurer, A. K. Brandvold; secretary, 
L. Torvson. 

ZiON CriURl'II OF THE EVANGELICAI. ASSOCIATION 

OF North America. — Was organized in 1879 with 
forty-three members. The first services in this in- 
terest were held in private houses by Rev. J. 
Blank and Rev. W. C. Lydow for about six 
months prior to the organization. The church 
was soon erected, at a cost of about $2,.500, on 
the corner of Cedar and Sixth streets. There are 
now about sixty-two memliers. The following 
Reverend gentlemen have been the ministers here: 
W. C. Lydow, George Hus.ser, L. Van Wald, and 
George Staeth, the present pastor. 

Roman C.^tholio: The Church of the Immac- 
ulate Conception. This is sometimes called the 
" Irish Catholic," on account of the prevailing na- 
tionality of the worshipers there. Father Ita- 
voux and Father Francis held mass in Mr. Fari- 
bault's house at an early period of the settlement 
of the town. In 18.06, a little frame building was 
put up for a church, in which missionaries had 
service. In the fall of 18.57, this was burned, and 
in the spring of 1858, the building now in use was 
started. Services were held there before its com- 



pletion, which was not for some years. It is on 
the corner of Maple and Front streets. Father 
Gi'iiis was here when it was finally comiili'tcd. 

Thr first stationed priest was Father Keller, who 
remained about ten years; Father Rivello came 
next, and remained about two years; then Father 
Cheney, and after him was Father Genis, who still 
remains. There is a most excellent house of wor- 
ship. Land was given for this church by Alex- 
ander Faribault, by Norbert Paquin, and General 
James Shields, two mea of French and one of Irish 
descent. The jircdominating influence at first was 
strongly French, but after a time the Irish mem- 
bership became the larger, and the French mem- 
bers gave up their share of the church property 
and went by themselves. 

CiiriKwi OF the Sacred Heaut. — Or, as it is 
called the " French Catholic Church." The first 
separate services were held in April, 1877, by Rev. 
Father A. Payett, of St. Paul, services being held 
in the old church. A building was soon com- 
menced by contract for $4,7-13. At the time of 
the separation there were 140 families in this di- 
vision. The cost of the structure up to this time 
is $10,000, and thei'e are now about 150 families 
worshipiug here. 

In 1880, a parsonage was commenced, and com- 
pleted in 1882, at a cost of .$1,200. The church 
is on the corner of Sixth and Cherry streets, and 
the parsonage is near. The jjriests since Fatlier 
Payett have been, Father .Joseph Leonard, -and 
tlie present priest. Father .John Van Leent. 

German St. Lawrence — Catholic. — This de- 
nomination was for a number of years merged 
with the Iri.sh Catholic, or Church of the Immacu- 
late Conception. In 1869, this class withdrew 
from the above-named society, and on September 
19th of that year, effected au organization. The 
first mass was said on that date by Father Keller, 
in the building now used for a black.smith shop 
on Fourth street, to an audience of about thirty- 
five families. The building was purchased of Mr. 
Lange, and this was used until their church edi- 
fice was erected in 1876, on the corner of Chest- 
nut and Eighth streets, at a cost of $5,400. Their 
pastors have been the following: Fathers Keller, 
Chaffee. Beaumann, Stecker, Sewazkey, Lette, and 
Father Van Leent, the present priest. The pres- 
ent officers are: Father Van Leent,' President; E. 
Kaul, Secretary; Adam Weyer, Treasurer. A 
neat and substantial parsonage was erected in 
1S76, at a co.st of .$1,000. 



358 



HISTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



This society is upon almost as substantial foot- 
ing as any religious denomination in the city, and 
has a good membership. 

Parochial School of the Immaculate Con- 
ception. — This was cammenced at an early day, 
on the coming of the Sisters of the Order of St. 
Dominie. At first the school was in the basement 
of the church, but there is now a large, two-story 
stone building, and the school has an attendance 
of 2.50 pupils, who are taught by four of the Sis- 
ters. It is near the church. Scholars taking a 
course of music are instructed in the Bethlehem 
Acade)ny, which is situated near the school. 

Bethlehem Academy. — This institution, a 
branch of tha St. Clara Academy, Sinsinawa 
Mound, Wisconsin, one of the leading educational 
institutions of the Northwest, is now prepared to 
offer to the public every educational advantage. 
A new and commodious Academy, furnished with 
all modern improvements,, has lately been erected 
on a pleasant and commanding point in the south- 
ern part of the city. The higher branches, draw- 
ing, music, painting, the languages, etc., are 
taught. At the present time there are about 
fifty children in the institvition. The school is 
held from September to June in each year, and it 
is a regular boarding school where each one com- 
mitted to its charge receives a kind and fostering 
care. 

As to its early history, the Sisters came here in 
Avigu,st, 180.5, and at first were located in a small 
building near the Straight Biver, which was pur- 
chased of Maj. Fowler. There they got together 
from twenty to twenty-five day scholars, and taught 
a parochial school in the basement of the church. 
In 1861), they removed to a frame building in the 
rear of the church. In 187.5, the building now 
in use was commenced. The intention is to have 
the school incorporated under the laws of the 
State, and to regularly graduate those who suc- 
cessfully pass through the curriculum. The Lady 
Superior in charge is Sister Gertrude. 

Parish op the Good Shephekd — The Pkotes- 
TANT Ei'iMcoi'AL Oiiuiw^H. — This church through 
its schools, the Cathedral, the presence of the 
Bishop of iSIinnesota, wliose residence is here, has 
a pronounced inHuonce on the city in many re- 
spects, aside from its moral and religious power. 
The Divinity School, the Shattuck School, and 
the St. Mary's Hall, may be considered a part of 
the Ej)i8Copal Chureli which thus has tendrils 



entwining hearts scattered over a wide region. 
It is impossible that such educational infiuences 
thrown around so many youthful minds during 
the j'ears of yielding susceptibility, should not be 
continually held by those ties, which are so far 
from being fetters; and then the action and re-ac- 
tion which a coming to maturity involves, intensi- 
fies, and consolidates this influence, and helps 
to sustain the parent trunk. The Episcopal 
Church here is a nucleus, which, viewed in a cur- 
sory way, may not display its full value, but its 
eflects are far-reaching, and its worth in the direc- 
tion of its peculiar usefulness is not to be easily 
estimated or comprehended. 

This church has the confidence and esteem of 
the whole community, and Bishop Whipple and his 
co-laborers have wide reputations as philanthropic 
religious teachers, and as Christian citizens. The 
membership of the church is large, among so 
many churches of other denominations, amount- 
ing to 300 communicants. 

The initial service of this church was in Fari- 
bault on the 30th of June, 18.55, Trinity Sunday, 
at 10:30 a. m., and at 3 o'clock. A child of Mr. 
Orump was baptized. The next was on Sunday, 
September 9th, 1855, and again on the 15th of 
December. In the meantime Rev. T. Wilcoxson, 
who was the pioneer missionary, had held services 
in Northfield and other places not far away. On 
the 29th of September, in connection with Bishop 
Kemper of Wisconsin, services were held in the 
Congregational church here. 

The history of the early struggles of this church 
is a counterpart of what occurred with so many 
others all through the country when it was filling 
up with men with such diversified views. As near 
as can be gathered the first continued service in 
the Episcopal form was by the Rev. J. Lloyd Breck 
and Rev. A. S. W. Manney, who came after Breck, 
who were two devoted missionaries, clear headed, 
and large hearted. They had a vision of the 
future requirements of this community, which was 
prophetic, and they set themselves at work with a 
zeal that knew no flagging, and an intelligent de- 
votion that laid a foundation for the success that 
has followed, and that is so largely indebted to 
their patriotic Christianity. The commencement 
was in 1857, meetings were held in all eligible 
points that could be reached by these unwearied 
missionaries of the Cross. Mr. Breck was from 
Pennsylvania. Uev. David P. Sanford came as an 



CITY OF FAHIBAULT. 



85!) 



associate in the work in 1858. Faribault was 
selfcted as the permanent missionary station, and 
incursions and c^xcnrsions were, in tlie true evan- 
gelical spirit, made in all directions for many miles. 

The services here were at first in a store where 
Major Fowler afterwards kept. After a few 
months a building was erected that is known as 
the "Old Chapel," which is near the public park, 
and a parsonage called the "Mission bouse" was 
constructed, which stood until 18G!). A school 
started at an early day which has already been de- 
scribed under the appropriate head. 

Eev. Mr. Sauford remained here about one year. 
Bev. Dr. Manney remained here until the time of 
his death in 18(59. Kev. Dr. Breck, remained 
up to the year 1866, then went to California where 
he died in 1876. He was a born missionary, a 
model iJioneer who could submit to his surround- 
ings were they ever so disagreeable, if they could 
not be improved, which he always promptly set 
himself to do. He was sadly missed, but the monu- 
ments, of which he laid the foundation, will endure 
while America remains a nation. 

It was stated that there were but three church 
members at first, besides Dr. Breck. 

Rev. H. B. Whipple, who was pastor of the Free 
Church of the Holy Communion in Chicago, was 
elected Bishop of Minnesota in June, 1859, and 
was consecrated to this service on the 3d of Octo- 
ber, 1859, at the St. James church, in Richmond, 
Virginia. He visited Faribault in Februai-y, 1860. 
Here he found .1. L. Breck, S. W. Manney, and E. 
S. Peake, who had organized an associate mission. 
Rev. Mr. Peake was in charge of the Gull Lake 
Indian mis.son. They then had the school in oper- 
ation. The Bishop moved here with his family in 
May following. The first permanent building was 
the Cathedral, the corner stone of which was laid 
in 1862, and it was completed at a cost of about 
$50,000, and consecrated in 1869, under the name 
of the "Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour." It is 
a gothic structure of stone, located on the corner 
of Chestnut and Sixth streets. The tower, which 
springs from the northeast corner, is as yet only 
carried about half way up the height of the 
church, but will be completed in due time. The 
con.secration was on the 2-lth of June, St. John's 
day, and among those present were: Bishop 
Kemper, of Wisconsin; Bishop Whitehouse, of 
Illinois; the resident Bishop Whipple; Eev. Dr. 
Gear, of Minneapolis; Bishop Armitage, of Wis- 



consin; Eev. Dr. Buel; Eev. Dr. Patterson ; Eev' 
Dr. E. E. Welles; Eev. Dr. Knickerbaoker ; and 
Eev. Mr. Wilkinsim, of Milwaukee. The services 
were impressive and there were several ordinations 

When it was resolved to build a Cathedral, Rev. 
Dr. Breck went East on a collecting tour, and was 
engaged in this work for two-tliirds of a year or 
more, and secured between eleven and twelve 
thousand dollars toward the object. And the 
promises made then, to "become helpers," are be- 
ing' constantly fulfilled. In the Congregational 
Church Sunday school, in July, 1882, they were 
raising funds to help buy an organ for another 
Sunday school in Dakota. 

The Bishop has a fine residence on Sixth street, 
opposite to the Cathedral. 

Tlie first records of the church are in relation 
to a meeting of the vestry on the 27th of Febru- 
ary, 1859, of the church of the "Good Shepherd." 
Mr. Syntell was in the chair and called the meet- 
ing to order when G. L. Frisbee was elected chair- 
i man. On the 5th of April the following named 
brothers were elected vestrymen: G. C. Tanner, 
Joseph A. Carter, S. W. Hinmau, G. Y. Syntell, 
and E. J. Crump, the latter being elected Senior 
Warden. 

On the 8th of February, 1860, a proposition 
was received from E. J. Crump, otreriug land for 
a burial place consisting of ten acres at $30 per 
acre, Mr. Crump to douate S50 and retain a 
single lot himself, which was accepted. At this 
meeting a committee was appointed to draw up 
articles for the organization of the church. 

The Cathedral was built by the Seabury Mission, 
and the parish really owns no church. Regular 
church services are held in the little old chape! in 
the corner of the Cathedral lot, in the Norwegian 
language. 

The Pjpiscopal Church in Faribault is so closely 
connected with the several schools under their 
patronage, and the direction of the efforts of the 
clergy and laity has been so earnestly and closely 
devoted to their interests that really the history of 
the one is the history of the other, and in the ac- 
count of these schools, will be seen, at all points, 
the hand of the church. It is rare that so much 
that is real, visible, and sulistantial has been ac- 
complished in such a comparative brief period, 
and it speaks of the devotion of all, from the 
Bishop, through the various grades. 

Tlie ministers connected with the Cathedral are : 



360 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Rt. Rev. Bishop H. B. Whipple. D. D., who is the 
Rector; auJ Rev. George B. Whipple and Rev. E. 
C. Bill, assistant ministers. The professors who 
belong to the Divinity School, and those of the 
Shattuck School who are clergymen, may also be 
said to belong to the Cathedral establishment. 

FRATEENAI AND OTHEB ORDERS. 

The fraternal orders which seem to be so rap- 
idly multiplying in this country, and most of the 
new ones with specific insurance features, are well 
represented here. The Masonic order which, pre- 
vious to the anti-Masonic excitement as long ago 
as Gen. Jackson's administration, occupied this 
ground solitary and alone, was early in the field, 
and instituted s lodge, afterwards a chapter, and 
finally a commaudery. 

There is unquestionably a taste in many minds 
for a participation in — 

" The ancient rites and regulations, 
The pass-words, the grips and signals, 
Used among the pristine brothers, 
In that eastern nation, 
In the land of milk and honey, 
Where the grapes grew in clusters, 
Where the palm spread its branches, 
Where the fig tree was loaded 
With its rich and luscious treasures. 
Where they taught its lessons, 
The wholesome silver legends. 
The truthful teachings, 
Its principles of virtue. 
Its simple traditions." 

Whatever may be thought of these various or- 
ders by the uninitiated, there is no question but 
that each ritual teaches the tenets of morality 
and virtue, but it is nevertheless true, that the 
cliaracter of each order must and does depend 
upon the character of the individuals who compose 
it; as no mere didactic instruction in initiatory 
exercises, however imposing, can radically modify 
the ruling disposition of any candidate. The 
sketches of these orders are all necessarily brief. 



Fabib.vult Lodge No. 9. — A dispensation to 
open a lodge was granted on the 3d of March, 
18.50, and a charter was issued on the 6th of 
January, 1857. On the 1st of June, 1865, the old 
charter was surrendered, and on the 7th of June a 
dispensation was granted. On the 25th of October 
the same year a charter was issued under the 
number of 53. On the 9th of January, 1868, this 
was changed to the old number, 9, which it still 
retains. Most of the propei'ty and records of the 



lodge were burned with the hall, mentioned else- 
where. 

Among the earlier members were: George W 
Du Bois, Luther Dearborn, C. N. Daniels, John 
Mullin, Dennis O'Brien, Daniel N. Russell, Zenas 
Wilson, Thomas Carpenter, B. L. Van Horn, W. 
T. Sargent, J. C. N. Cottrell, G. W. Batchelder, 
Gordon E. Cole, George B. Whipple. The lodge 
has a large membership, and is in a flourishing 
condition. 

RoTAL Arch Chapter — Tyrian No. 6. — The 
early records of this chapter were burned when 
the Masonic Hall was destroyed. It was instituted 
about 1863. The present officers are : A. E. Ha- 
ven, H. P.; Thomas Mee, K.; George B. Whipple, 
S. ; Thomas Carpenter, C. of H.; John Mullin, P. 
S.; Alexander Smith, R A.C.; D. O'Brien, T.; J. R. 
Parsh.all, G. Ist V.; C. L. Lowen, G. 2d V.; S. L. 
Crocker, G. 3d V. ; J. B. Gwathmey, Sen. 

The following companions have held the office of 
H. P. : C. W. Daniels, John Mullin, E. A. Rice, 
George H. Davis, J. G. Shauts, C. E. Rogers, 
Alexander Smith, and A. E. Haven. This branch 
of the Masonic order is in a healthy condition 
here. 

Knights Templar — Fakibadlt Comjiandery. — 
The first meeting was on the 3d of March, 1874. 
The charter members were : Charles N. Daniels, J. 
H. Harding, .John Mullin, ,T. M. Bemis, Moses 
Cram, G. B. Wliipplc, E. A. Rice, George W. Du 
Bois, A. B. Rogers, L. Z. Rogers. 

The first officers were: C. N. Daniels, E. C; E. 
A. Rice, Gen.; L. Z. Rogers, O. G.; G. B. Whipple, 
Pre. and acting Rec. 

The present olficers are: J. R. Parshall, E. C; 

B. F. Straub, Gen.; G. B. Whipple, Pre.; C. L. 
Lowell, R. 

The meeting are the first Tuesday in each 
month. 

The following is a list of the members of the 
commandery: O. N. Daniels, G. B. Whipple, J. 
Blullin, N. M. Bemis, A. B. Rogers, L. Z. Rogers, 

C. E. Rogers, W. N. Cosgrove, B. F. Straub, J. B. 
Harper, G. M. Pliillip, J. R. Parshall, S. Rjiuvin, 
T. H. Loyhed, Donald Grant, Thomas Mee, G. N. 
Baxter, B. A. Van Horn, G. A. Blair, M. H. War- 
ner, M. G. Kimball, A. W. Henkle, A. E. Haven, 
A. Philman, R. W. Jacklin, L. Converse, E. H. 
Smith, C. H. Whipple, A. W. Stockton, G. Wes- 
ton Wood, C. M. Thompson, H. E. Whitney, J. N. 
Porter, C. L. Lowell, G. H. Davis, Carl Richel, J. 
L. Bluckman. 



VrVY OF FAIIIBAULT. 



3(il 



INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS. 

Kainbow Lodge, No. 36. — Instituted on the 
vSth day of August, 1872. The charier members 
were: Dr. P. A. Davis, N. G.; Dr. N. M. Beniis, 
V. G.; J. S. Fuller, R. S.; C. Newcomb, Treas.; 
William Cami)bell, James Faskauis, C N. (Carrier, 
and F. O. Beok. 

Meetings were held in Batchelder's liuilding on 
Wednesday evenings, now in Odd Fellow's Hall, 
on Main street between Second and Third. There 
are fifty-seven members. There is a Kobeeca 
Lodge connected with it, and both are in a pros- 
perous condition. 

Lady Washington Lodge No. 44. — German. — 
This lodge was instituted on the 16th of July, 
1874. The charter members were as follows: D. 
Berkert, M. Engelmeiu, J. Richert, E. Flecken- 
stein, H. Kaperneck, H. Boge, William Haas, Lewis 
Fisher, and William Oeiger. There are twenty- 
four mejnbers, and tht; meetings are held weekly 
on Thursday night. 

ancient order of united wokkingmen. 

Unitt Lodge No. 45. — Instituted on the 7th of 
February, 1878, with the following officers: O. F. 
Brand, P. M. W.; C. L. Lowell, M. W.; C. T. 
Palmer, G. T.; C. W. Fitch, O.; J. E. Bingham, 
R.: O. DuReitz, F.; M. B. Haskell, W. ; O. F. 
Brand, Rep. There are fifteen members and the 
nights of meeting are the first and third Thursday 
in each month. 

knights of honor. 

Farihault Lodge No. 597. — Instituted on the 
2()th of April, 1877, with the following charter 
mL-mbers: Charles Numbers, A. W. Henker, B. L. 
Vanttom, S. L. Crocker, Lyman Tuttle, O. S. 
Beake, M. F. Potter, J. C. N. CottreU, S. I. Pettitt, 
George W. Wood, C. N. Daniel, I. G. Beaumont, 
H. N. Crossett, C. L. Lowell, G. H. Palmer, D. P. 
Baldwin, C. T. Palmer, P. S. Kelly, John Grant, 
D. E. Potter. The meetings are held in Knights 
of Pythias Hall on the first and third Tuesdays in 
each month. There are thirty-three members. 

AMERICAN LEGION OF HONOR. 

Faribault Council No. 275. —Was instituted 
on the 26th of August, 1880. The first officers 
were; Charles D. McKellif, C; T. B. Clement, V. 
C; Ara Barton, D.; C. L. Lowell, P. C. ; M. H. 
Cole, Sec; L. R. Weld, T. It has a membership 
in town of thirty -three. 



GRAND TEMPLE OP HONOR. 

Fahihault No. 38.— W. W. Regan, (J. W. T.; 
J. L. Zietlam, G. W. R. The charter is dated on 
the 2Gth of September, 1881. The first officers 
were: Charles Buch, W. 0. T.; William Frink, W. 
V. T.; A. J. Woolf, W. T. R.; H. Audrew.s, W. T. ; 
J. G. Williams, W. R. ; Rev. Mr. Sanders, C. ; N. A. 
Coggswell, W. v.; Frank Chesroun, W. D. V.; 
Seth Peach, W. G.; George Chamberlain, W. S.; 
J. Staufer, Lodge Deputy. There are forty-.seven 
members, and they meet on Monday nights in 
Fraternal Hall. 

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. 

Faribault Lodge No. 16. -Instituted on the 
Ifith of January, 1878. The first officers were: N. 
R. Kurd, C. C; E. Barnura, P. C; E. Cooley, P.; 
Oliver Du Reitz, V. C; Thomas Whitney, K.R. S. 
It has about seventy meml)ers. and meets in the 
Knights of Pythias Hall in Batchelder's block. 

equitable aid union. 

Faribatilt No. 226. — The headquarters of this 
order is in Columbus, Pennsylvania. The Union 
here was instituted im the 28th of .lanuary, 1881. 
The initial officers were: O. W. Stockton, C. ; 
William Close, A.; N. M. Bemis, P.; C. H. Dickin- 
son, V. P.; G. W. Stafford, Aux.; E. D. Haskins, 
T.; R. H. S. Jewett, S.; L. B. Smith, A. C; N. 
W. Blodd. War.: John A. Sanders, Sen.; C. W. 
Hallock, Wat. 

grand army of the REPrnLIf. 

John C. Whipple Post No. 11. — Was insti- 
tuted on the 2d of March, 1871, with the follow- 
ing veterans as officers : Major W. H. Lower, P. C. ; 
J. C. Lower, S. V. C; A. P. Bell, J. V. C; H. C. 
Whitney, Adjt.; Ji)hn Cooper, Q. M. ; C. S. 
Brown, C.; William Mulligan, O. of D.; Henry 
Roth, O. of G.; W. S. Wetherstune, Q. M. S.; 
Theodore A. Close, S. M. 

SOME OTHER SOCIETIES. 

Ladies Literary Association. — Organized on 
the 7th of Fel)ruary, 1878. The officers are: 
President, Mrs. H. A. Pratt; Vice-President, Mrs. 
T. S. Buckham; Recording Secretary, Miss Ada E. 
Hilton; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Nellie 
Mott; Treasurer, Mrs. Hudson Wilson; Executive 
(Committee, Miss E. Whitney, Mrs. (xeorge B. 
Whipple, Mrs. A. E. Haven, Mrs. J. H. Winter. 

Faribault Library Association. — This est.ab- 



362 



HTSTOnr OP RICE COUNTY. 



lishment Lad a sort of a reorganization in 1879. 
The executive committee chosen then consisted of 
J. M. Berry, F. W. Prink, and J. J. Dow. G. E. 
Cole and R. A. Mott liave since been placed on this 
committee in place of J. M. Berry and P. W. Prink 
resigned. The books are kept in the Court House, 
and the library is opened on Wednesday and Sat- 
urday afternoons. 

P.^HiBATiLT DiuviNG Paek Cltb. — This waa 
formed in 1882, with the avowed object of train- 
ing horses, having racing, trotting, and pacing 
meetings, but not to hold fairs. The following are 
officers of the Clul): President, Col. James Hunter; 
Treasurer, S. S. Crocker; Secretary, William Mee. 
A series of meetings are announced for Octolier, 
1882. The grounds are readily accessible, a half 
mile west of the railway station. 

Faribault Guauds. — This militia company was 
originally organized on the 19th of August, 1877, 
with James Hunter, Captain; B. F. Straub, First 
Liputenant; and G. H. Palmer, Second Lieutenant. 
On the 20th of August, 1880, they were mustered 
out by reason of the expiration of the term of offi- 
cers, and reorganized by the election of J. J. Van 
Sann, Captain; A. W. Henkle, First Lieutenant; 
and J. H. Ashley, Second Lieutenant. On the 5th 
of July, 1881. the company was again reorganized, 
this time under the new law, and elected as officers: 
James Hunter, Captain; J. J. Van Sann, First 
Lieutenant, and J. J. Ashley, Second Lieutenant; 
Lieut. Henkle withdrawing from the company, J. 
.7. Van Sann was subsequently elected Quarter- 
master of the Second I5attalion, and J. J. Asliley 
resigned, and the present incumbents, John W. 
Snyder, First Lieutenant, and J. L. Buehann 
Second Lieutenant, were elected to fill their places. 
Tlie first organization uU7nl)ered thirty-one men, 
three commissioned and twelve non-commissioned 
officers. In the present organization there are 
three commissioned and eleven non-commissioned 
officers, two musicians, and thirty-three men. 
Headquarters at Armory Hall. Fleckenstein's block, 
where regular meetings are held the second and 
fourth Tuesday in each month. 



CHAPTER LI. 

HlOOKAPUICAIj. 

H. B. Aniiukws, a native of Genesee county, 
Michigan, was borr. on the HOth of September, 
18.39. He moved with his parents to Grant county, 
Wisconsin, wlien five years old, and after reaching 



the age of manhood learned the carriage maker's 
trade. In 1862, he enlisted in the Thirty-third 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Company D, and 
served three years and three days. After his dis- 
charge, Mr. Andrews returned to his home in Grant 
county and the same year came to Faribault. He 
afterwards moved to Ohio and worked at his trade 
for five years, carrying on a shop of his own dur- 
ing the latter part of his residence there. He was 
joined in wedlock on the 10th of March, 1867, his 
bride being Miss Alice Eamhart. The result of 
the union is four children, three of whom are liv- 
ing. Mr. Andrews moved with his family to this 
place in 1872, and in company with Mr. Frink 
opened a carriage and wagon manufactory. He is 
now doing a prosperous business, having recently 
purchased his partner's interest. 

Chakles Antoine, a pioneer of Minnesota, was 
born in Masquilange, province of Quebec, Canada, 
on the 3d of November, 1794. He was brought 
up hy his lirother on a farm, and when eighteen 
years old came to the States, and in Detroit, Michi- 
gan, joined the English army, serving only six 
months. He then went to Green Bay, Wisconsin, 
where he was employed by an Indian trader; 
worked there three years and then went to Mil- 
waukee, where he s])ent the winter, there being no 
white men in the place at that time. From tliere 
he went to Mackinaw, and again engaged in trad- 
ing. His time expiring at this point, he entered 
the employ of another trader, Louis Provansalle, 
whose daughter he afterward married. He re- 
mained during the winter where St. Peter now 
stands, and in the spring went to Prairie du Chien, 
where he was employed by the Shatto .t Roulette 
Fur Company of St. Louis. In 1K2(), lie went to 
tlie Red River country in company with an Eng- 
lish lord, Duncan Graham, and Laidlow, carrying 
with them tlie tirst wlieat to that section, and sell- 
ing it at a profit of S12 per bushel on three 
liundred bushels. Mr. Antoine returned to Prairie 
du Chien after three months, and worked in dif- 
ferent parts of the country several years. In Sep- 
tember, 1824, he married Margai'et Provansalle, 
who was educated in Illinois and a daughter of a 
French trader. Her mother was a full-blooded 
Sioux. In October of the same year he engaged 
as scout to an Infantry company under ciimmand 
of Major Alexander, which was soon ordered from 
Fort Crawford to Fort Snelling. He then returned 
to Prairie du Cliien and purchased a farm wliicli 
was Ills home several years; thence to Dubuque, 



CITY OF FARIBAULT. 



363 



and a year later returned to the former place. In 
1847, they came to Minnesota, stojiped in Mendota 
three weeks and then to Faribault, where he was 
engaged by Alexander Faribault to take charge of 
his farm, hia wife teaching the Hious children in 
the mean time. A year later he returned to Men- 
dota, bought a tract of laud which he improved, 
giving his two sons a farm from the same. His 
wife died in 1871, at the age of sixty-six years. 
Mr. Antoine now makes his home with his daugh- 
ter, Mrs. Johuville. Of five sons and three 
daughters, but one son and two daughters are liv- 
ing ; Margaret, the eldest, married Fred. Faribault, 
youngest sou of Jean Baptist Fariliault, by whom 
she had four children; Agnes, Steme, Libbie, and 
Antoinette. Her husband died in 1867, and she 
married, three years later, Jean Baptist Johuville. 
The result of this union is one child, Freddie, now 
living in this city. The second daughter, Frezine, 
married George Faribault, a son of Alexander 
Faribault, and now lives at Fort Yates, Dakota. 
Antoine, the son, married Adelle Johuville, and has 
five children. 

W. R. Baldwin was born in Elyria, Ohio, on the 
12th of September, 1841, and when five years old 
removed with his parents to Connecticut, and lo- 
cated in Merideu, where he received bis education. 
His father was a merchant, and W. R. followed the 
same employment. In 18.'>(), the family retui-ned 
to Ohio, and in 1864, Mr. Baldwin married Miss 
Lyda Irvin, the ceremony taking place on the 12th 
of September. The issue of the union was one 
son, who is now dead. In 18G8, they came to 
Minnesota on account of the poor health of Mr. 
Baldwin and located on a fine farm just west of 
Faribault, on which he remained until 1881, then 
moved into the city, and retired from active busi- 
ness. In 1880, he was elected to the State Legis- 
lature for one term. 

Ara Barton, who has been Sherifl' of Bice 
county, since 1876, was born in Charleston, Sulli- 
van county. New Harajishire, on the 12th of April 
1824. His father and grandfather were natives of 
the same State. When Ara was seven years old 
his parents removed to western New York, where 
he assisted his father on a farm. In 1851, he was 
united in marriage with Miss Louisa Fish, the 
Ceremony taking place in August. The union 
has been blessed with five children, four of 
whom are living. In 1857, Mr. Barton came 
to Minnesota and located in Dakota county, where 
he was one of the pioneers. He put in one hun- 



dred acres of wheat, the first in that jjart of the 
State. In 1862, he enlisted in the Minnesota 
Mounted Rangers, and served one year as Lieu- 
tenant in Company F. He then formed and was 
Captain of Company D, Brackett's battalion, which 
was engaged in war with the Indians. After his 
discharge he located at Northfield, Rice C(juuty, 
where he has since made his home when not a 
county officer. In the fall of 1875, he was elected 
County Sheriff and still holds the office. In 1859 
and '60, he was elected to the State Senate from 
Dakota county, and in the fall of 1870 and 
again in 1872, was in the Legislature from this 
district. In 1873, he was a candidate for Governor 
against Mr. Davis. 

G. N. Baxter was born in Onondaga county. 
New i'ork, on the 25th of February, 1845. Ten 
years later the family removed to Michigan, where 
G. N. learned the brick and stone mason trade of 
his father. In 1863, he came to Faribault and fol- 
lowed his trade, studying law at the same time 
with Batchelder >t Buokham until 1866, when he 
was admitted to the bar; afterward formed a part- 
nership with Judge Lafayette Emitt, with whom 
he remained one year and has since been alone, 
having a large and profitable business, acquired 
through his energy and ability. He has an ex- 
tensive library which cost about .'$4,000, and con- 
tains many valuable law books, He was Justice 
of the Peace five years, elected in 1866; County 
Attorney six years, elected in 1871, and was 
County Superintendent of schools in 1870. 

Horace Everett Barron belongs to the Bar- 
ron family who settled in New England in the 
early part of the eighteenth century. William 
Barron, the great-grandfather of Horace Everett 
Barron, was a .scout during the French and Indian 
war, and commanded a company from Lyndeboro, 
New Hampshire, in the Revolutionary war. The 
roll of his company, who first used their flint- 
locks at Bunker Hill, is now in the archives of the 
State department at Concord, New Hampshire. 
He lived and died at Lyndeboro. His family 
originated from Chelmsford, Middlesex county, 
Massachussetts. 

Micah Barron, his eldest son, born at Lynde- 
boro, Massachussetts, adjoining Chelmsford, in 
1763, moved to liradford, Orange county, Ver- 
in 1788; was an enterprising lumberman and far- 
mer, and for twenty-three years was l^eputy 
Kherifl or Sheriff of Orange county. He was the 
man who was sent to ('anada to arrest Stephen 



364 



HLSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Buniiiigus, the notorious counterfeiter and des- 
perado. IMicah Barron was at one time Colonel 
of a regiment of the State Militia, and rose to the 
rank of Brigadier-General. William Barron, son 
of Micah and father of Horace, was less than a 
year old when his parents moved to Bradford. 
The maiden name of his second wife, mother of 
Horace, was Hannah Davis Brooks, whose oldest 
brother, Samuel Brooks, died while member of the 
Canadian Parliament. His youngest son is now 
a member of the same Parliament. William Bar- 
ron, like his father, had a taste for military affairs--, 
and rose to the rank of Colonel. He died in 
Hartford, Connecticut, in the eighty-sixth year of 
his age, as we gather from the "History of Brad- 
ford, Vermont," whence other facts are derived. 
President Harrison ajjpointed Colonel Barron 
United States Marshal for the district of Vermont. 
Horace E. Barron was bom in Bradford on the 
2lKt of March, 1826, spending his boyhood on his 
fatlier's farm, and completing his education at the 
Bradford Academy. When about eighteen years 
old he joined the engineer party who made the 
first survey of the railroad from White Biver 
.Tunction to Derby Liue, and was thus engaged 
for four years, or till the road was completed and 
the cars run from White River to Wells River. In 
October, 1850, Mr. Barron pushed westward to 
Chicago, and for five years traveled for wholesale 
houses in that city, his trips extending over Illi- 
nois and portions of Michigan and Indiana. In 
October, 18.55, he came to Faribault, then an em- 
bryotic village, with several log cabins and two or 
tliree frame houses. During the winter following 
he pun^hased the site on which his hotel subsequent- 
ly stood, and made preparations to build, which he 
did the next spring. His elder and only brother, 
William Trotter Barron, a graduate of the Univer- 
sity of Vermont, and a lawyer of Chicago for several 
years, and judge of Cook county one or two 
ti'rms, was killed in 1862, l)y a collision on the 
railroad at Kenwood Station, near the southern 
line of Chicago. For two years our subject was 
engaged in looking after his property, returning 
to his hotel in 1864. In 187(1, Mr. Barron built 
the stately stone additiim to his hotel, 44x80 feet, 
and three stories above the basement, leaving the 
old frame building standing, using it for office, 
sample-rooms, w.ish-roonis, etc. It was one of the 
most spacious, airy, and inviting public houses in 
central Minnesota. This he leased in 1879, and 
in March, 1882, it was consumed by fire. 



Mr. Barron has held a few offices in the munici- 
pality of Faribault, and in 1874, was a member of 
the Legislature, being Chairman of the commit- 
tee of ways and means. He has been a Director 
of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the 
Blind, located at Faribault, for ten or eleven 
years; has been President of the Board most of 
the time, and since 1880, has been steward for the 
institutions. 

In politics he was formerly a Whig; latterly 
he has been a Republican, occasionally attending 
congressional and State conventions — more to 
oblige others than to please himself. He is a 
strong partisan, more ready to work for the offi- 
cial elevation of his friends than of himself. Mr. 
Barron lived a single life till the 22d of February, 
1876, when he became the husband of Miss 
Kate W. Gray, daughter of the late James L. 
Gray, many years a merchant on North Clark 
street, Chicago. They have had three childien 
(one pair of twins), and lost all of them. They 
attend the Episcopal cliurch. 

Nathan Marvin Bemis, M. D., tlie first })hysi- 
cian to jjermanently settle in Faribault, was born 
i in Whitingham, Windham county, Vennont, on 
the 25th of March. 1821, his parents being James 
Gilbert and Stata (Smith) Bemis. His ])aternal 
great-grandfather came from England, and his 
grandfather, Edmund Bemis, was an officer in the 
continental army. James G. Bemis was a farmer, 
with whom the son remained until eighteen years 
of age. At this period in life, with his heart set 
on being a physician, and with his father's con- 
sent, he commenced reading medicine with Dr. 
Horace Smith, of Wilmington, a town adjoining 
Whitingham, in the same county ; attended lectures 
and received his education at the Vermont Medi- 
cal College of Woodstock; practiced three years 
at Shutesbury, Franklin county, Massachusetts; 
nine or ten at Cummington, Hampshire C( unty, 
same State, and in May, 1855, settled in Faribault. 
At that date only one frame house — that of Alexan- 
der Faribault, for whom the town was named— was 
completed; others were rising, and a few log 
cabins had been up a short time. Indians were 
abundant, and Dr. Bemis was the physician of two 
chiefs of the Sioux nation, Papa and Ked Legs. 
His rides, especially during the first ten or fifteen 
years, extended up and down the valle/ of the 
Cannon River and up the Straight ( which here 
feeds the (Jannon) a long distance. Probably few 
men of his profession in the State have ridden 



CITY OF h'AliJBAUI.T. 



365 



moro miles tliau he. In the territorial days of 
Miuuesota, road or uo road, regardless of the state 
of the weather, he promptly obeyed every sum- 
mons, near or remote, whether to a wigwam or a 
white man's csibin, facing the perils of swollen 
streams, blinding snow storms, or a fearfully de- 
])ressed thermometer. Latterly his professional 
eirewits have ordinarily been limited to the city 
and adjoining towns, younger men taking the 
longer rides. He has been successful pecuniarily 
as well as professionally, and fortunately can afford 
to curtail his business. Though quite elastic for 
a man past his three-score years, and though hav- 
ing uo deep wrinkles in his face, yet his long, 
almost snow-white beard and rapidly whitening 
head, indicate that "sap-eonsuniing winter's drizz- 
ling snows" are not only falling, but thickening in 
their fall. He does just enough business to afford 
him a healthful amount of exercise. His spirits 
are buoyant, and his social habits admirable. In 
early manhood Dr. Bemis was an abolitionist of 
the milder type, casting his first jjresidential vote 
in 1844, for James G. Birney. Of late years he 
has voted the republican ticket; has never been an 
office-seeker, and has strictly refused to accept any- 
thing of the kiu<l of a political nature. Among 
the Freemasons he is a Knight Templar, and Las 
been Master of the Blue Lodge twice, .-ind a Noble 
Grand in Odd-Fellowship three times. Dr. Bemis 
has been married since the 10th of February, 1842, 
his wife being Miss Emeline H. Adams, a native of 
Barre, Massaehii.setts, living at the time of her 
marriage at Heath, in the same State. They have 
had iive children, all living but (ieorge O., who 
died when only tiu'ee years old. The four living 
are all married but Ella J. Augusta E. is tlje 
wife of William T. Kerr, a commercial agent, re- 
siding in Davenport, Iowa; Joseph G. is a physi- 
cian, educated in the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons, New York City, and practicing in Fari- 
bault; and Mary C. is IIk- wife of Henry C. Pres- 
eott, agent for Seymour, Sabin & Co., manufac- 
turers of the "Mmnesota Chief" threshing machine 
at Stillwater, Minnesota, their home being at Fari- 
bault. 

W. L. Bentley, a native of Franklin comty. 
Vermont, was born on the 28d of Mai'ch, 1,S3;5. 
When eighteen years old he moved to Massachu- 
setts and was employed in factories there for three 
years, then to Ohio and later to Kansas where he 
was connected with the Quartenuaster's depart- 
ment, engaged in shipping through Colorado, 



New Mexico, and the southwestern States. He 
has been a resident of Minnesota since 1808, first 
locating in Mower county, where he married Mi.ss 
Annie Norton on the 28tli of December, 1K72. 
Four children is the result of this union. Mr. 
and Mrs. Bentley came here in 1872, and he was 
engaged in the ice business until 1871(, wlien he 
opened his present feed store. 

John MidJoNoon Beuky, of the supreme bench 
of Minnesota, and a native of Pittstield, New 
Hampshire, was born on the 18th of September, 
1827; liis parents being John Berry, merchant, 
and Mary Ann Brown m-e Hogan. The Berry 
family settled in southeastern New Hampshire, 
nearly, and p<'rhaps fully, two centuries ago. The 
maternal grandfather of otir subject was from 
Ireland. The youth of Judge Berry was devoted 
to tlie securing of an education; he spent bis last 
joreparatory year at Phillips Academy, Andover, 
Massachusetts; entered Yale College in Septem 
ber, 1843, when just sixteen years old, and grad- 
uated in his twentieth year. He began to read law 
at Concord, New Hampshire, with Judge Perley, 
afterward chief justice of that State; continui d 
his readings with Hon. Moses Norris; was ad- 
mitted to practice at a term of the su])reme court 
held at Concord in July, ISfiO, practiced about two 
years at Alton, Belknap county. New Hampshire; 
came as far west as Janesville, Wisconsin, in the 
spring of 18.53; was in practice there two years, 
and then settled in Faribault, his home since then, 
with the exception of something less than a year 
spent at Austin, Mower county, his business being 
the jiractice of law till he went on the bench. He 
is a thorough legal and general .scholar, and ranks 
deservedly high among his profession in the State 
for his literary tastes and acquirements. He may 
be classed as a thinker as distinguished from a man 
of action. Judge Berry was a member of the 
territorial house in the session of 185(i-57, and 
chairman of the judiciary committee; was a mem- 
ber of the State Senate in 1863 and 1864, and 
chairman of the judiciary committee in that body 
also, and went ou the bench of the supreme court 
in January, 1865. He was re-elected in 1871. and 
his second term exjjireil with the year 1878. He 
was elected to his present position before the legal 
practice in this State had become extensive, and 
without the opj^ortunities for the practical work 
of his profession whiirh some of his associates have 
enjoyed; but he brings to the exercise of the high 
duties of his position a knowledge of legal prin- 



366 



HISTORY OF lilGE COUNTY. 



ciples acquired by careful and thoughtful reading, 
united to a broad and comprehensive judgment, 
and an inflexible integrity, which, disdaining petty 
technicalities and seeking for tlie intrinsic justice 
of the case, has i)laoed him second to no judge 
who ever held the office in this State iu popular 
estimation. His opinions are terse, crisp, and well 
written,and distiugushed rather for the enunciation 
of some great general principle which disposes of 
the case, than for minute discussions t)f minor and 
technical points. Judge Berry is a republican of 
whig antecedents, but has never been very active 
in politics. Ou the 2Cth of May, 1853, Miss Alice 
A. Parker, then of Roscoe, Illinois, but a native of 
Centerville, Ohio, became tlie wife of Judge Berry, 
and they have four oliildren. 

A. S. Bloxam was born of English parents in 
riidgway, Iowa county, Wisconsin, iu June, 18.53, 
When thirteen years old be worked at the cabinet 
maker's trade, and at the age of fifteen years went 
to Dixon, Illinois, where be learned the gunsmith 
trade, and worked at the same there for eight 
years. In 1875, he came to Faribault, opened a 
store and shop, in which he put a small stock of 
guns, but has since greatly increased his stock to 
accommodate his rapidly growing trade. Mr. 
Blosam was married on tlie 1st of January, 1881, 
to Miss Martha M. Schmutz. 

JoHAM J. Blank, one of the pioneers of Rice 
county and the first man to take a claim in 
Wiieeling, was born in Germany, on the 15th of 
September, 1821. He attended school until four- 
teen years old, then engaged at work on the farm 
and in 1843, emigrated to America, landing in 
New York, and came directly to Cook county, Illi- 
nois, where he conducted a farm ou shares. In 
1844, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza- 
beth Veeh, and ten y.^ars later came to Rice coun- 
ty, Minnesota, and staked out a claim in Wheel- 
ing, in sections twenty -two and fifteen. He im- 
proved the land and erected a log house. In 
October, 1878, he sold his farm and purchased a 
residence in Faribault, corner of Thirteenth and 
Main streets, where he still resides. Mr. and 
Mrs. Blank have bsen blessed with nine children ; 
Delia, Mary, Wilhelmina, who died with the diph- 
theria in 18(54, aged thirteen years; Elizabeth, 
Caroline, Hannah, Sophia, who also died with 
diphtheria, in 1872, thirteen years of age; Ma- 
tilda, who died of consumption in 1864, three 
years of age; and John Jacob. 



A. Blodgett, an old settler of the county, and 
one of the leading lumber merchants, was born in 
Alexander, Genesee county, New York, on the 3d 
of May, 1831. He clerked for five years in a dry 
goods store, and when about I'ineteen years old 
went to New York city, where he engaged in a 
j^aint and varnisli sliop. In 1856, he came to 
Rice county, locating on a farm in Warsaw town- 
ship, and in 1874, moved into town, engaging in 
mercantile purstiits. In 1880, he opened his pres- 
ent lumber yard under the firm name of A. Elod- 
gett & Son. The junior partner, W. E. Blodgett, 
was born in Warsaw on the 16th of August, 1857, 
and received his education at the public scliools 
and at Shattuck School. He kept books one year 
in this place, and studied music two years in Min- 
neapolis. In 1881, he became a member of the 
lumber firm above mentioned. 

Gkegor Bjornktad was born in the stift of 
of Christiania, Norway, on the 17th of October, 
1856. He was reared ou a farm, and when a 
young man engaged in buying and selling cattle- 
In 1870, he emigrated to America, came directly 
to Minnesota and located in Red Wing where he 
attended the public school two years. He subse- 
quently worked eighteen months on a farm, and 
for six months clerked in a store. In March, 
1882, he came to Faribault and became landlord 
of the Scandinj,vian Hotel, which he has since 
conducted. 

Pabtick Byrnes, deceased, was born in Ireland 
and came to America when young, located in Wis- 
consin until 1863. then came to this county and 
settled in Walcott, where he carried on a farm. In 
186.5, he move to this city, engaged in merchan- 
dising, antl was elected County Sheriff in 1871, 
on the Democratic ticket. He was defeated once 
after that by a small majority. His death oc- 
curred in April, 1878. John J. Byrnes was born 
in Winnebago county Wisconsin, ou the 15th of 
July, 1853, and came with his parents to this 
county. He attended the Catholic school, the 
public school, •Shattuck School, and St. John's 
College, in Stearns county. He then studied law 
in the office of Gordon E. Cole, and was admitted 
to the bar in 1876. He taught school a few 
months, and then formed a partnership with J. F. 
Walsh, in Henderson, Sibley county, which was 
soon dissolved, and Mr. Byrnes returned here. He 
was married on the 15th of October, 1878, Miss 
Olive La Rose being his bride. He is Justice of 



CITY OF FMlin.WLT. 



:567 



the Peace, elected in 1879, and also City Recorder. 

E. H. Crrrs is a native ol' Portsiuoiith, New 
Hampshire, burn ou the iilat of May, 1831. Hii^ 
iincestors were aiiioug- the i)it)neersi)f that locality-, 
having settled at Portsmouth and on Outts' Is- 
land about 1040. When our subject was two and 
a-half years old the family moved to Vermont 
and located on a farm. E. H. attended Kimball 
Union Academy, at Meriden, New Hampahire, 
when he was thirteen years old, and two years 
later became a pupil at Thetl'ord, Vermont, and 
afterward at Norwich University, finishing the 
scientific course in 1849. He then studied for a 
civil engineer, worked at that for a year, and then ou 
his father's farm. In 1853, he came to \Vis(^onsin 
and in December of that year started cm the old 
Indian trail from Hastings to Mankato ou foot. 
Passing through Faribault into what is now Wal- 
cott, he staked out a claim ou sections tweuty-oue 
and twenty-two, then went on to Mankato. He 
soon returued to Wisconsin, and in February, 1854, 
came with two yoke of oxen and conmienced to 
improve his laud, being the first actual settler and 
building the first house in Walcott. In 1875, he 
removed into the city of Faribault, and now de- 
votes his time to overseeing his farms in this and 
Lyon counties. In 18(12, he enlisted in the 
Eiglith Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Com})aiiy 
B, serving two months against the Sious. In 
June, 18(54, he was appointed Captain of Com- 
pany O, of the Forty -fifth United States Colored 
Regiment, and served until the close of the war. 
He has had nine children, four of whom are living. 

Thomas C.vurENTER was born in England in 
1832, and learned his trade there. He came to 
Faribault in 1857, and the following spring en- 
tered into partnership with Alexander Smith, iu 
merchant tailoring. They have since added to 
their busiue.ss ready-made clothing and gents' 
furnishing goods, hats, caps, etc. 

J. G. Clauk, one of the old settlers of this city, 
is a native of Franklin county, Massachusetts, 
born on the 4th of February, 1820. He was rear- 
ed on a farm and when sixteen years old went to 
Brattleborough, Vermont, where he learned the 
carpenter trade, and with the exception of two years 
worlied at the same in that State for twenty-one 
years. On the 7th of August, 1849, he was joined 
iu wedlock with Miss Sarah Jane Miller, and the 
union has been blessed with one boy, Dwight E. 
Iu 1857, Mr. Clark came to this city and built a 
planing mUI which he operated with a partner 



until 1865, then engaged in farming two years, 
and since 18(59, has conducted a livery stable, 
keeping good hor,ses. 

Captain ChabijEsA. Curtis, U. S. Army, Com- 
mandant of Sliattuck School, was born iu Hallo- 
well, Maine, October 4, 1825. He graduated at 
Norwich University, Vermont, with the degree of 
Bachelor of Arts in 1860. He served as military 
instructor of volunteers in Maine, from April, 18(>I 
to June of the same year, going to the Potomac 
with the Sixth Maine as instructor to the officers. 
He was commissioned a Secimd Lieutenant in tlie 
regular army, Ajjril 14, 18G2, and served in Vir- 
ginia, Texas, and New Mexico, until the close of 
the relielliou. He then served in the Indian war 
with the Apac'ln'S and Navajos, in New Mexico and 
Arizona, iu 18(55 and 1866. Was j)lacedonthe re- 
tired list for wounds received in action December 
15th, 1870. In 1866, the Captain married Har- 
riette L. Hughes, aud in 1869, was detailed as 
Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Nor- 
wich University, serving iu that capacity until 
] 1875, when he was elected ])resideut of the college. 
In 1880, he resigned and accepted his present jjo- 
sitiou. He has had five children, four of whom are 
living. 

Captain D. CiVANArciii, an early resident of the 
county aud a leading business man of this city, 
claims Canada as his native place aud his birth 
dates the 3d of December, 1838. He was reared 
to agricultural pursuits aud in 1856, came with his 
parents to this place aud continued tilling the soil 
until 1862, when he enlisted in the Tenth Minne- 
sota Volunteer Infantry, Comjjany H. He was 
promoted to Second Lieutenant aud soon after to 
Captain of Company C, serving iu that office until 
the close of the war, when he was honoralily dis- 
charged. After returning to Faribault Captain 
Cavauaugh was engaged iu the milling business 
four years, and in 1871, opened a store in which 
he keeps hardware aud agricultural implements, 
doing an extensive aud successful business under 
she firm name of Cavanaugh & Co. 

M. H. Cole was born iu Albany, New York, on 
the 24th of November, 1836, attended school there 
aud iu Cuop;'rstown uutil fourteen years old, then 
clerked for a time, after which he went to school 
untd twenty years of age. He then eugaged with 
the Boston & Albany Railroad Company uutil 
1861, when he enlisted in the Forty-fourth New 
York Infantry as Second Lieutenant of Company 
E. His senior officer being absent, he acted as 



368 



HISTORY OF mCE COUNTY. 



Captain of the company for three years, was then 
discharged and re-enlisted in the Ninety-fourth 
New York Infantry, and was immediately detailed 
to the enrolling otEce of which he became head 
clerk at Hart Island, New York harbor, and served 
till the close of the war. He went to New York 
City and engaged as a commercial traveler, then 
came west, and after visiting different parts of the 
country came to Faribault in 1872. In 1875, he 
was appointed Deputy Register of Deeds, which 
oiSce he has since tilled with credit. Mr. Cole was 
married in 1875, to Miss Laura Wheeler, the 
adopted daughter of Mrs. John Nelson. They 
have been blessed with two children. 

WiLr,i.\M Close is a native of Ohio, born on the 
9th of Septemlier, 1827. When he was six years | 
old his parents sold their interests there and re- 
moved to Indiana, locating in the Wabash valley. 
In 1855, they came to Minnesota, and on the 12th 
of Juue of that year settled in Richland township 
where they were pioneers. William and his 
brother John helped to organize the place, and the 
former was the first school clerk, hiring Miss 
Debby Newcomb to teach the first school in his 
district. No. 21 ; was first Town Collector, and after 
the town was fully organized was elected Assessor. 
In the fall of 1870, he was a member of the State 
Legislature, and in 1871, was appointed Marshal 
and Enumerator for seven townships, comprising 
the east district of Rice county. While living in 
Richland he pre-empted land in Walcott, b>it sold 
a short time after and bought more in the former 
l)lace, remaining in the township engaged in farm- 
ing for twenty-five years. In 1876, he came to 
this city, and resides on Eighth and Sycamore 
streets. In 1881, he was appointed Enumerator for 
the seventh ward of the city of Faribault. He is 
engaged in the insurance business for the St. Paul 
Fire & Marine Company and several other promi- 
nent firms. He was married on the 19th of August, 
1847. to Miss Elizabeth Fiers, who has borne him 
nine children, of whom eight are living, four boys 
and two girls were born in liice county. Mr. Close 
served a short time as recruit in the first Minnesota 
Regiment. 

Ctobdon Earl (jOle, for six years Attorney - 
General of the state of Minnesota, is a son of 
Lansing J. Cole, a physician, and Laura Brown; 
his parents living at the time of his birth, June 
18th, 1833, at Cheshire, Berkshire county, Massa- 
chusetts. His great-grandfather was an early 
.-settler at Savbrook in that State, and moved 



thence into the western county. Gordon received 
his literary education mainly at the SufBeld Aca- 
demy, Connecticut ; read law in the office of Gov- 
ernor Briggs, at Pittsfield, and then with Gauunell 
& Adams, and graduated from the Dane Law 
School, Harvard University, in 1854. He prac- 
ticed two years in his native town; came to Minne- 
sota in the autumn of 1856, and after spending 
two or three months at Chatfield, removed to Fari- 
bault on the 1st of January, 1857, having been in 
the practice of his profession here since that date. 
He has a deservedly high reputation in his pro- 
fession, and for many years has held a leading 
position at the bar of the State, some good judges 
placing him at the head. He was the attorney 
that procured the payment of the State bonds last 
winter, (1881 and '82. | Everybody who heard 
him will admit that he has wonderful power before 
a jury, being self-poised, conscious of his (jwn 
strength, clear, forcible, and eloquent. In the 
autumn of 1859, Mr. Cole was elected Attorney- 
General of the State, and held the office three 
consecutive terms; was elected a State Senator, to 
fill a vacancy in the Eighth district, a short time 
before his third term expired; served one session 
and declined a renomination. He had previously 
been elected one of the Commissioners for revising 
the statutes, serving in that capacity about one 
year. For the last eleven or twelve years he has 
confined himself very closely to his professiim, 
doing an extensive and very remtinerative practice. 
He has also interested himself very much in local 
enterprises of various kinds. He is a trustee of 
Saint Mary's Hall, located at Faribault, an insti- 
tution of learning for young ladies, under the 
direction of Bishop Whipple; and is chairman of 
a railroad committee, interested in building the 
Cannon Valley railroad from Red Wing to Man- 
kato. He has been the attorney of the Iowa & 
Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee &. 
St. Paul Railroad Company since the enterprise 
was comjjleted. In politics, Mr. Cole has been a 
republican since there was such a party, and was 
chairman of a Fremont club in his native town in 
1856, losing his vote that year by emigrating to 
Minnesota. During the forty or fifty ballotings 
for United States Senator in 1875, when at length 
the republicans dropped the names of Messrs. 
Ramsey and Davis, on one or two days Mr. Cole 
led on the republican side, the votes being divided 
among three or four strong men. We do not use 
the word candidates, for, in the case of Mr. Cole, 



crrr of FAiiiiiAur/r. 



309 



be was nut a candidate — the act was sprung upon 
the Legishiture without his knowledge — though, 
had he been elected, he would hardly have refused 
to serve. He has the ability to till witli credit auv 
office whicli the people of Minnesota can bestow 
upon hini. He is a Eoyal Arch Mason, a vestry- 
man in Bisliop Whipple's cathredal, and a trustee 
of the corporation known as the "Minnesota Foun- 
dation," which is designed to alford an income for 
the support of the bishop. Mr. Cole is living with 
his second wife, being first married in August, 
1855, to Miss Stella C. Whipple, of Shaftsbury, 
Vermont, she dying in June, 1872; she had four 
children, three of them yet living. His present 
wife was Miss Kate D. Turner, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
chosen on the 14th of February, 1874. 

Adolphe Craki, one of the early settlers here, 
was born iu Lower Canada on the 5th of Febru- 
ary, 1829. He is of Scotch-French descent, lived 
ut home until 1852, then came to Shokopee and 
took charge of a farm of Mrs. Oliver Fari- 
bault. He also bad charge of a farm of Gen. 
Sibley's for a time, and in 1853, came to this 
place and conducted a farm for Fred. Fari- 
bault, near the junction of Straight and Can- 
non Rivers. He subse(|uently took land near 
Meudota, but in 1856, came here and engaged 
in the freighting business. In 1857, he was joined 
in marriage with Miss Julia Paquin, the ceremony 
taking place on the 18th of January. This was 
the first Catholic marriage preformed in the place, 
it being during the mis.sion of Father Kovoux. In 
1862, Mr. Craig made a trip to Colorado and later 
visited Canada, and upon bis return settled on a 
farm in this county, which be carried on four 
years. Since leaving the latter he has made this 
city his home and is a prominent member of the 
Catholic church. 

Major Michaei. Cook, deceased, was among the 
very early settlers in Faribault, and one of the he- 
roic men who fell in the late civil war. He aided 
in building some of the first frame houses in this 
place, and was honored with a seat in the ten-i- 
torial council and the State Senate — a self-edu- 
cated man of a noble type. He was a son of Eicli- 
ard Cook, and was born iu Morris county. New 
Jersey, on the 17th of March, 1828; had a com- 
mon school education; learned the carpenter's 
trade in New York City, and worked there as a 
jourueymiin several years, attending a night 
school while an ajiprentice. He early formed the 
24 



acquaintance of Horace Greeley, who encouraged 
him in his struggle for knowledge. Major Cook 
came to F;iribault iu 1855. He was in the State 
Senate continuously from about 1858 to 18G2, and 
took a prominent ]xirt in legislative work. He 
was a diligent worker, with very few words, and 
stood well in the legislative body. Honesty in 
him was personified. In the the summer of 1862, 
he raised a company for the Tenth Minnesota; was 
made Captain of the company; was subsequently 
promoted to Major of that regiment, and killed 
in the battle of Nashville, Tennessee. The 
memory of very few deceased men who ever lived 
in Fariliault is more warmly cherished than that 
of Major Cook. 

C. B. Case, one of the proprietors of the popular 
"bus" line, was born on the 21st of March, 1823, 
in Monroe county. New York, where his ancestors 
were among the first settlers. In hisycmth he at- 
tended the district schools, and when quite young 
commenced driving stage, in which business he 
has since spent most of his time, going to Chicago 
in 1840, and two years later to Missouri. Dur- 
ing the Mexican war he was engaged iu shipping 
horses for the American government. He was 
afterwards general agent for the Mississippi, Ala- 
bama, and Tennessee stage line. On the 10th of Jan- 
uary, 1855, he was married to Miss Hannah Harris, 
the ceremony taking place in La Grange, Tennessee. 
She was formerly from Litchfield county, Connecti- 
cut. For a time Mr. Case was in the livery business 
in Tallahasse, Florida, and during the war was 
agent for the quarter-master in the Confederate 
army, having charge of the transportations for the 
State of Florida. In 1865, he came north, and the 
following year to this city, where he has since 
been connected with the business, as previously 
mentioned. Mrs. and Mrs. Case have bad four 
childi-en, three of whom are living. 

H. N. Ceossett is a native of Canada, born 
on the 15th of June, 1832. When four years 
old he moved with his parents to Vermont, 
where he received his education. For eight 
years he was engaged in mercantile pursuits 
in Albany, New York, and there be was married 
on the 0th of April, 1857, to Angeline E. Hawley. 
In 1858, they came to Juneau, Dodge county, 
Wisconsin, where Mr. Crossett clerked one year, 
then entered the employ of the American Express 
Company, as local agent; was soon made route 
agent, and located at dill'erent places in the State. 



370 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



He came to this city iu tlie employ of the com- 
pany, and iu 1869, was made Division Superinten- 
dent for -the United States Express Company, and 
now has under his supervision Minnesota, Wis- 
consin, southern Dakota, northern Iowa, and 
northern Illinois. Of seven children born to the 
union, five are living. 

Henkv Chaffee was born in Berkshire county, 
Massachussetts, on the 9th of April, 1827. He 
was reared on a farm, and when eighteen years 
old entered a store, in his native county, as clerk. 
In IS.'ifj, he came to this place and opened a gro- 
cery store; two years later pre-empted a claim 
in Waseca county, but continued to reside here. 
He now owns a well-cultivated farm of four hun- 
dred acres about a mile and a half south of this 
city. Mr. Chafl'ee was married in 1871, to Miss 
Charlotte Carter, who has borne him three oiiil- 
dren. From ISOd to 1872, he operated a saw and 
stave mill in Wells township, and has since been 
a member of the Walcott Milling Company. 

S. L. Cbockeu was born in Genesee county, 
New York, on tlie 12th of December, 1845. He 
attended the common schotjls and completed his 
education at Batavia Academy, in his native State. 
He then engaged as clerk in a drug store in Hills- 
dale, Michigan, for over two years; then, after fol- 
lowing the same employment in Butl'alo, New York, 
one year, he came to Hastings, Minnesota, and in 
1868, to Faribault. After clerking for a time he 
purchased a drug store of W. T. Hunter, and now 
has a full line of drugs, medicines, and fancy 
goods. Mr. (.Jrocker was joined in matrimony on 
the 2d of Novenal)er, 1876, witli Miss Carrie Mee. 
He has been Alderman for four years. 

J. C. N. CoTTitELL was born iu Canada on the 
2Gth of February, 1827, and is of English parent- 
age. He attended school near home, and finished 
his education in Brownington, Vermont. In 1849, 
wlicii but twenty-one years old, he went to Cali- 
fornia, where he opened a store on Feather 
Riv(!r, witli a stock of general merchandise and 
miner's supplies. He was there three years and 
met with great success; then returned to Canada 
and opened a store in London. He was united in 
marriage on the 2d of September, 1856, with Miss 
Elizabeth Clinton. In 1857, tliey removed to 
Minnesota and located in this ])lace, where Mr. 
Cottrell opeuL'd a hardware store opposite the Bar- 
ron House, but in 187(), went to Chicago where 



he eu gaged in business four years; then returned 
here and purchased his former stand. 

Thomas Bukk Clement, Senator from Rice 
county, is a son of Frederick and Olive Blallory 
Clement and was born in Manlius, Onondaga 
county, New York, on the 19th of June, 1834. 
His paternal ancestors were early settlers in 
Dutchess county, New York, his great-grandfather 
being a member of the continental army, who was 
taken and held captive for some lime on a British 
priK<m ship. Thomas lived on a farm till sixteen 
years old, with such education as a district school 
furnished ; commenced business as a clerk in the 
store of his elder brother, Stephen M. Clement, at 
Fredonia, in western New York; went into trade 
there for himself at nineteen years of age. He re- 
moved to Faribault in January, 1864. Here he 
traded four years; organized the First Naticjual 
Bank of Faribault iu 1868; was made its president 
and still holds that position. It is regarded as 
"ne of the soundest institutions of the kind in the 
Cannon valley. Mr. Clement was a member of 
the Minnesota house of representatives in 1875, 
Mayor of the city in 1877, and a member of the 
State Senate in 1878. During the first session that 
he attended he was Chairman of the committee on 
insurance, and of the committees on finances, and 
banks and banking. He makes a wise and pru- 
dent Legislator. He is one of the directors of the 
institution for educating the deaf and dumb and 
the blind, and has held other local offices of trust 
and responsibility, being at one time Chairman of 
the board of County Commissioners. He is a re- 
publican, but not a strong party man. Blind zeal 
of any kiild never led him an inch. He is wedded 
to business much more than to politics, and office 
seeks him or he would never be found in official 
positions, either in the city or out of it; yet he is 
a public spirited man, one of the leaders in local 
enterprises, proud of his adopted home, glorying 
in her progress and jjrospects, and shirking no re- 
sponsibility which his fellow-citizens insist on his 
assuming. He is a solid man in business and 
moral as well as financial standing. Mr. Clement 
was first married in May, 1856, his wife being Miss 
Emma Johnson of Fredonia, New York; she died 
in 1865, leaving one child. His present wife was 
Miss Ellen F. Johnson, sister of his lirst wife, 
chosen in 1867; he has two children by her. 

George Chesroun is a native of Pennsylvania, 
born in 1829. In 1852, he came to the territory 



en y OF FAiunAULT. 



;i7i 



of Minnesota, anil located in Walcott, where he 
married Miss Augusta Uurston in 1858. Mr. 
Ohesroun is a cabinet maker iu the employ of M. 
M. Flint. 

Thomas Donoiiiie, a native of Ireland, was born 
in Wexford county, on the I5th of February, 1847. 
His parents died when he was young, and when 
eighteen yeara old he came to America, clerked in 
New York City six months and then to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, in a hotel. Mis.s Bridget Quinn became his 
wife on the 13th of May, 1871. They came to 
Faribault the same year and he opened a saloon, 
but a few years later added a stock of merchandise 
and in 1879, erected a brick building which he 
occupies with general merchandise and a saloon. 
Mr. and Mr.s. Donahue have a family of five chil- 
dren. 

H. T. Detert is a German, born in Prussia on 
the 1st of July, 1837. He came to America when 
seventeen years old and located in St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, where he learned the hamessmaker's trade. 
In 1863, he enlisted in the Thirteenth New York 
Cavalry, Company H, and served till the close of 
the war. Mr. Detert was married on the 1st of 
July, 1866, to Miss Caroline Speck. They have 
had nine children, eight of whom are living. At 
the close of the war, Mr. Detert located in St. 
Louis and opened a harness shop, which he con- 
ducted till 1870, then came here and soon after 
engaged in the same business, manufacturing 
horse collars which have the name of being the 
best in the market, the demand having grown so 
rapidly he intends to manufacture more exten- 
sively. He is also the inventor and patentee of a 
neck collar pad, which has a large sale. 

I. N. Donaldson dates his birth the 10th of 
December, 1841, in Westmoreland county, Penn- 
sylvania, where his ancestors were among the pio- 
neers of that section, taking a prominent part in 
the early history and development of the county. 
When he was eight years old his parents moved 
to Wells county, Indiana, remaining until 1862, 
and then came to this county, locating in Bridge- 
water. The subject of this sketch assisted his 
father on the farm till 1871, then engaged in the 
mercantile business in ccmipany with his brother, 
at Dundas. In 1875, he was appointed Post- 
master; in 1877, elected Register of Deeds, and 
is now serving his third term in that office. On 
the 31st of January, 1872, while on his way to 
business he met with an accident on the railroad 



track, the cars running over his right leg whicli 
made amputation necessary. Mr. Donaldson was 
joined iu marriage on the 12th of November, 1861, 
with Miss Sarah A. Decider. The union lias boon 
blessed with six children. 

H. N. Dale, M. D., one of the pioneers of Can- 
non City, was born in Hamilton, Butler county, 
Ohio, and removed to White county, Indiana, 
when but five years old. He attended an 
Academy near his home until eighteen years old, 
then became a pupil at the Asbury University, 
where he remained two years, and subsequently 
engaged in teaching school and studying medi- 
cine. He entered the office of Dr. Haymond at 
Mouticello, Indiana, and shortly after grudiuited 
from the Eclectic Medieval Institute at Cincinnati, 
Ohio. In the fall of 1856, he removed to Cannon 
City and commenced practice, and in 18G7, came to 
Faribault. In 186S, he spent one winter in Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, in the Medical schools and Ho.spitals. 
The winter of 1875 and '76, was spent in the Chi- 
cago schools, and the entire years of 1870 and '77, 
in attendance at Rush Medical College and Cook 
County Hospital. In 1879, Dr. Dale w-as married 
to Mrs. E. M. McCauley. He has been County 
Coroner two terms and County Physician three 
years since coming t<i this city. 

L. W. Denison, M. D., was born in Clarksvillc, 
Madison county, New York, on the 17th of Decem- 
ber, 1819. His father died when our subject was 
eleven years old, after which he worked at the 
mechanic's trade in Whitestown and vicinity two 
years; then studied medicine in the former pl.ice 
and at Brookfleld. He attended lectures iu the 
medical department of the New York University, 
also in Vermont, where he received a diploma. 
After attending lectures in Buffalo. New York, he 
came to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 18-19, and 
practiced two years, then went to CaHfornia, 
where he remained until 1855, when he came to 
Faribault. In September, 1855, Miss Julia Frank- 
lin became his wife. Mr. Denison practiced liis 
profession until the last few years, since which 
time he has been engaged in mercantile juirsuits, 
also has some fine farming land in this vicinity. 
He has been twice elected to the Legislature, and 
an active member of the school board since 1857, 
besides holding local offices. He is the father of 
four children, three of whom are living. 

J. D. Denison, one of the pioneeis of Pice 
county, was born in Brookfield, Madi.son (•ouuty. 



372 



HISTORY OF UlCB COUNTY. 



New York, on the 5th of August, 1810. When 
twenty years of age he commenced learning the 
wagonmaker's trade, and afterward opened a shop 
in his native pUxce. He was married on the 15th 
of August, 1883, to MissChloe Cutely, a native of 
Massachusetts. In 1848, he removed to Onondaga 
county and in 1856, came here working at his 
trade in the first shop of the kind in the place. 
The same year he erected a building for a shop, 
and iu 1858, built ii second, which was the begin- 
ning of the Faribault carriage works of the present 
day. He owned aud operated them till 1876. Mr. 
and Mrs. Uenison have had four children, of whom 
two are still living. 

J. J. Dow, Superintendent of the Blind Institu- 
tion, was born iu India, on the continent of Asia, 
the 15th of February, 1848, his father being a 
missionary from East Givermore, Maine, to that 
country. M. Dow's ancestors were among the 
early New England settlers. J. C. Dow, the father 
of the subject of our sketch, was a Free-will Bap- 
tist minister, aud returned to Maine while .J. J.was 
an infant, where the latter grew to manhood. In 
1863, he enlisted iu the Second Maine Cavalry,' 
Company F, serving two years. In 1866, became 
to Olmsted county, Minnesota, where his parents 
had pieviously moved, aud thi-ee years after en- 
tered Carleton College, from which he graduated 
in 1874. He and Miss Myra A. Brown, who be- 
came his wife on the 25th of December 1874, com- 
posed the first graduating class from the above 
College. He then became Superintendent of the 
public schools of Austin, Minnesota, and in 
August, 1875, became principal of the department 
for the blind in the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Insti- 
tute. In 1881, he was made Superintendent of 
the Blind Department, when it became an institu- 
tion of itself. He has since filled the office with 
credit to himself and makes the Asylum an honor 
to the State. He has a family of four children. 

P. G. Denningbe, M. D., is a native of Berlin, 
Germany, born on the 20th of January, 1848. 
His fatlier, .\doli)h, was a Lutheran minister. In 
18G'2, the family emigrated to America, located 
in Washington county, Wisconsin, and P. G. en- 
tered tlie Northwestern College at Watertown. In 
1869, he began the study of medicine at the Ho- 
meopathio Hospital College in Cleveland. Ohio, 
then entered the ollice of Dr. D. H. L. Bradley at 
Horicon, Wisconsin. In 1871, he came to Eyota, 
Olmsted county, and commenced practicing. The 



same year he married Miss Susie Wagner, the 
ceremony taking place on the 12th of June, and 
in 1876, they removed to Spring Valley. He 
graduated from the Hahnemann Homeopathy Col- 
lege of Chicago in 1878. His wife and two chil- 
dren died the previous year of diphtheria, and he 
again married cm the 16th of May, 1878, to Miss 
Cora Gunwald, who has borne him one child. He 
came to this place iu 1881, where he has a steadily 
increasing practice. 

Rev. James Dobbin, of the Shattuek school, 
under whose good management and supervision it 
has grown to its present prosperous condition, and 
to whose energy is due most of the success of the 
institution, is a good man in a good place. He 
was born in Washington county. New York, on the 
29th of June, 1833, and reared on a farm. When 
eighteen years old he left home and prepared for 
college by studying at Salem and Argyle, working 
his way up by his own energy and industry. In 
1855, he took charge of the school at Argyle, 
where he remained till 1857, then entered Uni(m 
College, graduating in 1859. He came to Fari- 
bault aud taught in the first parish school one 
year, then returned to New York and once more 
conducted the Argyle Academy, and one year later 
the one at Greenwick. In 1864, he returned to 
this place and commenced the study of theology 
at Seahury Divinity School. In 1860, he married 
Fannie I. Leigh, the ceremony taking place on the 
12th of December. She died after five years of 
married Hfe, on the 29th of December, 1865, leav- 
ing one daughter. In April, 1867, Mr. Dobbin 
oommeuced his charge of Shattuek school, to which 
he has since given his whole time and has made it 
a credit to the State. He was ordained as minister 
of the Episcopal church in May of the latter year. 
He was again married on the 9th of April, 1874 
to Elizabeth L. Ames, who has borne him one 
child, a son. 

Majou William H. Dike, a resident of Minne- 
sota since 1857, and one of the most energetic 
business men of Rice county, is a native of Rut- 
laud county, Vermont, being born at Pittsford on 
the 18th of May, 1813. His father, Jonathan 
Dike, for many years High Sheriff of that county, 
was born iu Chittenden, Vermont. His great- 
grandfather was in the first war with England, 
and his father in the second. The latter reached 
Plattsburg while the battle was progressing, 
l)ut not in season to take part in it, and re- 



CITY OF FARIBAULT. 



373 



fused to draw a pension. The wife of Jonathan 
Dike was Tamizian Hammond, a native of Pitts- 
ford, Vermont. Tlie family moved into the vil- 
hige of Etitland when William was about six years 
old, where the son attended school a small portion 
of each year until he was thirteen, when he left 
home, and lived for many years with two mater- 
nal uncles, Charles F. and John C. Hammond, of 
Crown Point, Essex county, New York. With 
them he clerked until he was eighteen, with six 
months' schooling during this time. The Ham- 
monds were engaged in lumbering as well as 
mercantile pursuits, and for a period of several 
years Mr. Dike had the oversight of this 
branch of their business. They had also a 
blast furnace, and were extensive manufac- 
turers of iron, in which business Mr. Dike had 
an interest with them tor six or seven years, 
also in the store. In the spring of 1857, he left 
Crown Point, settled in Faribault, and commenced 
banking, real estate and milling business, in con- 
nection with other parties. He built what is 
known as the Dike mill, and the first flour shipped 
to Chicago and New York frem Minnesota went 
from his mill, which was built in 1858, the year 
Minnesota entered the Union in her sovereign 
robes. At an early day people came a long way 
to get their grist ground, usually with ox teams; 
a distance of forty, fifty, and sixty miles was 
not uncommon, and one time two men, with two 
yoke of oxen and grists for half a dozen families, 
came from the southern ])art of Blue Earth county, 
a distance of more than eighty miles. Soon after 
the First National Bank was opened Mr. Dike be- 
came its cashier, resigining at the end of a year 
or two. The last few years he has spent in taking 
care of his property, which is somewhat scattered. 
Besides his homestead of eight or nine acres in 
the southern part of the city, and several small 
bodies of improved land in dilferent sections of 
Kice county, he has unimproved land in Houston, 
Waseca, Watonwan, Dodge, Blue Earth, and Le 
Sueur counties, in the aggregate two thousand 
acres or more. 

A little episode in his life occurred when the 
civil war broke out, in April, 1861. He raised a 
company in two days for the First regiment; went 
in as Captain of Company H ; was made Major be- 
fore leaving the State, participated in the first 
battle of Bull Eun, and on that disastrous day was 
one of the last members of the regiment to quit the 
field, hunting up, just before leaving, the body of 



Captain McKune, securing his sword, belt, and 
watch, and kindly .sending them to his widow. 
Just after this battle a gentleman residing in 
Washington thus spoke of his heroic bravery and 
that of Lieutenant-Colonel Miller on that occa- 
sion : 

"Major Dike's conduct is esi)ecially mentioned 
by all as having been cool, uuexeited, and really 
brave. He was among the last to leave, praying, 
beseeching, and imploring the men to stand. If 
one-half appeared in the newspapers that I hear 
of him, he would be the Boderick of the battle. 
He goes home to-morrow intending to recruit the 
somewhat thinned ranks. He is a heavy artillery, 
anyway, either as a man or a soldier — ^as popular 
as a man can be wherever he goes, and as modest 
in speaking of liis own exploits as though he ran 
at the first fire." 

About the same time another newspaper thus 
spoke of Major Dike: 

"This gallant otlicer has won the plaudits of 
the brave men he had the honor to lead, in part, 
to battle on the fatal 21st of July. It was his big 
heart and genuine love of the stars and stripes 
that prompted him to take up arms, and the good 
account given of him is just what was expected 
by all who knew the man." 

The St. Paul "Press "of the 21st of August, 
18i;l, thus spoke of Major Dike jnst as he was re- 
turning to the Potomac, after a brief visit to Fari- 
bault to look after his private business: 

"While all accouuts of t'lie Minnesota regiment 
whether in camp or on the field, have attested the 
fidelity, coolness, and l)ravery of Major Dike, yet 
there are some further particulars of the man and 
his valuable services to the regiment, to which we 
desire to refer. His energy and eificiency as a 
man of business, concurring with his individual 
lil)erality, were of immense service in the organi- 
zation of the regiment, as every one famOiar with 
the events at Fort Snelling will attest. We are 
not surprised to hear that since the battle at Man- 
assas the wounded of the Minnesota regiment 
have received constant proofs of his warm-hearted 
sympathy. He would be sure to make the cause 
of every snITerer his own." 

The private business of Major Dike was so 
j pressing, that at the end of six UKmths (October, 
1861, ) he resigned, and returned home. In poli- 
tics he was originally a Whig, and of late years 
has affiliated with the Kepublicans. Against his 
wishes, and in the face of his refusal to go before 



374 



niSTORT OF BICE COUNTY. 



tlio conveutiou, he was nominated by the Rejiub- 
lifaus and war Democrats for Governor in 18G1, 
but peremptorily refused to stand as a candidate 
for that high office. Here is his modest letter, re- 
fusing to stand as the nominee: 

" Camp Stone, Edwakd's Febky, Md., \_ 
"September 12, 1861. \ 
•' O. Bkown, Esq., Editor Faribault " Central, 

Republican." 

'^Friend Brown: When I was in Minnesota, a 
great number of persons of all political parties 
called upon me, and urged me to accept th6 Union 
nomination for Governor. While acknowledging 
the compliment intended with gratitude, I finally 
left the matter in the hands of friends to relieve 
me from the necessity of declining it, by request- 
ing that the nomination be conferred upon some 
othtr jiersou. When I returned to my regiment 
I found an engagement with the enemy imminent, 
and our First regiment (at the front of the post of 
danger at this point) close enough to hold con- 
versation, and hold it daily with pickets sent out 
to watch our lines. Under such circumstances I 
do not feel justified in accepting the nomination 
for any civil office. I cannot accept for other 
reasons of a personal nature, but this I might un- 
der ordinary circumstances, forego. I therefore 
beg all friends to accept my sincere thanks for the 
honor they would have done me, and respectfully 
but positively decline being run for any office by 
any party or under any circumstances. My pri- 
vate business is in such a condition that when I 
can see a propriety in time and circumstances, I 
must give it my supervision; but even that for 
the present must be dismissed, and my whole at- 
tention given to my imperiled country. 
Most respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 

W. H. Dike." 

Major Dike has been twice married; first on the 
29tli of June, 1841, to Miss Louisa T. Alvord, of 
Rutland, Vermont, sister of Benjamin Alvord, pay- 
master general of the United States. She died on 
the 21st of March, 185.5, leaving one daughter, 
IMary Hammond, who died on the 23d of Septem- 
ber, 18G(). His present wife was Miss Matilde M. 
Bates, of Boston, Massachusetts; married on the 
14th of December, 1858. She accompanied her 
husband and his r(>gimont to the South ; was with 
him during his .service there, often visiting the hos- 
pitals at Washington, and ministering to the wants 



of the wounded, sick and suffering. The night 
before the liattle of Bull Run the Major put a one 
hundred dollar bill in her hands, requesting her 
to use it in procuring delicacies for the sick sol- 
diers in the Georgetown Hospital, which she did. 
Major Dike has been the victim of misplaced con- 
fidence once or twice, sufi'ering pecuniarily from 
partnership connections in business, but has a 
competency; is in fact independent in his circum- 
stances, and in his delightful home has all the 
comforts to which a remarkably busy and success- 
ful life would seem to entitle him. A more liberal 
and patriotic man never lived in Faribault. When 
be enlisted in his company, at the opening of the 
war, he took the money out of his own pocket to 
support them till mustered in at Fort Snelling; 
paid out thousands of dollars during the rebellion 
to help on the Union cause; in March, 18(35, he 
was appointed to solicit contributions to the great 
fair held at Chicago, under the direction of the 
Northwest Sanitary Commission and Soldiers' 
home; no man in the State working with more zeal 
to aid that grand outpouring of humane gen- 
erosity. 

We conclude this sketch with an article which 
appeared in a republican Faribault paper, just after 
Major Dike had left the army, giving an account 
of what is called "his first, second and only public 
speeches," headed with the motto: 
"Not Words, but Deeds." 

"Major Dike has never been suspected of military 
aspirations. At the time when the late war broke 
out he was known only as occupying a high posi- 
tion in the first class of business men — kind and 
prompt, cheerful and obliging. When it became 
necessary to raise a comjiany here for the Minne- 
sota First, resort was had, as elsewhere, to a call 
for a public meeting. The time arrived — patriotic 
speeches by patriotic speakers came off, all very 
well in their way. But there is no fighting mettle 
in mere speeches — there was no powder and ball 
in them — nor could they induce any to join the 
list of those "to kill or to be killed" for the honor 
of the country. A dark cloud of cold silence set- 
tled down upon the hall and the audience, till at 
length a cry came for "Dike, Mr. Dike, Squire 
Dike — a speech, a speech!" "Mr. Dike is called 
for, will he step forward and favor the audience 
with a short speech?" With a significant look and 
bearing, peculiarly his own, that gentleman in- 
stantly headed and signed the list of volunteer, 



CITY OF FAUTBAULT. 



375 



and dispensing from his side pocket sufficient of 
the material aid to start the enterprise comfortably, 
lie remarked, ' That is my speech.' It was his first 
public speech. It aroused the life blood of his 
fellow-citizens, who rallied at once to his stan- 
dard. A noble company was raised, with which 
• he immediately repaired to Fort Snelliug for dis- 
cipline and drill. After several weeks' efficient 
drilling, the regiment, under the command of the 
gallant Gorman, repaired to the notional capitol; 
and thence, under orders of superiors in command, 
to the battle of Bull Run, where the Minnesota 
First was deilicated to the service of the govern- 
ment and the country in a baptism of blood. 
There, where the bullets were as thick as whortle- 
berries in August, Major Dike stopped not to 
infjuire whether the patriotic speakers whom he 
had parted with at the Metropolitan Hall hail 
reached the battle-field, to share with him an.l 
his the perils of the day, or whether they had per- 
chance remained behind in the pursiiit of pi-ivate 
business, or in the enjoyment of family, friends, and 
home comforts. He was there, and there he faced 
the enemy and fought out the fight like a man. 
This was his second public speech. He has re- 
mained in the service up to a short time since. 
When it was difficult for government to induce 
Volunteers to enlist, and more difficult to procure 
suitable officers. Major Dike abandoned his own 
business for the time — threw bis per.son and his 
influence into the crisis — volunteered and accepted 
an appointment, all as a matter of duty, and not 
to gratify any military ambition. Now, when the 
ranks of our citizen soldiery are readily filled up, 
and other competent gentlemen are found justly 
ambitious to fill his position, he has felt at liberty 
to resign his post, and return to his legitimate 
business; and, so here he is, surrounded by his 
many warm friends at home." 

K. M. Evans, the landlord of the popular Osden 
House, is a native of Jefferson, Schoharie county. 
New York, bom on the 21st of April, 1840. 
While young he spent a few winters in sash 
and blind factories and engaged at paint- 
ing in the summers. In 18G1, he enlisted in 
the Fifty-first New York Volunteer Infantry, 
Company G, served eighteen months and was 
then honorably discharged, but re-enlisted in 
the First New York Engineers, serving eleven 
months. On the 14th of December, 1802, he mar- 
ried Miss B. J. Holdgridge. Mr. Evans located in 
Schenevus, New York, where he kept a hotel three 



years, and in 1878, came to this place, opening the 
first Ogden House in 187!). In 1881, he ojjened 
tlie present liotel which is a favorite resort for the 
traveling public. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have three 
children, two girls and one boy. 

GoDi'Rinu Pleckenstein was born in Bavaria, 
Germany, on the 20th of November, 1832. Hia 
father beinp; proprietor of a brewery, Godfried was 
reared to that business, and when twenty-one 
years old came to America. He clerked in stores 
in New York City for two years, and afterwards 
resided in Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Minne- 
sota, remained in St. PaTil for a time, and in 1857, 
came to this place and, with his brother E. as a 
partner, opened a brewery; his brother retiring 
soon after, he has since conducted the establish- 
ment alone. He was married on the 13th of 
March, 18.5(1, to Miss M. A. Ualz, in Cincinnati, 
Ohio. They have had eight children, six of whom 
iire living. 

E. FiiECKENSTEiN, one of the early residents of 
this city, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, liorn on 
the 12th of January, 1834. His father owned a 
brewery, in which occupation our subject was en- 
gaged when quite young and continued at the 
same until 1854, when he came to America, living 
first in New York City and then in Cincinnati. In 
1856, became to St. Paul, and the following year 
to this place and immediately erected a brewery, 
which lie carried on in company with his brother 
for a short time. He has since erected another 
building and carries on the business alone. Mr. 
Fleckensteiu was united in marriage on the 7th of 
July, 1859, to Miss Soj^hia Dopping. They have 
had eight children, six of whom are living. 

N. S. Flint, one of the old settlers of Faribault, 
was born in Rutland, Worcester county, Mas- 
sachusetts. His father was a farmer and chair 
manufaci:urer. They moved to Butt'alo, New York, 
in 184(!, and three years later to Jamestown. Mr. 
Flint was married on the 28th of September, 1853, 
to Miss Emily Stephens, of the latter place, and 
in Ajiril, 1857, they came to Faribault. In 180(i, 
Mr. Flint commenced the manufacture of furni- 
ture, and started wliat is now known as the Fari- 
bault Chair and Furniture factory, to which he 
gave his whole time until 187C, when he retired 
from business. 

The principal portion of the data for the fol- 
lowing sketch was obtained by the compilers of 
this work from the lips of Mr. Faribault himself. 
It may be noticed that there are some discrep- 



376 



HISTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



ancies as to <lates and locations when compared 
with the statements in the general liistory of the 
county. This can only be accounted for by the 
fact that Mr. Faribault is now quite aged, and 
possibly may have forgotten many important 
events of his life, as well as the dates. The other 
statements referred to have been verified by old 
settlers who claim to have obtained those facts 
from the subject a <juarter of a century ago. 

Alexandeb FabibauiiT was born in Prairie du 
Chien, Crawford county, Wisconsin. The family 
record shows his birth to have been on the 22d of 
June, 1800, but as his certificate of baptism bears 
the same date, and he distinctly remembers that 
event, we conclude he must have been bom as early 
as 1802 or 1803. His grandfather, Bartholomew 
Faribault, came over fi'om Paris, France, to Can- 
ada in 1757, as secretary of the French army. 
He was the 3on of Bernard Faribault and Magda- 
lena Hamon, the former of whom filled an honora- 
ble position at the court royal, and died in Paris 
on the 8th of May, 1741. The son, Bernard, was 
a highly esteemed gentleman, and his son, Bar- 
tholomew was born in Paris, where he was Notary 
Public. Two years after his arrival in Canada, 
after the defeat of tlie Canadians by the French, 
in 1759, he went to Berthier, where he continued 
his profession as Notary Public. He was married 
to a lady by the name of Veronneau. He died in 
the latter place on the 20th of June, 1801, and his 
wife followed him in ten days. They left nine 
children, the seventh, Jean Baptist, being the 
father of Alexander Faribault. He was born at 
Berthier on the 19th of October, 1775, married 
Pelagic Haines, aud died on the 21st of August, 
1860, in Torab. When a child Alexander was 
very fond of hunting, and can remember while on 
a pigeon hunt, that the British troojjs and Indian 
allies attacked the place. This must have been 
during the war of 1812. In the spring of 1821. 
he, in company with tlie old trader; P. La Blan, 
came u)) the Mississippi to the Minnesota river, 
and the latter established a trading post where Le 
Sueur now is. In the fall, BIr. Faribault was 
given the escort of two Frenchmen, and returned 
on the Mississippi to the present site of Hastings, 
and traded during the winter. The following 
spring they went to Fort Snelling, which Mr. 
Faribault remembers having seen on his previous 
trij). His father soon after became established on 
Big Island, at? Mendota, as a trader, and once 
when the Indian chief, Wauata, or Cut Head, 



living where Fort Abercrombie was subse- 
quently built, was wanted at Washington, he was 
dispatched for him, having for companions Jo. 
Snelling, son of the Colonel, and two French 
guides. They took a pack horse, and made the 
journey on foot, but when arriving there pur- 
chased of the Indians a pony, which Jo. Snelling 
aud Mr. Faribault took turns in riding back. The 
latter was appointed by Major Taliaferro, United 
States agent at Fort Snelling, and held the office un- 
til 1825. He was married in the latter year to Miss 
Elizabeth Graham, who is one year older than him- 
self. Her father, Duncan Graham, was an ex-army 
officer, and her mother, a half-breed, was a descend- 
ant of the earliest explorers of Minnesota. The same 
year of his marriage Mr. Faribault established 
a trading post directly opposite the present city 
of St. Peter, on the Minnesota bottom, and the 
locality became known as We-we, or Wet Laud. 
He lived there in a log house during the wiuter of 
1825 and 1826. As the southern Indians desired 
a nearer trading post, he, with a guide, in July, 
1826, crossed the Cannon Biver at the present site 
of Northfield, aud encamped where the city of 
Faribault now stands. He continued his journey 
through where Waterville now is, and about nine 
miles southeast, a place now known as Okaman, 
in Waseca county, concluded to locate. He marked 
the place by jnitting up three stacks of hny.returned 
to Mendota, and iu the fall of 1827, with seven 
ox carts, and seven French assistants, wended his 
way back through the wilderness, remaining at the 
post three winters, and living at Mendota during 
the summers. In the fall of 1830, he erected a 
trading post at Lake Sakata, near where Water- 
ville now is. The following fall he moved to the 
east end of the lake, in the present town of Morris- 
town, Rice county. The next year he moved 
about three-quarters of a mile southwest, across 
the Cannon River, and remained during the win- 
ter of 1832-33. In 1833, he followed the Indians 
south to their hunting grounds, locating in the 
present county of Faribault. The place had an 
Indian name, signifying chained lakes. He then 
traded in what is now Steele county, where St. 
Mary's now is. In 1835, he came to the present 
site of Faribault and put up a log house 15x25 
feet. It was ou the first bench on the east side of 
Straight river, between the bridge and ilie resi- 
dence of Mr. Gibson. Ever since he first en- 
camped here, in 1826, it had been his intention to 
secure the spot if it ever came into the market. 



CITY OF FARIBAULT. 



377 



He remained at this post during the winter 
months, and lived with his family at Mendota in 
summer, employing two Frenohmon to look after 
the stock and post. 

The flat on the west side of the river had pre- 
viously been cultivated by the Indiaus, aud Mr. 
Faribault plowed most of the land lying between 
what is now Willow street and the river, north of 
Third street, and planted wheat and com, the 
Indians receiving the benefits, as they would take 
the wheat from the stacks and thresh it in their 
blankets, to all of which they were welcome. Mr. 
Faribault then owned about thirty hiu'ses, one 
hundred head of cattle, aud fmm twenty to foi-ty 
hogs. In the spring of 1853, he liauled lumber 
from St. Paul and employed twelve men in getting 
timber from the woods here, and during the sum- 
mer erected a commodious frame residence which 
still stands. It was the first frame building in the 
county. He was a very wealthy man in those 
days, but his generosity has ruined him, finau- 
cially, and now he is almost a pauper, not even 
owning a home of his own. For ten years before 
1853, he had plowed and planted land that is now 
within the city limits. 

His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Fariliault, died in 
Elizabethtown, near Fergus Falls, in 1875. Mr. 
Faribault served in the battle of Birch Cooley in 
18G2. 

Frederk^k Willard Frink, who assisted in 
organizing Bice county, Minnesota, in 1856, and 
selected the site tor the present Court House, and 
has been auditor of the county since March, 18G3, 
is a native of Rutland county, Vermont, dating 
his birth June 24, 1828. His father is Calvin 
Friuk, a stone mason by trade, and the maiden 
name of his mother was Lydia L. Avery. His 
jjaternal great-great-grandfather was from Eng- 
land, and his maternal great-grandfather was a 
Captain in the Continental Army. When Freder- 
ick was ten years old, the family moved to (xreeri 
Bay, Wisconsin, and one year later (1839) to 
Mineral Point, in the same State. There the 
family remained until September, 1841, when 
they removed to Sauk county, where Calvin Friiilc 
and two other men laid out the village of Prairie 
du Sac. There Frederick remained tea years, 
farming and lumbering, finishing his education, 
meanwhile, at the Beloit Seminary in 1846, pay- 
ing some attention to the classics, as well as 
mathematics and other practical branches. In 



1851, our subject went to Waterloo, Grant county, 
in the southwestern part of Wisconsin, was there 
engaged in lumbering for three years, aud in 
September, 1854, settled in Kice county, pre- 
empting one liundred and sixty acres of land in 
Kichland township. There Mr. Frink opened a 
farm, but his health failing he moved into Fari- 
bault in 1856. In October of that year he started 
the "Rice County Herald," which he sold nut in a 
short time, and which is still published under the 
name of the "Faribault Republican," a jiaper de- 
voted for twenty-two years to the advocacy of the 
tenets of the Republican party. About this time 
he purchased a fifth interest in the new town of 
Shieldsville, Rice county, named for General 
Shields, who was a resident of this county for two 
or three years. It proved to be a "paper" town, 
and with ten thousand other land speculators in 
the "flush times" of 1856-'57, Mr. Friuk e.\])er- 
ieuced a thorough "smash-up." After he had 
made and lost his fortune in the Shieldsville ven- 
ture, he was a clerk three years for Fariliault mer- 
chants; was two years of this time Deputy County 
Treasurer, and was elected County Auditor in 
November, 1862. He is one of the most efficient 
aud reliable business men in the county, and very 
popular with the people. He was among the 
frontier men when he broke land hi Minnesota, 
and he was a frontier boy when living at Prairie 
du Sac, Wisconsin. The first mail ever taken 
from Madiscm westward to Prairie du Sac, was 
carried by him on horseback at the age of eleven 
years, a ride of more than fifty miles a day. All 
the road he had, most of the way, was a trail 
marked by "blazed trees," he aiding his father to 
do the "blazing." Mr. Frink was Chairman of • 
the first board of County Commissioners ( elected 
in 185()), and resigned at the end of one year to 
become a millionaire at Shieldsville. In politics, 
Mr. Frink was originally a free-soiler, his candi- 
dates on the Presidential ticket in 1852, being 
John P. Hale aud George W. Julien. His wife 
was Miss Julia E. Beach, of Grant county, Wis- 
consin; their marriage took place on the 22d of 
Sejitember, 1852. They have one son, Edward 
Laman, aged twenty-five years. 

Joseph G.\dorv was born in Berthier, district 
of Montreal, Canada, on the 21st of May, 1833. 
He left his native place in 1852, aud came to St. 
Paul, where he clerked until 1855, then came to 
Faribault, and in 1856, opened a general merchau- 



378 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNT r. 



dise store with a $2,000 stock of goods. One 
year lator he removed to Lake City, opened a sa- 
loon and remained until 18G0, when he went to 
Tennessee. He returned to this phice a year after- 
ward, and has since been engaged in teaching in- 
strumental music. 

J. D. Greene, one of the active business men 
of this place, was born in Kent county, Delaware, 
on the 25th of April, 1828. His education was 
received at the sclioois of his native county, and 
when sixteen years old went to Philadelphia, 
where he entered the employ of the extensive im- 
porting firm of L. J. Levy & Co. In 1855, he 
commenced business for himself, and in 1858, 
went to Wa8hingt(.)n, where he received an appoint- 
ment from the government, having charge of the 
money department of the dead letter office, which 
position he held for eight years, having previously 
been connected with the appointment office of the 
same department. He then came here, engaged 
in the real estate and insurance business a year or 
two, then commenced milling, which he has since 
followed, owning ..nd operating the Straight River 
stone mills, and also, with Mr. S. K. Gold, operat- 
ing the Kendall mill in the city. He has the 
reputation of making as good flour as is made in 
the State, which is saying a good deal, in Minne- 
sota. .He was married in 1854, to Mrs. Mary A. 
Gold, who had two children by a former husband, 
William J. and Sidney K., the one being an Epis- 
copal clergyman and Professor of Greek at Racine 
College, and the other In the milling business here. 
Mr. and Mrs. Greene were blt.ssed with three chil- 
dren; Walter W., Mary W., and Kendall. His 
wife died on the 16th of April, 1875. She was a 
most estimable woman, a daughter of Hon. Amos 
Kendall, one of the leading men in Jackson's and 
Van Buren's administrations, holding the position 
of Postmaster General under them. He was the 
founder of the Deaf and Dumb Institute in Wash- 
ington, and was the agent and partner of Prof. 
Morse in the development and establishment of 
the telegraph system. Mr. Greene was again 
married, his briile being Miss Minnie M. Gibson, 
of Boston, the ceremony taking place on the 12th 
of June, 1877. They have three children; .Jose])h 
I)., Charles L., and Cornelia (i. 

James Gibson, deceased, came to Faribault in 
November, 185C, and was an inthiential citizen, a 
native of Pennsylvania. He died on the 24th of 
March, 1874, at the age of seventy-four years, 
eaving a wife and tree children. 



John Ricks, deceased, was an early settler com- 
ing in the retinue of Mr. Faribault. He was 
nearly blind for several years before his death, 
which was in February, 1870. 

John B. Gwathmey was born in Greencastle, 
Indiana, on the 8th of July, 1830. After going 
to the public schools he attended the Indiana 
Asbury University four years. The family then 
moved to Bowling Green, and his father being a 
practicing jjhysician, John studied medicine in his 
office. He attended school one year at Louisville, 
Kentucky, after which be clerked in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, then worked at the cabinet-maker's trade in 
Greencastle and in 185.5, came to Faribault, Minne- 
sota, and engaged at carpenter work on the first mill 
here. After its completion he learned the trade in 
it, and in 1862, enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota 
Infantry, Company B; served three years, then re- 
turned here and worked at his trade in different 
mills in the State until 1870, since which time he 
has been head miller in the Crown Point flourin g 
mill. He was married in 1853, to Miss Lucinda 
R. Willis, the ceremonj' taking place on the 10th 
of February. They have three children. 

Frank Glasee was born in New Jersey on the 
28th of June, 185G. He learned the butcher's 
trrtde with his father, and when nineteen years old 
came to Faribault and engaged at that business. 
He was married on the 25th of December, 1877, 
to Miss Albertha Schultz, who has borne him three 
children, all of whom are living. In 1879, Mr. 
Glaser started a meat market of his own, which 
he has since conducted. 

Rev. Edmund Gale is a native of England, 
born near Chichester, Sussex county, on the 12th 
of November, 1821. He first engaged in mercan- 
tile pursuits, and afterward studied medicine. He 
was ordained as a Congregational minister in 
1856, after having preached one year in Geneva, 
Ohio, and previoufdy three years in England. On 
the 28th of August, 1856, Miss Ruby C. Cowles 
became his wife and they have three children. In 
186.^, Mr. Gale removed to Michigan and in 1866, 
came to thisjjlace and assumed charge of the Con- 
gregational church, remaining till 1873, and then 
returned to Ohio. In April, 1881, he came again 
to Faribault and has since had charge of the same 
church. 

G. M. Giljiore, a native of Sullivan county, 
New Hampshire, was born on the 24th of April, 
1824. His father was engaged in the inanufac- 



CITY OF FAHIBAULT. 



379 



ture of woolen goocls and lumber, at wliich busi- 
ness G. M. worked until tlie age of tweiitj-one. 
He then, iu oompany with liis brotlier, went to 
Boston and conducted a wholesale foreign fruit 
trade. In 185."), he came to Minnesota, and iu 
Janu,T,ry, 1856, to this place and bought his present 
farm which was then heavy timber. He soon re- 
turned to his native State, and after visiting Mis- 
souri with a view of locating there, came again to 
his farm. He was married in Sejjtember, 1851, to 
Miss Sophia J. Medcalf. The result of the ^^nion 
is seven children. In 1858, Mr. Gilmore run the 
old Scott saw and flour mill, and continued it four 
years, then was engaged in mercantile pursuits for 
three years. In 1870, he moved on his farm and 
has since devoted his time to its improvement. It 
is beautifully located within the city limits and 
flnelv cultivated, having fountains, well-kept build- 
ings and lawn, and well-stocked trout and salmon 
ponds, supplied with water by a spring a few feet 
from the house. 

Rev. O. Genis was born iu France, on tlie 3d of 
October, 1838. He received his education in the 
seminary of Meximieux and the Grand Seminary 
iu the city of Bourg, and was ordained on the 15th 
of June, 1862. The following year he came to 
America and was engaged in missionary work iu 
Minnesota under Bisliop Grace for five years, then 
became parish priest at Austin, and since October, 
1874, has been pastor of the Catholic church of 
the Immaculate Conception in this city. To the 
superior management of Father Genis is due much 
of the present usefulness of this church. 

Alexander J. Gk.^nt was born in Canada West 
on the 10th of November, 1850. He was reared 
on a farm and when eleven years old moved to 
Ohio. In 1866, the family came to Fariliault and 
his father was engaged in farming and lumbering, 
and also contracted for railroad work, in all of which 
Alexander assisted. In 1873, he was appointed 
Deputy Sheriff of the county, held the office two 
years and afterward clerked in a store. In 1870, 
he bought the grocery store in which he had 
previously clerked and has since carried on the 
samfe, keeping a full line of staple and fancy 
groceries. Miss Etta Fitz became the wife of Jlr. 
Grant in September, 187i), and they have one 
child, Henrietta. 

L. A. Hath.\w.\t, a native of Delaware county, 
New York, was born on the 1st of May, 1834. His 
fath(M' was proprietor of a hotel, and he spent his 



early life in that business. When he became of 
age he went to El Paso, Illinois, and coutinui d in 
the hotel business, subsequently went to La Salle 
and thence to Cliicago where he was engaged in 
mercantile pursuits in connection with tlie hotel. 
Iu 1880, he came to Faribault, and under his su- 
perior management the Arlington House has since 
flourished. He was married before leaving his 
native State to Miss Atlantic Beal, the ceremony 
taking place on the 7th of March, 1852. They 
have one boy, Elliott G. 

P. J. HdmmeTj, a native of Germany, was born 
iu Darmstadt on the 27th of February, 1859. His 
father held the office of Recorder and Treasurer 
in that city from the time he was of age until his 
death. In 186!), P.J. came to America, landed iu 
Rochester, New York, from which place, in 1872, 
he came to Washington county, Minnesota, and 
remained three years engaged in different occupa- 
tions. He afterward lived in St. Paul one year 
and in 1876, came to this city where he has since 
carried on a photograph gallery, doing a very 
prosperous business on Third between Main and 
Elm streets. He is a member of the National 
(iuards of the state of Minnesota, in which he holds 
the office of Sergeant. On the 8th of June, 1880, 
he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Degen. 

Luke Hulett, deceased, one of the earliest set- 
tlers in Faribault, who was closely identified with 
the interests and prosperity of the whole com- 
munity, and to whom it, in turn is indebted for 
valuable counsel and assistance in town, county, 
and State organization, was born in Rutland 
county, Vermont, iu 1803. In 1824, he voted for 
John Quincy Adams for President, and then started 
for Ohi'.). In 1830, he visited Chicag(.i, and after- 
wards settled 100 miles east of that city. He 
built a saw-mill on the St. Joe River iu 1833. In 
1846, be removed to Wisconsin. When he started 
out his cajiital consisted of a knowledge of prac- 
tical work on a farm, and when he got to Ohio 
and began farming his wheat sold for twenty cents 
a bushel, and it required ten bushels to buy a 
pound of Young Hyson tea. Ten years afterward, 
in northern Indiana, he sold wheat for thirty-five 
cents a bushel. When Mr. Hulett came here he 
brought his wife and six little girls, which was 
deemed a hazardous thing, but they remained to 
become highly respected wives and mothers. 
Horace Greeley used to allude to the "Tribune 
readers" as a particular class of men, above the 



380 



nrsTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



average intelligence, large hearteJ, and liberal in 
tbeir views, and with open sympathies for suffer- 
ing humanity. Well Mr. Hulett was a "Tribune 
reader," he took the jmper from its very commence- 
ment, and constantly reading it made him a man 
of general information. He left his impress on 
the times, retaining the confidence and respect of 
all who knew him to the very last. He was the 
author of the chapter in the Minnesota laws on 
town organization. For more than halt a century 
he was a pioneer on" the frontier. On the 18th of 
Blarch, 1882, at the ripe age of seventy-nine he 
took his final departure. Resolutions of respect 
were passed by the Old Settlers' Association, of 
which he had been the honored and venerable pre- 
sident from the first. 

A. L. Hill, proprietor and owner of Hill's Fur- 
niture factory, and one of the early settlers of the 
city, was born in Hampden county, Massachu- 
setts, on the 2d of April, 1829. When sixteen 
years of age he commenced to learn the machinist 
trade at Hadenville, at which he worked until 
1848, then came to Fond-du-Lac, Wisconsin, and 
started a machine shop, the ■first in that city, run- 
lung his machinery by horse power. In 1853, he 
visited California, but returned the next year and 
engaged in the lumber trade in Fond-du-Lac, at 
which he continued until 1855, when he came 
here and manufactured furniture on a small scale. 
He has increased his business, and now has one of 
the largest manufacturing establishments in the 
city, doing superior work. He carries on a retail 
store also, and is proprietor of the fine business 
block bearing his name. 

Jeremiah Healy, deceased, the oldest settler of 
Erin township, and one of the oldest in Rice 
county, was born in the county of Cork, Ireland, 
in 1819. He came to America in 1842, and set- 
tled in Dubuque, Iowa, then a frontier town, re- 
mained there till the spring of 1855, and moved to 
the territory of Minnesota, settling in what is now 
known as Erin townsbij), Ric« county. Mr. Healy 
was noted for his integrity, honesty, and un- 
l)ouuded hospitality, his claim shanty being open 
to all emigrants, and assisting them in locating 
claims in that vicinity free of charge. On the 
25th of July, 18()8, ho passed calmly and peace- 
fully away, surrounded by his family and friends 
and fortified by the sacraments of the Catholic 
church, of which he was a devout and consistent' 
member. He left a farailv of fourteen children, 



seven boys and seven girls, nine of whom are still 
living, Sarah being the first white child born in 
the township. He was ably assisted by his noble 
and devoted wife, who still survives him. The 
eldest, Edward and Jeremiah were twins. The 
latter was elect d County Commissioner of the 
Fifth district at the age of twenty-three years. 
In 1874, he entered into the general merchandise 
business in Faribault with his brother, Edward, 
and was elected Alderman in the Third ward in 
1880. 

Edward taught school for several years in Rice 
and Le Sueur counties, and in 1872, moved to 
Faribault and engaged in mercantile pursuits. 
He is at present County Commissioner of the 
Third district. The two brothers do a successful 
business on the corner of Third and Elm streets, 
under the firm name of Healy Bros. John occu- 
pies the old homestead. 

J. S. HiLLYER, one of the proprietors of the 
Faribault flouring mill, was born in Southamp- 
ton, Hants county, England, on the 7th of April, 
1840. His parents died before he was ten years 
old, after which he attended school until eighteen 
years of age at Duncan College, and then learned 
the miller's trade. He bought the flouring mill 
at Alresford, which he run until 18(57. Mr. Hill- 
yer was married in June, 1860, to Miss Selena A. 
Miller. They removed to Winona, Minnesota, 
where he owned and operated a flouring mill with 
his brother-in-law. Ho remained there about 
eighteen months, then removed to Rockford, 
Wright county, Minnesota, where he was from 
18(i9 to 187G, then visited England and the next 
year commenced his milling interest here by 
building the Fariliault City mill. In 1880 and 
'81, he owned a one-half interest in the -'Red 
Jacket Mills" at Mankato, which burned in the 
latter year. He is the father of four children, 
three of whom are living, one boy and two girls. 

A. H. Hatch was born in Chelsea, Orange 
county, Vermont, on the 19th of June, 1833. His 
father being a farmer, our subject remained at 
home on the farm uutU nineteen years of age. He 
then worked one year at tlie harness-maker's 
trade, but gave it up on account of his health and 
returned to the farm. Two years later he engaged 
as clerk in a grocery store in Boston, and in the 
spring of 1857, came to Juneau county, Wiscon- 
sin, and worked on a farm that summer, teaching 
scliool tliat winter. He learned the carpenter 



677')" OF FAUIBAl'LT. 



381 



trade of Edward Ray, and engaged at it in various 
places until 18G1, then returued east. Tu 1864, 
he came to Faribault and does business as con- 
trai^tor and builder. He has been twiee married; 
first to Miss Mary .Tane Bay, the ceremony dating 
the 10th of Maroli, 18.58. They had three chil- 
dren, and his wife died the 17th of August, 187-1. 
His present wife was ft>rmerly Eliza A. Kn.ss<'ll, 
whom he married in October, 187(1. Mr. Hatch is 
a prominent member of Rainbow Lodge, No. :K. 
I. O. O. P., and has held various offices in the same. 

M. B. Haskell, a native of Kennebec connty, 
Maine, dates his l)irth the 7th of May, 18-18, and 
was reared on a farm. In 18(}9, he came to Steele 
county, and opened a small store at Medford. He 
was married on the 11th of October, 1869. his 
bride being Miss Etta C. Boyles. In 1871, he 
came to this place, and opened a confectionery 
store on a small scale, but by good management 
has increased his stock, and now carries a full line 
of fancy and sttiple groceries. Mr. and Mrs. 
Haskell have been blessed with three children. 

M. P. HoLMEN was born in Norway on the 6t'i 
of May, 1847. He was reared on a farm and 
worked in copper mines in his native conutry, 
coming to America in 1807. He came directly to 
Minnesota, locating in this place the same year 
and engaged in work on the railroad, continuing 
at the same seven years, then clerked in the city 
two years. In 1875, in company with Mr. Lar- 
son, he 'opened a grocery store, but two years 
later the firm dissolved partnership, and now Mr. 
Holmen conducts the business alone. He was 
married on the 12th of February, 1876, to Miss 
Severena Matison. Of four children born to them, 
three are living. 

A. E. Haven, who owns and edits the '-F.iri- 
banlt Democrat," was born in Guilford, Chenango 
county. New York, on the 4th of February, 1840, 
and attended the public schools of his native 
town. In 1856, he went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, 
was a pupil at the high school two years and then 
studied law in the office of Judge Hugli Cameron, 
learning the art of printing at tho sami' time. In 
April, 1861, he enlisted in the Second Wisconsin 
Volunteer Infantry, Company B, serving in the 
Army of the Potomac till 1864, and received his 
discharge in July. In August, he commenced 
work in the "La Crosse Democrat" oifice and was 
gradually promoted to associate editor, having 
entire editorial charge the last three years. On 



the 15th of November, 1867, Miss Mary A. Meeker 
became his wife and they have two children, 
Reide M. and Freda. In 1.S7], l\Ir. Haven came 
to this place, and purchased the " Faril)anlt Lead- 
er," changing its name to the " Faril)ault Demo- 
crat," and issuing the first paper on the 8th of 
September, 1871. He has been a member of the 
School Board two terms during his residence here 
and in 1876 and 1878, was elected County Super- 
intendent of Schools. 

E. D. Haskixs, the efficient Deputy (Jounty 
Treasurer, was born in Northampton, Massachu- 
setts, on the 9th of April, 1842. In 1856. the 
farailj came to Faribault and E. D. assisted his 
father at the carpenter trade, and three years later 
inirchased a photograph gallery, in which ))usiness 
he was engaged until 1861, then enlisted in the 
First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company G, 
serving three years as musician, and during the 
Litter jjart of that time as chief musician of the 
regiment. After receiving his discharge, he vis- 
ited the East, and while there learned the art of 
making gold pens, then returned to tliis place, and 
in 1868, was a])poiuted to the oHice above men- 
tioned, n-hich he has since held, with the exception 
ol two years, when he was engaged in the manu- 
facture of gold pens. His wife was formerly Miss 
Nellie A. Beach, whom he married in Amherst, 
Massachusetts, on the 27tli of November, 1866. 

Miles Hollistbr was born in Cattaraugus 
connty. New York, on the 22d of August, 1829, 
and was reared on a farm. When ten years old lie 
went to work in a tannery and remained two sum- 
mers, after which he worked on a farm and clerked 
in a store, going to school winters until seventeen 
years old, when he went to live with his oldest 
brother in Michigan. On account of malarial 
sickness he soon returned to New York, however, 
and taught school winters and attended Spring- 
field Academy during spring and fall terms. In 
1851, he was married to Orcelia A. Griffith, and 
went into business for himself. In September, 
1854, he left New York, stopping and teaching 
school in Michigan that winter, and came to Min- 
nesota in the spring, arriving in Faribault on the 
18th of April, 1855. He made a claim and be- 
came a resident on section fifteen, in what after- 
wards liecame the town of Sargent (since changctl 
to Warsaw), and engaged in mercantile and mill- 
ing business. On the organization of that town 
he was unanimously elected the fir.st Chairman of 



382 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



the board of Supervisors. In thfi fall of 1858, be 
was elected Clerk of the District Court of Kice 
county and removed witb bis family to Faribault 
in the spring of 1859; was re-elected to the 
latter office in 18G1, liaving in tbe meantime been 
twice elected Town Clerk of Faribault, and also, 
for a time, beld the office of Deputy County Treas- 
urer, and at other times doing the work of the 
County Auditor. On the 5th of August, 1862, he 
enlisted as a private in Company B, of the Eighth 
Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and on the 17th 
of that month was commissioned its First Lieuten- 
ant, and served in that capacity until tbe spring 
of lS(').i, when be was transferred and mustered as 
Captain of Company K, of the One Hundred and 
Twenty-Third U. S. C. T., and as such was mus- 
tered out about the 1st of November, 1865, filling, 
while in service, tbe positions of Commissary, 
Quartermaster, Ordnance Officer, Commandant of 
a Company, of a Fort, and of a Regiment. On his 
return from the army, be went to St. Paul to live, 
keeping books in the State Land Office until 1867, 
when he returned to Rice county, and the same 
year was elected Register of Deeds, in which 
office be served two years. In the spring of 1874, 
he was chosen Secretary of Rice County Grange 
Mill Company, and continued witb the company 
until their mill burned and tbe company went out 
of business, since which time be has held tbe 
same position in the Polar Star Mill Company. 
On tbe 28th of August, 1862, Mr. Hollister was 
united in marriage with Susie S. Hunkins, for- 
merly of New Hampshire, his first wife having 
died on the 28th of June, 1861. 

Charles F. Hummer w;i8 born in Austria, on 
tbe 17th of August, 1841. When eleven years of 
age, he entered the government military school, 
remained there eight years, and entered the 
Austrian army, serving eight years longer. He 
was then employed as station agent on the rail- 
road, and in 1875, came to New York City, 
eighteen months later to Owatonna, Steele 
county, Minnesota, where he clerked in a 
store. On the 10th of October, 1880, he married 
Miss Annie HoiTman, and tbe following year came 
here and opened his present billiard hall and 
saloon. 

James Hintek was born in Stormont county, 
in the province of Ontario, Canada, and grew to 
manhood on a farm. In 1861, be came to Fari- 
bault and attended school one winter. In Feb- 



ruary. 1862, he enlisted in the Second Minnesota 
Light Artillery, and was the first man wounded in 
the battery. He was disabled on tbe 8tb of Octo- 
ber, 1862,at the battle of Perryville, and in March, 
1863, received an honorable discharge. Having 
learned the blacksmith trade, he followed that for 
a time, but in celebrating the surrender of Gen. 
Lee, in 1865, his left arm was blown o£f just below 
the elbow. He was married on the 25tb of April, 
1866, to Miss Ehzabeth F. Metherson, and the 
same year be was elected County Sberiii', held the 
position six years, then was Chief of Police sev- 
eral years, and has been City Justice for the past 
five years. 

S. H. Jay is a native of Maryland, born in 
Montgomery county, on the 1st of March, 1821. 
He was reared on a farm, and in 1833, went with 
his mother to Ohio, where he followed farming, 
and later was employed in the construction of 
railroads. He was married on tbe 7th of Septem- 
ber, 1847, to Miss Ellen Collins. They have bad 
thirteen children, only seven of whom are living. 
In 1856, Mr. Jay came to Wisconsin in the employ 
of the railroad company, and two years later as- 
sisted in the grading of tbe first railroad in this 
State. He subseciuently opened a farm in Scott 
county, and in 1871, moved to Owatonna, and the 
following year came here. Since 1875, he has 
been proprietor of the American Hotel. 

C. F. KiEKENAPP, one of the pioneers of 
Wheeling township, was born in Hanover, Ger- 
many, on tbe 7th of March, 1838. In 1851, his 
parents moved to Illinois, and four years later 
drove an ox team from there to Wheeling, where 
they located a farm. Tbe father died in 1859, 
and C. F. carried on the farm until 1871, when he 
came here and was employed in the machine bus- 
iness. In 1877, be opened a grocery store and 
saloon, and has since continued in the same. 

F. H. KiEKENAPP, a native of Cook county, 
Illinois, was born on the 25th of February, 1854. 
In 1856, tbe family removed to Wheeling, this 
county, driving an ox team the entire distance. 
In 1861, his father died, and when our subject was 
I'igbteen years old he came to this place and 
learned tbe harness maker's trade, working at it 
here and in Chicago till 1876, when he opened his 
present harness shop, and has since aone a pros- 
perous business. On the 1st of June, 1880, Miss 
Mary Kriser became his wife, and they have one 
child, Edwin. 



CITY OF FAUTllAULT. 



383 



E. Kai'l, a native of Germany, was born in 
Prussia, on the 3d of Marob, 1839. \lc was 
reared on a farm, and in 1865, came to Americ^a, 
locating in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1806, iie went 
to Cassville, in tlie same State, and clerked until 
18G8, then came here and started in business for 
himself, opening a stock of general merohandi.so. 
On the 2d of Feljruary, 1871, he was married to 
Miss Mary E. Misgen, who has borne him six 
children. Mr. Kaul now carries on a grocery 
store and saloon, and is engaged in the manufac- 
tnre of cigars. He has been Alderman of the first" 
ward four years. 

M. H. Keeley was born in Rathguile. conuty 
Wexford, Ireland, on the 17th of March, 1854. 
In the fall of 1858, his parents, with their family 
of seven children, of whom the subject of this 
sketch was the youngest, left their native country 
and came to America, settling near St. Thomas, 
in Western Canada. After some years passed at 
St. Thomas, Sandwich, and Chatham successively, 
they moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1865. After 
passing a few terms in the High School at Beloit, 
Mr. Keeley entered the celebrated Congregational 
College, located in that city, taking a full classical 
course. He remained in that institution till he 
completed the Freshman year, and in 1869, was 
sent from thence by his pai'cnts to prcjsecute his 
studies at the excellent Catholic university of 
Notre Dame, Indiana. There he graduated in 
1872, receiving his bachelor degrees in arts, and 
for the two snbse(|uent years taught in the insti- 
tution. Meantime his family had moved to 
Waseca county, Minnesota, whither, iu the sum- 
mer of 1874, he followed them, with a view, how- 
ever, of returning to his Alma Mater the same 
fall, where he had made arrangements to continue 
teaching. Being prevailed upon to remain in 
Minnesota, and having cancelled his engagement 
to teacb, he began reading law in the ofiBcc of 
Hon. John H. Case, in Fiiribault, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar iu 1877, since which time he has 
been engaged in the practice of his profession. 
In 1878, his Alma Mater conferred on him the 
degree of Bachelor of Law, and some years prior, 
the degree of Master of Arts. 

On the 26th of June, 1879, Mr. Keeley was 
united in marriage to Miss Katie F. Cavanaugh, a 
young lady of tine accomplishments, a graduate 
of St. Clara's Academy, Siu.sinawa Mound, Wis- 
consin, and a universal favorite iu the best social 



circles, the marriage taking plaeio at Mitchell, 
Mitchell county, Iowa, the ceremony being per- 
formed by Itev. Fathers Sanders and Ounii, of the 
Koraan Catholic church.. Immediately after his 
marriage, Mr. Keeley, who, up to that time was 
apsociated with Mr. Case, opened a law office of 
his own, and has since done a good business. 
He has been City Attorney of Faribault tlire(^ 
successive years, and still holds that office. In 
religion he is an uncomiu'omising Catholic, with- 
out being a bigot; in politics a staunch Democrat, 
witliout being a partisan. 

A. D. Keyes was born in Acworth, Sullivan 
county, Xew Hampshire. He first attended the 
common schools, tiien graduated from Kimball 
Union Academy in 1868, having the Valedictory 
of the classical course, and in 1872, from Dart- 
mouth College. On the 17th of August, 1872, he 
married Miss Mary E. Weston, a graduate of Kim- 
ball Union. Poor health compelled him to come 
west, and he began the study of law in the office 
of (t. E. Cole and was admitted to the bar in 1873. 
He practiced in the same office until 1879, since 
which time he has been alone, doing a fine busi- 
ness. F.e h.as held severallocal offices and in 1881, 
was elected to the oHice of County Attorney which 
he still holds. 

C. H. KijEMEK, a native of Berlin, Germany, 
was bom on the 20th of Jauuary, 1824. His 
father died when O. H. was but five years old, 
leaving a family of ten children. Om- subject 
learned the turner's trade and in 1848, came to 
America and engaged in farming in Dodge county, 
Wisconsin, a short time, then worked at his trade 
in Watertowu, in the latter State, until 1857, when 
he moved to Goodhue county, Minnesota, and en- 
gaged in farming seven years. In 1864, he came 
here, worked at his trade one year, then started a 
carding mill with one carding maohine. He has 
increased his business until he now is ])roprietor 
of the Faribault Woolen Mill. 

Fred. Kkeft was born in Hanover, Germany, 
on the 8th of October, 1834, and engaged .at the 
batcher trade in his native country. He emigrated 
to America aboiit 1856, located in Chicago, Illi- 
nois, where he engaged in business, and while 
there married Miss Sophia Messe. In 1859, he 
removed to Wheeling, Eice county, where he was 
one of the fir.st settlers; engaged in farming four- 
teen vears, then came to Faribault and opened a 
saloon, which he has since conducted. He is the 



384 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



father of eight children, six of whom are living. 

J. W. KoLLMANN, a native of Germany, was born 
in Hanover on the 2Gtli of August, 1849. He at- 
tended school aud clerked iu his native place and 
in 1807, came to Quincy, Illinois, where he re- 
mained three years, then went to St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, and followed the same employment till 1874, 
when failing health comjielled him to change 
climate. He came to Faribault and clerked for A. 
W. Mueller. On the 21st of January, 1875, Miss 
Mary Wiechers became his wife. They have one 
child, Beata. In 1877, Mr. Kollmann bought out 
the large stock of dry goods of A. W. Mueller 
and in 1881, o])eued a clothing store opposite his 
dry goods house, taking O. Vogl as partner in the 
latter business, the firm being Kollmann & Volg. 

E. N. Le.wens, the efficient and obliging Post- 
master and one of the pioneers of Faribault, was 
born in Putnam, Connecticut, and when two years 
of age removed with his parents to Webster, Massa- 
cliusetts where his fatlier had charge of the ma- 
chinery in a cotton mill. When seventeen years 
of age E. N. commenced clerking in a general 
merchandise store and in 1853, married Miss 
Eunice Darling. Two years later they came to 
Faribault and he engaged to clerk for Mr. Barron 
iu the old "Barron House," and in the fall of the 
same year opened a clothing store. He was iden- 
tified with the mercautile interests of the city until 
1862, when he joined the Sibley expedition against 
the Indians, serving as sutler of the Tenth Minne- 
sota Infantry, going with the regiment to St. 
Louis and through their extensive campaigns till 
the close of the war. He was made Quartermaster 
of the regiment in 1804. After his discharge he 
returned here, where he was a commercial agent 
five years. In 1858, he was elected first Represen- 
tative from this district, and in 1873, was appointed 
Postmaster, which position he still holds. 

Joel L. Levi, a member of the firm of Levi 
Bros., was born in Clear Spring, Maryland, on the 
9th of September, 1855. His father was a mer- 
chant and Joel was reared to that employment. In 
18(53, the family moved to Goshen, Indiana, and 
three years later to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where our 
subject clerked until 1877, then came here and 
opened his present clothing store, also carries a 
stock of hats, caps, etc. In 1878, his store was 
destroyed by fire, but he immediately rebuilt. His 
brother, Morris L, lives in Iowa. 

E. M. Leach, one of the early settlers of this 



place, was born iu Washington county, Vermont, 
on the 22d of April, 1830. He remained on a 
farm until of age, then came to Illinois and two 
years later to Iowa. In 1855, he removed to this 
place, and for five years was engaged in various 
occupations. In 18G0, he visited Colorado, ■which 
was his home for four years. He then returned to 
this place and became a partner in the sash, door, 
and blind factory, under the firm name of Ingram 
& Leach. In 1881, he became sole owner of the 
factory and the lumber yard in connection with it. 
Miss Caroline Stowel became his wife in Novem- 
ber, 1866, and of nine children born to them, seven 
are living. 

R. J. LiEB was born in France on the 5th of 
February, 1842. At the age of seven years he 
came with his parents to Beloit, Wisconsin, where 
he remained on his fathers farm until 1859, then 
came to Faribault, driving through with a wagon. 
After his arrival, he learned the shoemaker's trade, 
at which he worked for some time, then specu- 
lated in land and in 1862, opened a I'etail boot and 
shoe store, which he has since carried on, also 
manufacturing the same. He also deals in hides, 
furs, etc. On the 15th of April, 1867, he married 
Miss Catharine Pallas, who has borne him five 
children, four of whom are living. He was burned 
out in 1882, but soon opened his present store. 

D. D. Lloyd was born in Flintshire, Wales, on 
the 3d of December, 1824, and came to Oneida 
couuty, New York, at the age of eleven years, 
with his parents who located on a farm. In 1842, 
our subject came to Galena, Illinois, where part of 
his time was devoted to mining until 1846, when 
he enlisted in the Sixth Infantry, Company K, 
serving two years on detached duty in the Mexi- 
can war. He then removed to Wisconsin and en- 
gaged at the mason trade, which he had learned 
while young, worked at that for a time, then de- 
voted his time to mercantile pursuits. In January, 
1850, Miss Jane E. Roberts became the wife of 
Mr. Lloyd and the union has been blessed with 
three children, only one of whom is living. In 
1860, he came to this place; has been engaged in 
dry goods, hardware and grocery business, but in 
1881, opened his present flour, feed, aud provision 
store. 

Samheij Lord, Judge of the Fifth judicial dis- 
trict of Minnesota, and a son of Enoch and Eleanor 
Warren Lord, is a descendent of an old Connecti- 
cut family, now sj^read over the New England, 



CITY OF FAUIBAULT. 



385 



Middle, and most of the Western States. He 
dates his birth at Mead^olle, Pennsylvania, on the 
26tli of July, 1831, where he remained till of age, 
losing his father, a farmer, when the sou was four- 
teen years old. Samuel was educated at the local 
college, taking special studies, such as he deemed 
of most importance, and not graduating, teaching 
school one or two terms, but never designing to 
follow that vocation. He read law at Meadville, 
with Joshua Douglas; came to Minnesota in 1856, 
and practiced three years at Marion, Olmsted 
county, representing that county in the Legisla- 
ture in the session of 1857-58. In 1859, Mr. 
Ijord removed to Mantorville, Dodge county, where 
he was in practice, except when on the bench, un- 
til 1876, when he removed to Faribault, his present 
home. He was a member of the State Senate, 
representing Mower and Dodge counties in 1866, 
'67, '70, and '71, being chairman of the Judiciary 
committee during three of these sessions. His 
standing in the upper branch of the Legislature 
was highly creditable. Mr. Iiord was elected 
Judge in the autumn of 1871, for a term of seven 
years and was re-elected in November, 1878. He 
is learned in the law, and a man of liberal culture; 
is patient and painstaking in his official duties, 
cool in his deliberation.s, strictly impartial, and a 
man of the highest integrity. Such men honor 
the ermine. Judge Lord has always affiliated with 
the republican party, to which he owes the re- 
peated honors conferred upon him. In June, 
1855, Miss Louisa Comptou, of Erie, county, 
Pennsylvania, was united in marriage with Judge 
Lord. They have five children living, and have 
lost two. 

Hon. Henky Clay Lowell, deceased. — As one 
of the most eminent and influential men of Kice 
county and the State in the time of his life, a his- 
tory of Rice county would be incomplete without 
a slietch of his life. He was born in Tliomaster, 
Lincoln county, Maine, on the 1st of September, 
1803. He grew to manhood; studied law in East 
Machias, Washington county, and was ailraitted 
to practice in 1830. He then settled at Eockland, 
Knox county, and for twenty-five years enjoyed 
an honorable and extensive practice, not only in 
his native State, but throughout all New England. 
Wherever his practice called him, lie was recog- 
nized as holding a high place in the very front 
rank of his profession. In 1855, he removed to 
the West, and in August of that year settled on 
25 



a farm about two miles .sf>uth of Earil)ault, where 
he remained until the fall of 18(i2, when he re- 
moved to the city. In the spring following he 
went to Le Sueur to attend a term of District 
court, where he was suddenly siezed with inflam- 
mation of the bowels, and on the 10th of March, 
1853, he died, being fifty years, five months, and 
nineteen days old. During the first three years 
of his residence in Rice county he did not practice, 
but the force of habit and long ascociation could 
not be resisted, and in 1858, he returned to the 
bar, where for the following five years he was one 
of the most active and successful iiractitioners in 
the State, familiarly known in every judicial dis- 
trict, and everywlicre regarded as one of the 
brightest ornaments of his profession. He fell — 
as he had often expressed a desire to fall — at his 
post. He was a fine speaker, a true man, and his 
fidelity to his client had almost jiassed into a pro- 
verb. 

The remains of the deceased were buried in the 
Episcopal cemetery, where a large and solemn gath- 
ering, from all parts of the State, united in paying 
the last tribute of res|)ect to departed worth. 
Honest and upright in all his dealings, he leaves 
behind him a name that will be cherished by all 
who knew him. 

C. L. Lowell, one of the pioneers of this plac:', 
was bom in Knos county, Maine, on the 3d of Oc- 
toljer, 1820. Besides the high school of his na- 
tive city he attended the Academies at Lewiston, 
and East Machias, and studied law in the New 
York Law School and at Rockland, where he was 
admitted to the liar in 1850, and practiced until 
1855. He then came to Faribault, and thence to 
Wilton, Waseca county, Minnesota, with his father 
and a few others, who platted the town. Mr. 
Lowell was married in 1851, to Mis.s Georgia 
Berry. In 1858, he returned to Faribault, where 
he practiced his profession several years, when 
poor health compelled him to abandon it. He 
sold his library, etc., and engaged in mercantile 
pursuits, but after a time again turned his atten- 
tion to law, doing also insurance and real estate 
business. He is a strong Democrat, and several 
times has been the choice of his party for office. 

Capt. James Rohert Lucas, deceased, was born 
in Chicago, Illinois, in September, 1835. While still 
an infant his mother died, and his father a few years 
later. When he came to Faribault, in 1856, he had 
been to school but six months. Under Mr. and 



386 



HISTORY OF lilCE COUNT'/. 



Mrs. R. A. Mott he stmlieJ arithmetic and otlier 
branches, aaJ worked in the office as a printer, 
and was afterwards foreman in a St. Paul office. In 
1804, lie was appointed a paymaster in the army. 
While in Faribault he married Miss Keid. In 
186.5, he was appointed clerk in the Auditor's 
office, and was chief clerk at the time of his death 
m 1875. 

J. P. LiNDEMAN, one of the proprietors of the 
carriage factory in this place, was born on the 
24th of December, 1854, in Missouri. In 1857, 
the family removed to Iowa, and when our sul)- 
!ect was fourteen years old they came to Hastings, 
Minnesota. J. F. worked at the carriage maker's 
trade three years in the latter place, then went 
east, engaged at the same until 1876, when he 
came here and in company with his brother 
opened a factory for the manufacture of wagons, 
buggies, etc., doing a prosperous business. On 
the 1st of November, 1876, he married Miss Lena 
Griebel. They have two children. 

Rodney A. Mott, a native of New York, was 
born in Warsaw on the (ith of December, 1825. 
In the month of April, 1885, he removed witli his 
mother to Chicago, his father having previously 
died. Our subject attended Baker Academy in 
northern Illinois, and Knox College, in Galesburg, 
until 1848, supporting himself by teaching 
through his literary and law studies. In 1848, he 
commenced the study of law in Chicago with 
James H. Collins Esq. In 1850, he went overr 
land to California, and returned in the summer of 
1852, by water. He w'as married in October, 1852, 
to Miss Mary Ripley, daughter of Rev. David 
Ripley, of Pomtret, Connecticut. Soon after Mr. 
Mott's return from California, he started a school 
known as Creto Academy for training teachers, 
remaining in it for several years. In the spring 
of 185(i, he came to Fai'ibault, and was the first 
teacher in the public schools. For several years 
lie was i)roprietor and editor of the first [japer 
published in the place, the "Rice County Herald," 
clianging its name to the "Faribault Herald," or 
'■Faribault Republican." He left this enterpri.se 
in 1858, and was admitted to the bar, and imme- 
diately commenced practicing law, which is still 
his profession. He was County Attorney two 
terms, Couni^,' Su])erintendeut of Schools several 
years, and in 1880, elected to the State Legisla- 
ture. Mr. Mott has been connected with the State 
institutions at Faribault, as Director and Secretarv 



of the Board, ever since they started. He is 
Chairman of the committees on education and the 
Deaf and Dumb and Blind Imbecile schools. He 
and his family take a more than ordinary inter- 
est in literary pursuits and all matters pertaining 
to education. His mother, born in 1801, is still 
hale and active and lives with him. Mr. and Mrs. 
Mott have five children living; Millie, a graduate 
of St. Mary's College, is the wife of Prof. West, 
superintendent of the Duluth schools; Mary E., 
Alice J., who graduated at St. Mary's in 1881; 
Christie, who graduated in 1882, and Louise. 
The children were all born in Faribault, and 
the family are all memlicrs of the Congregational 
church. 

A. W. McdCiNSTKY was born in Cbicopee, Hamp- 
den county, Massachusetts, in 1828. His ancestors 
on the paternal side were Scotch-Irish, and on the 
maternal of English descent. A. W. received his 
education in the common schools, which he at- 
tended in the winter and worked on the farm in 
the summer till the age of sixteen years. He sub- 
seipiently was a pupil in Fredonia Academy one 
term. In 1844, he secured a j)osition as appren- 
tice to the printing l)usiness in the office of his 
brother, who published the "Fredonia Censor" at 
Fredonia, Chautauqua county. New York. After 
ser\'ing four years, he worked for a time as journey- 
man in eastern cities and then formed a co-partner- 
ship with his brother in tlie publication of the Cen- 
sor. In 1857, Ellen E. Putnam became his wife, the 
cei'emony dating the 3d of September. They 
have two children ; Grace E. and Linn H. In 
1865, he disposed of his interest in the paj)er 
above mentioned, and came to Faribault and pur- 
chased the Faribault, then "Central," Republican, 
of O. Brown, Esq. The first number, after the 
purchase, was issued on the 27th of December, 
1868, and from that time to the present he has 
continued the publication of the paper. In 1877 
he served one term in the Minnesota House of 
R.'presentatives: has also been a director in the 
First National Bank of Faribault a number of 
years, and is one of the directors of the Minne- 
sota Central Railroad Company. With the ex- 
ception of one year, he has been secretary of the 
Faribault Gas Light Company since its organiza- 
tion in 1873. Mr. McKiustry is one of the lead- 
ing and public spirited men of Faribault. Any 
subject that arises involving action in the interest 
of the community is sure to be pre.sented to him 



Cirr OF FAlilBAULT. 



mi 



for advice, iiiid f^reitt rcliuuce ia iihv:iya placed 
upon his judgment. He is a man who is fhougbt 
more of this year than he was hist, and next year 
will be tliought morct)f than he is this. 

H. M. Mattson was born in Herkimer county. 
New York, on the 3d of May, 1818. He settled 
iu Duudas in 1854, and has since continued to 
reside in the county. 

August Mortenson was born in Sweden on 
the 2.5th of November, 1829. When seventeen 
years old he commenced to learn the harness 
maker's trade, at which lie worked in his native 
country till 18.54, then emigrated to America, and 
in 1856, came to Faribault. He worked in the 
tirst harness shop in the place, and in 1858, 
opened one of his own which he has since con- 
ducted. He was married in May, 1860, to Miss 
Annie Nelson, and they liave had eight children, 
seven of whom are living. jMr. Mortenson has 
been a member of the City Council six years. 

Chakles H. Meyeb was l.iorn in Prussia, Ger- 
many, on tha 17th of February, 1848. In 1854, 
he came with his parents to America, and iu Illi- 
nois joined a colony with ox teams coming to this 
county. They located in Wheeling township, 
and about two weeks after their arrival his father 
met with his death while in the woods near his 
fai'm, and his body was not found for over a year. 
When fourteen years old, Charles went to Hast- 
ings and learned the blacksmith trade. In 1872, 
he came here and opened a shop, which was burned 
soon after, and then he worked at his trade a few 
years. He was married on the 22d of April, 
1875, to Miss Matilda Burkert, who died on the 
7th of October, 1877, leaving one child. In 
1876,Mr. Meyer again started in business for him- 
self, and has since continued making wagons. 
The maiden name of his present wife was Jennie 
Helberch, the marriage taking place on the 2d of 
April, 1879. Two children have been born to tliis 
iiuion. 

Thomas Mee, one of the first settlers of this 
city, is a native of New York, born in Essex 
county, on the 11th of January, 1835. Heat- 
tended the public schools of the village, and com- 
pleted his education at the academy of Elizabeth- 
town. After leaving school he learned the 
machinist trade, and in 1856, came to Oshkosh, 
Wiscon.sin, and the following year to this place. 
He began his business career here by running an 
engine in the old Scott saw-mill, afterward was 



employed as book-keeper, and in 1859, when the 
first national bank in the place, owned by W. H. 
Dike, was established, he entered as cishier. In 
1863, he started in the livery business, but two 
years later engaged in mercantile ])ursuits. On 
the 29th of November, 1865, he was married to 
Miss Emma I. A. Davis. They have one sou, 
James Robert. Mr. Mee continued in the latter 
business until 1870, when he entered the employ 
or the railroad company as station agent, but a 
year later engaged as assistant ca.shier in the 
First National Bank, and iu 1872 was made cash- 
ier, which position he still fills. He has held 
many local offices, and been City Treasurer four 
years. 

Timothy J. McCartiit was born in Ireland in 
1848, and came with his parents to Minnesota in 
1855. The same year, in company with Gen. 
Shields, they came from Dubuque, Iowa, to this 
county, and pre-empted land iu Erin township. 
His father died when Timothy was twelve years 
old, after which he earned his own living, work- 
ing in different places. He finally came to Fari- 
bault and attended school, and in 1868, began 
teaching. His mother married again, and for five 
years he worked for his step-father, then clerked in 
the store which he now owns. After buying the 
business, from 1872 to 1875. he had a partner, but 
since that time has carried it cm alone. In 1880, 
he purchased the Fai-ibault Marble Works, of 
which J. H. Nightingale is foreman. This busi- 
ness is located on Fc.iurth street, and the store on 
Third. He also owns a brick yard in the city 
limits northeast of Main street, keeping from 
twenty-five to thirty men employed during the 
summer seasons. He likewise owns several farms 
in the county. He was married in 1873, to Miss 
Anna C. Burns. They have fom- children. 

Lewis C. Newcomb was born in Madi.son, Ohio, 
on the 10th of August, 1843. His father was a 
merchant and a farmer, and in 1851, the family 
came to Fayette county, Iowa, where they battled 
with hard times, and the father died in 1877. 
Lewis came to Faribault with his mother and two 
brothers, and commenced lite for himself with 
absolutely nothing but his activity. He clerked 
for a year, then, after working on a farm for the 
same length of time, opened a small store in 
NorthSeld, and in 1869, came again to this place 
and bought out M. B. Sheffield. He iiow carries 
§6,000 worth of groceries, and is doing a good 



388 



HTSrOUT OP RICK COUNTY. 



business. He was imrried ou the ] 3tli of May, 
1808, to Miss Alsina Boardman. They liave oue 
child, Charles L. 

Generaij Levi Nutting, once Surveyor-General 
for the district of Minnesota, datos his birth at 
Amherst, Massachusetts, January 7, 1819. His 
grandfather was of Scotch-Irish pedigree, and his 
maternal grandmother was pure Scotch. His 
father, John Nutting, a millwright by trade, 
joined the Revolutionary army from Northamp- 
ton, Massachussetts, near the close of the war, go- 
ing in at the age of seventeen, and serving till 
peace was declared. The mother of Levi was 
Catharine Smith, whose father was of English 
descent. After receiving a very hmited education 
in a district school, at flfteen the subject of this 
notice commenced learning the shoemaker's trade; 
•worked at the business as apprentice, journeyman, 
and manufacturer eight or nine years; attended 
and taught scliool three years; was then employed 
in superintending various branches of mechanical 
business until near the close of 1852. At that 
time Mr. Nutting started for Minnesota; reached 
St. Paul on the 7th of January, 18.53, the day he 
was thirty-four years old, and spent two years 
there and at St. Anthony, now East Minneapolis, 
working at the joiner's trade. During the first 
year that General Nutting was in Minnesota — in 
the month of May, 1853 — he visited the site of 
Fariliault, was greatly pleased with it; made a 
chiim of one hundred and sixty acres, and fully 
made up his mind that this would some day be 
his home. In April, 185.5, he moved hither: com- 
menced improving his lands, and for a few years 
farming was his leading business, ho dealing, how- 
ever, more or less, in real estate, running teams, 
burning lime, building, etc. He is a natural me- 
chanic, and there seems to bo few kinds of work in 
a new country to which he could not " turn his 
hand." When farm work was slack there was a 
demand for his skillful hands in other depai't- 
ments of manual labor, and no such legacy as 
laziness was left him. In 1865, he was appointed 
Surveyor-General; hold the office four years; then 
became special agent of the custom department of 
tho United States Treasury, and held that position 
sis years, retiring in the autumn of 1875. He su- 
perintended the construction of tlie main building 
of tho Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the 
Blind. 

General Nutting was a. County Commissioner in 



1861-62, and chosen State Senator in 1864, attend- 
ing only one session — winter of 1864-65 — and re- 
signing to take the office of Surveyor- General, 
which office he held several years. In politics, 
he was originally an Abolitionist, one of the 
voting class, whose candidate for the Presidency 
in 1844, was James G. Birney. General Nutting 
WHS one of the "constituent" members of the 
Eepublican party, and has never abandoned it. 
From 1859 to 18G4, he was Sergeant-at-Arms of 
the State Senate, and has had, at times, some- 
thing to do with the shaping of the police of the 
party in this State, He is a man of considerable 
influence, considerate and prudent, and a wise 
counselor. The General has his third wife. The 
first. Miss Orvilla M. Dickinson, of Amherst, Massa- 
chusetts, marri( d on the 29th of January, 1846, died 
I )U the 24th of the next December,leaviug a new-born 
sun, Maynard L., who died in 18G7. His second 
wife, who was Miss Mary Eliza Foster, of Shutes- 
bnry, married on the 8th of May, 1848, and died 
childless on the 24th of December, 185(i. His 
present wife, who was Miss Luthera A. Winter, of 
Amherst, was married on the 12th of November, 
1857, has three children living, and has lost two. 

D. O'Bbien, one of the first business men of the 
|)lace, was born in Killenaule, Tipperary county, 
Ireland, on the 24th of June, 1819. He learned 
the shoemaker trade in his native jJace and moved 
to Halifax at the age of nineteen years. He came 
to America and settled in New York when twenty- 
one years (.)ld, moved to Rochester when twenty- 
seven, to Wisconsin when twenty-nine, and came 
to Minnesota at the age of thirty-five years. He 
was married in New York in 1846, to Miss Mary 
Sheay. Since first coming to America Mr. O'Brien 
has been engaged at his trade. He came with his 
family and two yoke of cattle from Wisconsin to 
this place in 1854. Having met with many amus- 
ing as well as dangei'ous incidents in crossing the 
country from Hastings, they arrived in Faribault 
and settled on the claim he had taken the jjreced- 
ing April, a mile and a half south of the present 
city. He immediately erected a hig house, the 
Indians assisting him in rolling up the logs, and 
here tho first boots and shoes in Faribault were 
made by him. He soon gave up his claim there, 
located one on East Prairie, which he sold and in 
1855, erected a store on his present site, which 
was one of the first frame buildings in the city. 
Mr. O'Brien's present brick block is Cie third build- 



Cirr OF FAlifBAl'LT. 



389 



ing erected ou the same site by him, and he uow 
earries ou an extensive boot, shoo and l<>ather store, 
also deals in hides and furs. 

H. W. PitATT, Mayor of the oity of P'aribanlt, 
was born in Chautauqua county, New York, on the 
8th of August, 1834. His father was a farmer 
and at times dealt in niercliaudise. H. W.. 
removed to La Porte, Indiana, in 18.')4, where he 
taught school one year, then, having previously 
read law in the East, he prosecuted the study in 
the office of Col. A. D. La Due. In 1856, they 
both came to Mantorville, Dodge county, Muine- 
sota, where they bought a one third interest in the 
town site. Mr. Pratt was admitted to the bar in 
1857, and practiced in the latter county ten years. 
He was married on the 24th of November, 18f!2, 
to Miss Imogene A. Theyer, who has bom him two 
children. In 1867, they removed to Owatonna, 
where he engaged in the grain trade, doing an 
extensive bu.siness along the Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul railroad and coming to this place in 
1877, where he carries on the same business. In 
many of the towns on the railroad from Blooming 
Prairie to Jim River the elevators are owned liy 
Mr. Pratt. He was Judge of Probate of Dodge 
county from 1857 to 1862. 

C. C. Pebkins, one of the pioneer attorneys of 
Farilianlt, was born iu Stowe, Lamoille county, 
Vermont, on the 22d of Blay, 1833. His father 
dying when he was about three years of age, lie 
was left with six other children, to the care of his 
mother, and in a few years to the care of himself. 
Until sixteen years old his time was divided be- 
tween farm life and the [mblic schools, and from 
that time until twenty, between teaching and 
academical studies, attending first Bakersfleld and 
afterward Barre Academy. He then commenced 
the study of law iu his native town with Hon. H. 
H. Bingham and after two years, in the spring of 
1855, he emigrated to this place. Having been 
admitted to the bar at the first term of the Terri- 
torial District Court, he practiced his profession 
about two years in partnership with his brother, 
Hon. O. r. Perkins. Retiring from the tirm at the 
end of this period, he devoted a year to further 
study at the Cambridge law scliool. After his re- 
turn the partnership of Berry, Perkins & Perkins 
was formed, with which C. C. remained until 1861. 
From this time for six years, ho presided at the 
Justice Court for most of the litigation iu the 
county within its province, and from 1864, for 



four years he held the ofVice of Clerk of the Dis- 
trict Court. During the decade he was also en- 
gaged quite extensively in the real estates and 
insurance business. In the fall of 1869, in con- 
sequence of ill health he retired from active busi- 
ness and devoted a year to traveling in the old 
world, visiting most of the cities and other places 
of interest in (ireat Britain and on t!ie continent 
of Enrojje. He never again resumed the practice 
of his profession, and for the last twelve years has 
divided his time between traveling and the care of 
his private business. In all his journeyings the 
state of matrimony seems to have been entirely 
overlooked. 

C. P. P.\LiiEi£ was born in Onondaga county. 
New York, (m the 18th of August, 1844. He at- 
tended school in his native county and also at the 
Oneida Conference Seminary, where he prepared 
for college, but his eyes failing him he returned to 
bis father's farm, and afterward clerked for a 
time. In 1869, he married Miss Emma Wood, a 
native of Onondaga county, New York, the cere- 
mony taking place on the 27th of January. The 
same year they came to Warsaw, this county, 
where he engaged in farming two years, then re- 
moved to Faribault and opened a book and sta- 
tionery store, the firm name being Andrews A 
Palmer. In the spring of 1875, he sold out and 
the same fall was elected Clerk of the District 
court which office he has since held. Mr. and Mrs. 
Palmer have three children. 

S. J. Pettitt was born in Dutchess county. New 
York, on the 25th of October, 1829, and grew to 
manhood on a farm. In 1854, he removed to Illi- 
nois, ojoened a lumber yard and remained till 
1856, then came to Mantorville, Dodge county, 
Minnesota, and operated the first saw-mill in the 
place and afterward carried on a farm and also a 
tiour mill. On the 14th of February, 1863, he 
married Miss Hattio L. Pratt. In 1874, he met 
with reverses in business, then came to this ])lace 
and was employed in a flouring mill, but in 1875, 
he was caught in the gearing of the mill aud both 
of his arms were crushed so badly as to necessitate 
amputation near the elbows. H.e then started a 
small confectionery stand, and in 1879, took a part- 
ner; the iirm name being Pettitt .t Hill. They 
carry a fine stock of fancy groceries and fruits. 
Mr., and Mrs. Pettitt have had four children, two 
of whom are living, both danghtera. 

C. P. Pike is a native of St. Lawrence countv. 



390 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



New York, born the 22d of February, 1828. When 
about fourteen years of age he went to New York 
City and attended school three years, then was 
employed in the tailoring establishment of J. 
Newer * Co. with whom he remained nine years; 
was then in various places in the East till 1858, 
when ho came to Wisconsin for his health. In 
1861, he removed to Faribault and has since con- 
ducted a merchant tailoring house, carrying 
also gent's furnishing goods. Miss Chloe Deni- 
son became the wife of Mr. Pike in 1865. They 
have had four children, three of whom are living, 
one girl and two boys. 

J. A. Petehsen, an old resident of this State 
and one of the pioneers of Owatonna, was bom in 
Schleswig-Holstein, in the northern part of the 
Prussian province, on the 15th of August, 1827. 
He attended school in his native town and when 
sixteen years old began to learn the cabinetmaker 
and joiner's trade. From 1848 till 1851, he served 
in the war against Denmark and then entered the 
Danish army and remained in Copenhagen one 
year. In 1854, he was married to Miss Johanna 
C. Cook, the ceremony taking place on the 9th of 
July. They came to America the same year, di- 
rectly to Minnesota and located on a farm in 
Owatonna where they remained six years. In 
1863, Mr. Petersen came to Faribault, opened a 
stock of general merehaudi.se and in 1879, erected 
his present fine Ijrick building on the corner of 
Fourth and Plum streets. 

E. 13. Petersen, a l)rotherof the subject of our 
last sketch, was born in the same place on the 27th 
of May, 1831. When young he learned the shoe- 
maker's trade and in 1854, came with his brother 
to America. He also took a claim in Owatonna, 
the same year, but three years later came to this 
county and opened a shoe shop in Warsaw. While 
there he married Miss Annie Oaplan on the 29th 
of November, 1859. She died the same year and 
he married Miss Margaret Sell on the 2d of June, 
1661. They have one child, a son. In 1865, Mr. 
Petersen came to Faribault, opened a stock of 
boots and shoes and afterward added groceries, 
l3Ut in 1881, 80I4 out his boot and shoe business 
and now carries groceries alone. 

Milan N. Pond is a native of Erie county, 
Pennsylvania, liorn on the 24th of March, 1830. 
In 1839, he removed with his parents to Ohio, 
tlience in 1844 to Janesville, Wisconsin, and re- 
mained on the farm until the age of twenty-one 



years. He then commenced traveling through the 
State, selling dry goods and notions. In 1852, he 
was married at Union, Rock county, to Miss Clara 
Ide of that place. Mr. Pond came to Minnesota 
and located a clain in East Plainville in 1854, but 
a year later removed to Faribault where he was 
one of the pioneer settlers. At the first election 
lield in the county he ran for Sheriff and was said 
to be elected, but was never qualified. In 1857, a 
paper was started kown as the "Neutral" and Mr. 
Pond and his brother purchased it, changed its 
name to "The Free Soil" or "Abolition" they being 
strong abolitionists, run the same for some time 
and added to it consideraljle tjpe and working 
material and made numerous other improvements. 
He has several times been candidate for Represen- 
tative and once for Treasurer. His children are: 
Eda, Minnie, Milan, Hattie, Libbie Ethel, Gecjrge, 
Eddie, and Marshal. His wife died on the 24th 
of March, 1881. 

Thomas H. Qdinn was born in Berlin, Wiscon- 
sin, on the 6th of November, 1854, from which 
place, in 1865, he removed with his parents to 
Faribault where, with the exception of a portion 
of the year 1872, during which he was engaged 
with a party of engineers in locating the boundary 
line from Pembina to the Lake of the Woods, he 
has since resided. During his residence at Fari- 
bault, and prior to commencing the study of law, 
Mr. Quinn attended school and worked at various 
occupations, including clerking, bookkeeping, 
teaching school, etc. In December, 1875, he com- 
menced the study of law in this city with Judge 
John B. (^uinn, liis brother, and was admitted to 
practice in November, 1876, since which time he 
has continued to practice his profession. He is 
now a member of the law firm of J. B. and F. H. 
Quinn. 

J. Wauuen Biohakdson was Ijoru in Massachu- 
setts, in Franklin county, in 1844. In 1854, the 
family came to Minnesota, and his father rented a 
farm in St. Anthony one summer, then, the same 
year, moved to Rice county and pre-empted land 
in what is now Walcott township. The same 
year he sold to Samuel Walcott, for whom the 
town was afterward named, and removed to Fari- 
bault. Two years later they went to Rolierd's 
Lake, located a farm on the east si<le and re- 
mained until 1862, then returned to Faribault, 
and Warren assisted in the farm labor until he en- 
listed in the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, 



crrr of FAiiniAcrr/r. 



391 



Company B. He served threo years, two on the 
frontier, and one in the South under Gen. Thomns, 
was in seven battles, and discliarged on the 20tli 
of June, l.S()5. He immediately returned to Fari- 
bault and was employed in the elevator until 
the spring of 18(17, when he commeueed to im- 
prove his farm in section nineteen, which is within 
the city limits. Since 1879, he has been engaged 
in the dairy business, keeping from eighteen to 
twenty-seven cows. Mr. Richardson was married 
on the ICth of April, 186fi, to Miss Elizabeth S. 
Kerr, and the issue of the union is three children. 

Ben.t.\min Miles Reynolds, Sujierintendent of 
the Public Schools of Faribault, was born in Bar- 
nard, Vermont, on the 12th of July, 182.5. His 
boyhood was spent on a farm. At the age of 
nineteen years he connnenced his preparations for 
college at the academy in Royalton, Vermont, and 
completed at Tlietford imder the instructicm of 
Hiram Orcutt. He was gradiuited at Dartmouth 
College iu the class of 18.52, and immediately en- 
tered uj5on the work of teaching in the public 
schools at Windsor, and has followed this calling 
ever since in New York, New England, and the 
Northwest. He has always been employed in the 
public school with the exception of sis mouths, 
when he was principal of the .\eademy of Brad- 
ford, Vermont. Mr. Reynolds has been engaged 
in educational educational wt)rk iu this State four 
years; three at Northtield and one at Faribault. 
Daring the last thirty years he has been Princi- 
pal of the High Schoi>l at Barre, Massachusetts; 
first Superintendent of Schools at Kock Island, 
Illinois; Principal of the Union School at Lock- 
port, New York; Superintendent of Schools at 
Madison, Wisconsin; and Principal of the High 
School at La Crosse, Wisconsin. He has acted 
on the visiting committees of Knox College, Uni- 
versity of Wisconsin, the Normal Schools of Wis- 
consin and Mankato, and as Pi'esident of the Wis- 
consin Teacliers" Association. 

David Roth, a native of Washington ccmnty, 
Ohio, was born on the 23d of April, 1848. He 
was reared on a farm, and when seventeen years 
old entered a wagon shop and learned the trade. 
The family moved to Illinois, where David worked 
at his trade three years, and in 1809, came to this 
county and assisted his father on the farm. He 
came to the city and was engaged at his trade a 
few months, then ui St. Paul until 1875, when he 
returned here and opened a wagon making and 



repair shop, which he has since conducted. On 
the 7th of Se]itember, 1871, he was married to 
Miss Annie T;. Schmidt. Three children have 
been born to the union; the oldest, Louis A., a 
bright boy of ten years, had the misfortune of 
losing his hearing, through sickness, when six 
months old. 

Fkancis M. Rose, M. D., a member of the firm 
of Rose it Wood, the leading jihysicians in this 
part of the State, was born in Columbus, Ohio, on 
the 25tli of March, 1841. Mr. Rose's grandfather 
visited the present site of that city in 1790, and 
located on a farm twelve miles south of there, 
where he died. Francis' father was a merchant 
in the same place, and remained there until his 
death. Dr. Rose attended the schools of his na- 
tive place and the State University two years, 
commenced the study of medicine when sixteen 
years old at Starling Medical College and gradu- 
ated three years later. He jjracticed at West 
Rushvilfe, Ohio, until 18C1, when he was appoint- 
ed Asssistant Surgeon of the Forty- third Ohio 
Regiment; in April, 1862, was promoted to Regi- 
mental Surgeon, and in the fall to Division Sur- 
geon, being then only twenty-one years old. In 
1863, he was Medical Inspector of the Seventeenth 
Army Corps, on the staff of General Frank Blair; 
in 18G4, was Inspector of General M. F. Forath's 
division, and remaineil until the close of the war. 
He then located in Ottawa, Illinois, and in 18(58, 
removed to Faribault, forming the present part- 
nership in 1874. On the 25th of November, 1876, 
Miss Cornelia W. Whipple became his wife. They 
have one child, Francis M. . 

W. H. Stevens, one of the active business men 
of the place, was born iu Scipio, Cayuga county, 
New York, on the 22d of May, 1814. Soon after, 
the family moved to Ontario county, where W. H. 
attended school and studied medicine with James 
Carta, M. D., in Genevn, commencing the practice 
of his profession in September, 1835. He was 
married in November of the latter year to Jane M. 
Morris, of Seneca Falls, Seneca county. New York. 
They moved to Michigan in 1837, where he fol- 
lowed his profession for nineteen years, and in 
1856, came to this place. Difficulty of his throat 
and lungs led him to change his business, and 
having purchased a stock of drugs and medicines 
in Chicago on his way hither, he opened the first 
business of the kind in the city. The only build- 
ing he could obtain at that time was one 20x24 



392 



ETSTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



feet and one story liigh. He erected a more 
suitable one the following fall, and now carries a 
stock of $10,000, iuclnding drugs, books, station- 
ery, and fancy goods, under the Arm name of W. 
H. Stevens ct Co., liis son, F. G., being his part- 
ner. 

Joseph STorKLEiN was born in Bavaria, Ger- 
many, in 1832. He learned the confectioner's 
trade when sixteen years of age, worked at it in his 
native country until 1854, and emigrated to New 
York City where he was engaged at the furniture 
business two years. He then came to St. Paul 
and was engaged iu a bakery and confectionery 
store for a time, then to Mankato, and in 1858, 
came to this place and opened a bakery and 
cracker factory on a small scale, but soon added 
more stock and conducted it ten years. At the 
end of that time he engaged in the dry goods 
business, to which he now gives bis attention. 

Alex.\nder Smith was born in Dumbarton, on- 
tlie Clyde river, in .Scotland, and learned the tail- 
or's trade when fourteen years old. In 1853, he 
came to New York City, where he worked at his 
trade one year, then engaged at the same in New 
Orleans nine months, when he returned to New 
York, and a year later came to Michigan, and 
from thence, in 1857, to Faribault. He opened a 
tailor shop and the next year Thomas Carpenter 
became his partner under the firm name of Car- 
penter & Smith. Miss Annie Parsons became the 
wife of our suliject on the 25th of December, 

1862. They have been blessed with seven chil- 
dren, three of whom are living. 

J. T. Squiers, a native of New York, was born 
on the 29th of January, 1836, and raised on a 
farm. When twenty-one years old, he clerked in 
a general store iu Madoc, Canada, remaining till 

1863, then followed the same employment in 
Chenango county, Now York, and soon started a 
store for himself. In 1872, he came to Minneap- 
olis and became ime of the projirietors of a whole- 
sale spice mill, remained until 1877, and came to 
Faribault. He immediately opened his present 
store in which he carries a stock of staple and 
fancy dry goods. Mr. Squiers was married on 
the 17th of October, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth J. 
Brown. The union has been blessed with four 
children, three of whom are living. 

M. J. SuEEKAN was born in Rutland, Vermont, 
on the 10th of August, 1852. When seven years 
old he came with his parents to La Salle county. 



Illinois, and four years later to Houston county, 
Minnesota. He resided on a farm for a time, and re- 
moved to Blue Earth county. At the age of seven- 
teen years he went to Mankato and learned the art 
of manufacturing ginger ale, plain and fancy syr- 
ups, soda and mineral waters, cider, etc. In 1872, he 
came here and opened an establishment in which 
he conducts the manufacture of the latter-named 
articles, together with export bottled beer, which 
the added in 1877. Their goods are shipped all 
over the Northwest, the firm name being Sheeran 
& Filler Bottling Company. 

Mr. Sheeran was married on the 5th of April, 
1875, to Miss Maria Burke. They have five chil- 
dren. 

James Shonts is a native of New York, born 
in Tompkins county, on the 14th of September, 
1816. When he was an infant his parents 
moved to Schuyler county, where he was 
engaged in different occupations and in 1842, 
opened a farm. He was united in matrimony on 
the 10th January, 1840, to Miss Blitta J. Erway. 
The result of this union was four children, two of 
whom are living. In 1854, Mr. Shonts made a 
trip to Steele county, this State, and the following 
year brought his family and settled in this coun- 
ty, in Warsaw township. In 1856, he came to 
Faribault which has since been his home, and he 
is extensively engaged in real estate and money 
loaning. Mrs. Shonts died in 1873, and the mai- 
den name of his present wife was Theresa Hayden. 

A. J. Stapffer is a native of this State, born in 
Washington county, on the 4th of September, 
1856. He came to Faribault in the spring of 
1809, and located on the old Hiilett farm, where he 
has since resided. On the 30th of March, 1881, 
Miss Lin a J. Cuvert became his wife. 

B. Schmidt was born in Germany on the 25th 
of November, 1849. When he was fifteen years 
old he came to America and learned the marble 
cutter's trade in Wisconsin. He was afterwards 
engaged at the same in Chicago, then in Iowa, 
and iu 1873, came here and continued until 1877, 
when he leased the United States Hotel, which he 
has since conducted. It is a brick building con- 
taining about thirty rooms. Mr. Schmidt was 
married on the 26tli of November, 1875, to Miss 
Katie Staly, who has born him four children. 

William Tennant was born in Ireland on the 
2d of April, 1847, and while he was still an infant 
the family came to St. Lawrence county, New 



crrr op faribault. 



393 



York, and William lived on his father's farm until 
seventeen years old. He attended siiliool at Bossie 
and Hammond and then learned the millers's trade, 
working at in New York until 18G!), then went to 
St. Louis, Missouri, and six montlis later canie to 
Minneapolis, where he remained till 1871. Until 
1874, he was head miller for the firm of Green & 
Carnfel in this eity, and was then employed in the 
Polar Star Mill until it was destroyed by fire. It 
was rebuilt, and Mr. Tennant became a stock- 
holder in it, and is now a member of the firm of 
Bean it Tennant, lessees of the present Polar Star 
Mill. Our subject was married on the 20th of 
June, 1874, to Miss Sarah E. Leamons. They 
have had five children, four of whom are living. 

F. A. Theopold, one of the active business 
men of this place, is a native of the province of 
Prussia, born in Lippe, on the 22d of June, 
1833. His father was a minister, being a govern- 
ment church official. The subject of our sketch 
graduated from the college at Lemgo in 1849, 
and intending to fit himself for a merchant, en- 
tered and graduated from a commercial college at 
Bremen in 1852. He emigrated to America, and 
arrived iu Baltimore on the 4th of .July, 1852. 
Was engaged principally in a manufacturing bus- 
iness, and in 1854-55, had charge of a tobacco 
packing establishment in Ohio. In 185G, he came 
to Osage, Iowa, and engaged in real estate busi- 
ness, and later carried a stock of general 
merchandise. On the 12th of September, 1860, 
he was married to Miss Eunice J. Cotton, at 
Athens, Penn.sylvania, and shortly afterwards he 
moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and engaged in the 
grocery and commission trade. In 1867, his 
health demanded a change of climate, and he 
came to Faribault, where he opened his present 
fine and extensive grocery business, building his 
store block in 1871. In 1869, he assisted in start- 
ing and directing the First National Bank, and 
also, in 1873, became one of the stock owners of 
the Faribault Gas Company. Mr. and Mrs. 
Theopold have had four children, three of whom 
are living. 

George Tileston, a native of HopkintoM, 
Massachusetts, was born on the 8th of October, 
1858. When he was ten years old the family re- 
moved to Hyde Park, and six years later to Hing- 
ham, where George attended the High School. 
In 1877, he went to Boston and entered a dry 
goods commission house, then was connected 



with a mercantile brokerage firm, and in 1879, 
commenced the same business for liiinself. In 
1SS2, he removed to Faril)ault and formed a p,-\rt- 
nership under the firm name of Hillyor * Tiles- 
ton, and they have since carried on a successful 
milling business, owning the only strictly roller 
custom mill in the State. 

W. L. TuuNER, proprietor of the Crown Point 
flouring mill, was born in Windham county, Ver- 
mont, on the 13th of February, 1824, and lived 
on his father's farm until twenty-one years (dd. He 
then went to Boston.Massachusetts, and engaged in 
what was known for twenty years as the Cheney &. 
Co. express line, from there went to Fredonia, New 
York, and in 1866, came to Minnesota, stopped at 
St. Paul a few weeks, and came to Faribault. He 
was married on the 18th of August, 1852, Miss 
Selina J. Comstock becoming his wife. I\Ir. Tur- 
ner was in the lumber busmess three years, then 
leased the Crown Point mill, and soon j)urchased 
it. He was one of the first Aldermen of tlie city. 
He is the father of three children, two of whom 
are living. 

L. TuTTLE was born in New Haven, Connecti- 
cut, on the 23d of August. 1837. When seventeen 
years old he was employed in a mercantile house, 
and remained until 1851!, when he came to Fari- 
bault and engaged to work in a meat market. In 
1858, he went into the same business for himself, 
with a partner, and they have now a fine, well 
kept shop. Mr. Tuttle was married on the 14th 
of October, 1869, to Miss B. Boynton, who has 
borne him one child. 

Rev. J. Van Leent, a man of superior educa- 
tion and one who is much respected by all his ac- 
quaintances, was born in Holland on the 2l8t of 
January, 1839. He received his early e<lucati(ra 
at an Episcopal college in his native country, and 
finished his Latin course after six years of study; 
then bccomuig a Jesuit by teaching three years, 
studying theology four years, and philosophy three 
years. In 1869, he went to Belgium, where he met 
Father De Smet, the Amejican mis.sionary, and 
came with him to St. Louis, Missouri, teaching in 
the University there one year. He then went to 
Cincinnati, Ohio, and was professor of languages 
at St. Francis for two year.s, and subsequently 
filled the same position in St. Ignatius College, 
of Chicago, four years. He then went to Europe 
for his health, and in 1879, came to Faribault, 
where he has since had charge of the French and 
German Catholic cluu'ches. 



394 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



John Geoiuje Veeh, deceased, one of the pio- 
ueers of this place, ■naa born in Germany on the 
15th of November, 1799. He learned the stone- 
cutter's trade, at which he was employed in the 
summer and worked in a factory in the winter. In 
1830, he married Miss Elizabeth Kahler, and in 
1843, they came to America and located ii' Cook 
county, Illinois, where ho worked a farm on 
shares. Mrs. Veeh died one week after her arrival 
from a disease contracted on the boat. She left 
two children; Elizabeth, now Mrs. J. J. Blank, 
living in Faribault; and Delia, now Mrs. F. Hel- 
friest, living in Wisconsin. Mr. Veeh removed to 
Wheeling, Minnesota, in 1854, and staked a claim 
in section twenty-two, where he lived three years, 
then made his home with his son-in-law, J. J. 
Blank, until his death, which occurred on the 22d 
of February, 1873. 

M.iTHEW W.\Tji,, deceased, one of the pioneers 
of this county, was bom in West Meath county, 
Ireland. He received an education in his native 
country and became a teacher. He came to 
America, and in Uubu(iue, Iowa, continued to teach 
school a few years coming to this place in 18 — . 
He was one of the first teachers at Shieldsville and 
also in the Catholic school in this place. In 1870, 
he went to California for his health, but died three 
weeks after his return in 1875. His son, S. P. 
Wall, was bom in Ireland on the 8th of May, 
1848, and came to this place with his father. In 
18(12, he commenced to learn the tinner's trade, 
and four years later went into business for himself 
for two years. At the end of that time he went 
to Mankato and three years later to Mason City, 
Iowa, thence to California, and in 1873, returned 
here, where he has since been engaged in the hard- 
ware business. He was married in October, 1807, 
to Miss Johanna Conners. They have had seven 
children, six of whom are living. 

J. B. WiiEELEK, one of the pioneer merchants 
of the city, was born in Northbridge, Worcester 
county, Massachusetts, on the 8th of May, 1822. He 
was brought up to agricultural pursuits and edu- 
cated at the Friends' school in Providence, Rhode 
Island, and taught during the winter mouths. He 
was a member of the school board and also Asses- 
sor in his native town for several years. In 1850, 
he visited Illinois, taught school near Chicago dur- 
ing the winter and in tlie western part of the State 
the following summer, tlien returned to his liome 
in Massachusetts. He was married in 1853, to 



Miss Clara L. Slocomb. In 1856, being in poor 
health, he was induced to again come west and the 
following year opened a drug store in this city. 
He located on the corner of Main and Second 
streets where he has been in business twenty-five 
years and now carries a fine stock of drugs, medi- 
cines, and fancy goods in one department, and a 
large stock of groceries, crockery, etc., in the 
other. He was County Commissioner for several 
years and has filled many local offices. He is the 
father of three children, two of whom are living. 

Adam Weyer was bom in Prussia, Germany, on 
the 28th of February, ^838, and came to America 
in 1847, locating in Kenosha, Wisconsin. When 
eighteen years old he commenced learning the 
wagonmaker's trade, and the following year went 
to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was engaged 
at his trade three years. He then removed to Chi- 
cago and in 1868, came here and began to manu- 
facture wagons, having now a commodious stone 
building and doing an extensive business. Mr. 
Weyer was married on the 2d of February, 1870, 
tio Miss Lilbla Roell. They have had five children , 
four of whom are living. 

Rev. Geboe B. Whipple, a brother of Bishop 
Whipple, was bom in Adams, Jefferson county, 
New York, on the 26th of June, 1830. After at- 
tending the schools of his native place he entered 
Hamilton College from which he graduated in 
June, 1852. He was then employed in a banking 
house in New York until 1860, when business 
called him to the Sandwich Islands where he re- 
mained a short time, then came to Faribault and 
taught in the Seabury Divinity School. He was 
ordained in 1862, and three years later went as a 
missionary to the Sandwich Islands. In 1873. he 
returned and became pastor of the Cathedral of 
our merciful Saviour, and is also acting Chaplain 
of St. Mary's Hall. Miss Mary J. Mills, of AVnsh- 
ington county. New York, became his wife on the 
15th of August, 1861. 

Rev. E. S. Wilson, professor of Exegesis and 
Hebrew in the Seabury Divinity School at Fari- 
liault, was formerly a Presbyterian minister of the 
Old Scluiol. He IS a native of Ohio, born in 1834, 
educated at the college and the theological 
seminary at Danville, Kentucky, and was admitted 
to the Presbyterian ministry by the Pres'oytery of 
west Lexington, Kentucky. He remained in that 
State as a minister of the Gospel until the war was 
half over, when he went to Viueeunes, Indiana, 



CITY OF FARIBAULT. 



395 



where he remained three years. From thence he 
wont to New York, where he reniiiinecl twelve 
years. Dnrinp; his resiilcuee in that State he be- 
came a minister of the Prote.^tant Episcopal church 
and was Rector, first at Brockport and afterward 
at Corning. He was then called to the professor- 
ship at Faribault, where he is at present. 

C. A. Wood was born in Shefford, Canada, on the 
11th of May, 1830. When fourteen years old he 
entered a store as clerk, and after five years in that 
employment was in the civil engineering corjis of 
the Stansted, Shcft'ord, and Cliamble Railroad 
Company, and was soon made station agent and 
telegraph operator. For a time, in company with 
his father, he was engaged in the manufacture of 
himljer, then again was employed by the above 
railroad company. He was married on the 12th 
of March, 18.56, to Miss Helen W. Cummings. In 
1866, they came to Wisconsin and farmed a year, 
then to Fond du Lac, where Mr. Wood conducted 
a aaw-mill for the Chicago &. Northwestei-n Rail- 
road Company for over four years. After coming 
to Faribault he engaged with his brother in the 
sale of Agricultural imjilements for a few years, 
then was employed by C. AuUm;in k Co. as travel- 
ing salesman and collector. In 1880, he bought 
out his brother's agricultural machinery business 
and now has a good trade. Mr. and Mrs. Wood 
have had five children, four of whom are living. 

W. J. Wilson is a native of Upper Canada, 
born in the township of Darlington, Durham 
covmty, district of Newcastle, on the 1st of May, 
1820. He was raised on a farm and in 18.37, went 
to New York and worked at farming and on the 
rivers. In 1844, he came to Dodge county, Wis- 
consin, where he op)ened a store, ten years later 
moved to Iowa and was employed on the Missis- 
sippi steamers several years. In 1861, he moved 
to Waseca county, where he carried on a fann and 
hotel, thence to Wal)asha and remained about nine 
years. He came to Faribault in 1879, and has 
since been proprietor of the hotel known as Wil- 
son's Exchange, located near the depot. 

C. F. Wendt was born in Prussia, near Berlin, 
on the 13th of March, 1848. He learned the cab- 
inet makers' trade in his native country, and when 
nineteen years old emigrated to America. He 
came directly to this place and w.as engaged in 
different occupations until entering the Barron 
House as 'clerk, where, he remained three years. 
In 1873, he opened a n staurant and C(mfectiouery 



store and also has groceries. He was married on 
the 7th of October, 1873, to Miss Mary Melott. 
They have three children. 

Ri(iUT-RF,v. HENiiY B. Whipple, D. D., Protest- 
and Episcopal liishop of the diocese of Minnesota, 
was born in the town of Adams, .Tetlersou county. 
New York, on the 15th of Fel)ruary. 1822. His 
parents were .lohn H. and Elizabeth Wagner Whij)- 
ple. The Whipples were early seetlers in Massa- 
chusetts. Benjamin Whipple, the father of John 
H., was in the revolutionary war, and taken priso- 
ner, put on board a British .ship, and held a long 
time. The subject of this sketch gave his early 
years to study, designing to go directly through 
college, but while making preparation his healtii 
failed, and he devoted several yaara to mercantile 
business at Adams. In 1847, his health being im- 
proved, he relincjuished trade, became a candidate 
for orders iu the Protestant Episcopal Church; 
jiursued his studies with Rev. W. I). Wilson, D. D. 
since professor in Cornell University, Ithaca, New 
York, and in August, 1849, was ordained deacon 
in Trinity Church, Geneva, New York, by Right- 
Rev. W. H. DeLancy, D. D. On Advent Sunday 
of the same year Mr. Whipple took charge of 
Zion Church, Rome, New York. He was ordained 
priest by the Bishop just mentioned, on the 16th 
of July, 1850; had calls to Grace Church, Chi- 
cago, and St. Paul's Church, Milwaukee, in the 
winter of 1856-57, but declined. In the early ]iart 
of 1857, at the solicitations of persons interested 
in free churches, he went to Chicago, and on Easter 
Sunday organized the Church of tlie Holy Com- 
munion, a free-seated church, one of the first 
E|)isco])al churches of the kind in the West. He 
was elected bishop of the diocese of Minnesota, on 
the 30th of June, 1859; was consecrated on the 
13th of the following October, at Ricmimd, Vir- 
ginia, and spent the following winter in visiting 
his diocese, holding his first service at Waba.sha. 
In the spring of 1860, Bishop Whipple, with his 
family settled in Faribault, he having been mar- 
ried on the 5th of October, 1842, his wife being 
Miss Cornelia Wright, daughter of Hon. Benjamin 
Wright, of Adams, New York. He brought with 
him six children, all yet living but the youngest 
son. Prior to the Bishop's settling in Faribault, 
Revs. J. L. Breck and S. W. Manney had com- 
menced an associate mission here, designing to 
establish denominational schools; and one of the 
very first steps of the Bishop was to organize 



396 



HTSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Bishop Seabury Mission, uuder which corporation 
are the Seabury Divinity College and Shattuck 
School. St. Mary's Hall, also located at Fari- 
bault, and devoted exclusively to the education of 
young ladies, has a separate lioard of trustees. 
These schools are all popular and well patronized, 
and are annually sending out large numbers of 
young men and young women equipped for use- 
fulness in the world. From the Divinity College 
have gone out between forty and fifty clergymen, 
most of them now in fields of much usefulness. 
Under the direction of Bisliop Whipple church 
schools have been established at St. Paul, Miune 
apolis, Shakopee, Red Wing, ard Hastings. At 
White Earth, Polk county, is a Chippewa Indian 
mission, with a church of between three and four 
hundred members, and schools, and a hospital. 
Since the Bishop settled in Minnesota more than 
thirty Episcopal churches have been fornied, and 
the denomination has been very largely strength- 



ened. The churches in his diocesv, numbering in 
all not far from sixty, are all free but four or five • 
G. Weston Wood, M. D., one of the leading 
physicians of the city, was born in Canada, in 
Sheffield county, Quebec, on the 8th of May, 
1812. His father was a cavalry officer of some 
jirominence during the Canada insurrection in 
18':S7, and was also engaged in maijufactnring. O. 
Weston attended the Bishop's College, at Lenox- 
ville until sixteen years old, and one year later 
went to McGill College, where be graduated from 
the medical department on the 4th of May, 1863. 
He was united in marriage on the 4th of July, 
1868, with Miss Ella M. Fox. In 1873, they re- 
moved to Faribault, and one year later formed 
the present partnership of Rose & Wood. He has 
been County Coroner three terms and is now 
County Commissioner. He was mayor of the city 
iu 1881, and is now Surgeon of Shattuck School. 
They have three children, two boys and one girl. 



CITY OF NOKTHFIELD. 



CHAHTER LIl. 

INTEODUOTION — EARLY SETTLEMENT INTERESTING 

EVENTS — BANDITS ATTACK THE BANK AND KILL, 
THE CASHIER — INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS ENTER- 
PRISES ST. clap's school — OARLBTON COLLEGE 

OBSERVATORY — RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS AND 

SOCIETIES — OLD TOWN HALL WATERPORD. 

This beautiful and enterprising city originated 
more than a quarter of a century ago, when the beau- 
tiful valley of the Cannon River was the hunting 
grounds of some savage tribe, and when much of 
the surroundings were as free and wild as the 
time when the stars of the morning sang anthems 
of joy at nature's dawn. 

The changes from the primitive to the devel- 
oped state have been constant an<] rapid. It has 
been one continual change from the moment of its 
origin luitil Nortlilield of to-day stands forth one 
of the brightest jewels tn the diadem of a noble 
State. Wliile there may have been nothing really 
remarkalile in the development of the past, or no- 
thing i)eculiarly striking in the present, still there 
is much that cainiot fail to be of interest to those 



who have been closely connected and identified 
with the city in all the various changes that have 
occurred from year to year. To those who have 
watched its progress from its earliest origin — 
when Rice county was a wilderness — until the 
present time, the accomplishment of bygone years 
seem like a herculean task; but are in reality the 
sure and legitimate results of an advanced ttate 
of civilization. Endowed with many natural ad- 
vantages, aided by the strong arm of an enterpris- 
ing husbandry. Rice county has assumed a posi- 
tion among the best and wealthier of her sister 
counties throughout the State; and Northfield, as 
the second town within her Ixmiidaries, has kept 
pace with the improvements and advancement of 
the country by which it is surrounded. 

Northfield, with its three thousand inhabitants, 
is located in the extreme northeastern portion of 
Rice county, with Dakota county on the north, 
and beautifully situated on both sides of the river. 
Cannon River is one of the most beautifui streams 
in the State. The ground upon either side of the 
stream ascends gradually as it recedes from the 
river, and the city, resting gracefully ujion the 



CITY OF SitUTUFlEJJ). 



397 



gently sloping boundaries, presents an appear- 
ance highly pleasing in its character. 

A snbstantiiil iron bridge sjians the river, unit- 
ing the eastern and western divisions of the town, 
the business interests of which are also divided. 
There are numerous good substantial brick and 
stone blocks to be seen upon the busine.'^s thor- 
oughfares, and a stroll through the town discloses 
many handsome ami costly dwellings. There are 
several tine church edifices and elegant school 
buildings. An abundance of shade trees adorn 
the streets, which in sunmier add greatly to the 
beauty of the place. Northfield is surrounded by 
one of the finest agricultural districts in the state 
of Minnesota. The location is exceedingly healthy, 
the inhabitants are possessed of intelligence, and 
the society is of the most refined and desirable 
character. 

Here is also one of the best water powers in th6 
State, with a capacity inc^xhaustable, and already 
improved and partially utilized. 

We know of no locality presenting a more favor- 
able opportunity for the employment of capital in 
industrial or manufacturing enterprises. Situated 
upon a division of the Chicago, Milwaukee k St. 
Paul railroad — one of the most important thor- 
ouglifares in the country — the town is possessed of 
the most desirable shipping faciUties. 

Northtield reminds one of the stories of New 
England life, and as we view the many white 
robed cottages resting so gracefully upon the slo- 
ping hillside, we can almost imagine ounselves in 
some hamlet of the Eastern States. 

The real originator of the town, or the man to 
whom the community is indebted for its growth 
and prosjjerity at that early day, is John \V. 
North, from Utica, New York, althougli when he 
came here there were a few other settlers into whom 
he at once iufu.sed a new life. Among these may 
be mentioned Jonathan Alexander, .Tohn Hoyt, 
and Mr. Kirkendahl, the latter of whom was per- 
haps the first man here. His jilace covered a ])art 
of the town plat, and he raised the first crop here- 
abouts. 

In 1857, J. D. Hoskins laid tmt thirty acres on 
the south side of the town, and this became Hos- 
kin's addition. About the same time Albert Drake 
laid out thirty acres, and Myron Wheaton added 
several blocks on the east side. It can thus be seen 
that all men were patriotic and no one was leaving 
any obstruction to the growth of the city. In 



1860, the scliool section became an addition, and 
was cut u]) into blocks and lots, extending 
down near the bridge. The year jjrevious Mr. 
North puroliased a strip of land that had l)een 
pre-empted by Daniel B. Turner, ami he also pur- 
chased the farm of Mr. Kirkendahl which took in 
the northern part of tlie town. This farm had a 
log house, erected in 185.5 by the former proprie- 
tor, who left the country, and it was then occupied 
by Herman Jenkins. Tliese lots embraced the 
original town plat, about 320 acres in all. The 
surveying for the plat was done by a Minneapolis 
man, and it was recorded by John W. North. 

At a very early day a stage line was run within 
a half mile of the place, through "White's cor- 
ners," by a Mr. Hackett, and the old stage l)arn 
where the horses were changed still stands. There 
Were several other lines through the village until 
after the railroad got in operation. 

Jenkins liad filed a part of what became the vil- 
lage ])lat, and Mr. Nortli |iurchased Mr. Jenkins' 
place and also the claim of Mr. Kirkendahl, and 
moved into the house which had been erected by 
the latter. 

The following letter from Hon. J. W. North to 
J. W. Thompson is printed entire because it is 
from the real founder of the town, and l)ecause of 
its historical value: 

San Fuanolsco, April 5tb, 18K0. 

J. W. Thompson, Esq. — Bcur Sir: Yours of 
March 27th is received. In answer to your (|ues- 
tions I have to say — and I answer simply from 
i-ecollectiou — that I first came to the .spot now 
known as Northfield about the Ist of January, 
1855, or it may have been in December, 1854. I 
took measures to secure that location soon after I 
first saw it. In the summer of 1855, 1 commenced 
work on the dam and mill, wliich was completed so 
as to commence sawing lumlier about the 1st of 
December of that year. During tliat month we 
sawed lumber and built with it the dwelling house 
we moved into on the 3d of January, 1856. There 
were settlers around there before I made my claim. 
Tlie first time I saw that place I stopped at the 
house of Mr. Alexauiler. He called my attention 
to the water-power in the river at that point. Mr. 
Stewart, Mr. Olin, Mr. Drake, Mr. Turner, and sev- 
eral other families were living in the vicinity at 
that time. When we moved down there, there 
were the Whites, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. 
Jenkins, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Pease, Mr. Trawle, and 



39S 



HISTORY OF RICE GOUNTT. 



several other families. Mr. Jenkins acted as my 
agent until I moved there. Mr. Coburn, Mr. Pease, 
Mr. Collett, and others worked for me. No one 
was associated with me iu the enterprise. I was 
not one of the men of whom you speak who stopped 
over night at Felton's log house in Hastings with 
you in June 1854. The incidents of the early set- 
tlement will be remembered by the early settlers I 
have named. I did not at first contemplate start- 
ing a town, much less a city; I only thought of a 
mill. There was then no road running through 
the place, but I got one laid out from Waterford, 
crossing the river just below the mills at North- 
field. I then thought of a Post-office, school- 
house, blacksmith sboj), store, town site, and finally 
a railroad, and by energetic work got them all. 
The people who remain can tell you all the rest. 
I never so much as thought that I was making 
history, and so the work done is the only record 
of my acts. Yours, very truly, 

J. W. North. 

The following account of Northfield was pub- 
lished in 1857, in a l''aril)ault paper: 

"The site of this town was pre-empted by Dan- 
iel Kirkendahl, Daniel B. Turner, and Herman 
Jenkins, Mr. Kirkendahl settling on his claim in 
June, 1854, Mr. Turner in December following, 
and Mr. Jenkins in May, 1855. J. W. North, for- 
merly of Utica, New York, purchased ot these pre- 
emptors, and surveyed and platted the town site 
in October, 1855, soon selling one-half interest in 
it to GeorgeLoomis,and they two were the sole pro- 
prietors for some time. In December, 1855, a saw- 
mill was put in operation arranged with an upright 
saw, and a siding mill, which cost when complete 
over $4,000. The first frame house was completed 
and occupied by Mr. North about the first oi 
January, 1850, and he then commenced the con- 
struction of a ilouring mill, which was completed 
in September at a cost of over $10,000. The mill, 
when in running order, contained three run of 
stones, and was one of tlie best in the Territory at 
that time, and did a thriving business. Messrs 
Cox and Fleming erected a steam saw-mill with a 
forty-horse-power engine, which cost from eight 
to ten thousand dollars. 

The improvement of the water-power by the 
erection ot these and the steam mills, gave the 
town a permanent importance not experienced by 
any other place in the vicinity. Messrs. N. B-. and 
T. U. Coidson built the first store, and commenced 



trade in March, 1856, but in June following sold 
out to H. Scriver. who at once began a large trade 
with a capital of $10,000. Skinner & Brothers 
opened a store in September of that year, and at 
once commenced a good trade. Cole & Beach 
opened up their goods iu August. Goods were 
then brought from Hastings, as the nearest jjoiut 
on the river. At the beginning of 1857, there 
were two hotels, and a third was building, two 
carriages, two blacksmith shops, a schoolhouse, a 
reading-room with a public library, and organ- 
ized churches, but as a newspaper correspondent 
boasted at the time, no 'grog shop.' " 

The first store was put up before Mr. North put 
in an appeariince. It was on the farm of Mr. 
Coulson, a short distance from town in a little 
hut, with a wheelbarrow load of goods. When 
the town was laid out, Coulson moved in and put 
up a store, 18x30 feet, of green basswood boards, 
and placed his goods on the shelves. This store 
stood on the square in front of Mr. Scriver's 
store. When Mr. Scriver arrived a short time af- 
terwards, he purchased the store, and at the re- 
quest of Mr. North, moved it back to enlarge the 
square, and received his present lot in exchange. 

The next store was erected by Skinner & 
Brother on Main street, and a small stock of goods 
was put iu. The building is now used as a 
dwelling. 

Aboiit the same time. Cole ct Beach constructed 
a building,.and they put in a small stock of goods, 
but this is also now occupied as a residence. 

The next year Harvey Allen put up a store and 
began trade; the same place is now occupied by J. 
E. Jones. 

Then, in 185G, Mr. H. Jenkins erected a hotel 
on the corner where McNeil's drug store now is, 
which was an old fashioned building, 25x25 feet, 
with a cotton cloth roof, and was run back to 
make room for the store. It is now used as a 
boarding house. 

Philip Colburn and Mr. Pease came shortly 
after Coulson, and went to work by the day. 

Jonathan Alexander came just before North, and 
filed -his claim on the east of the town, and still 
lives there. Alexander Stewart, who may yet be 
found on his ])lace, secured it iu 1855. 

J. A. Hunt came iu the spring ot 1856, when 
there was but a single frame house iu the town- 
He drove some claim stakes, and started a meat 
shop, the first in town. 



CITY OF MlUTllFIKLl). 



399 



I. S. Fiekl was an early comer, aud it is not 

;il)i)liiti'ly (--ertiiiii tliat his name did not suggest 
th(! (in;d sylUible of the name of the town and 
eity, as Mr. North's certainly did the first. 
There is, however, very little foundation for this 
theory, if any. M. W. Skinner, Mr. H. Soriver, 
Alva Cole, George Loomis, Olson Beach, Morgan 
Emery, and otiiers, were arrivals about that time, 
and the following winter there was quite a little 
town, aud the people began to feel that they were 
beeoniing quite metropolitan. 

Mr. Jenkins was proprietor of the first liotel, and 
the roof was a single thickness of cotton cloth. 
Soon after it was built, the upper story was oecu- 
])ied l)y twenty-tlve men one night when a terrific 
thunder shower drenched the inmates iu a most 
unpleasant way. The next morning the proprie- 
tor posted off to Hastings for shingles. 

The second liotel went up in the summer of 
1857, and was called the "Mansion House;'" it was 
kept by Benjamin Kimball. The size was 25x60 
feet, and at first was all utilized as a hotel; now 
the lower part is used for stores. Its location is on 
the West Side, and it was jjlaced there to get out 
of the jurisdiction of Mr. North, who sc)ld lots with 
the stipulation that no li<iuor should be sold on 
the premises under penalty of forfeiture. This 
hotel was on the school section, which was an 
addition to the town plat. Kimball opened a bar 
iu the place and went on selling for a few weeks, 
when three men, George Loomis, W. W. Willis, 
and Warren Weed, went over and with an ax de- 
molished barrels and bottles; this literally broke 
up the establishment, and it was never reopened. 
Of course this breaking of the peace created con- 
siderable excitement, but the man was paid a 
small sum for his loss. 

The American House was built in 1858 by J. 
W. North, and is now used by Carleton College. 

Gilson's was the very first stopping place 
erected in Northfield, and was run as a boarding 
Louse, hotel, or " hash factory," as it was some- 
times called. It was erected by the man whose 
name it bore, in 1855, and consisted of a log main 
building about 16x20 feet, with a small addition 
of twelve fe:et square. It stood about one-half 
mile out of Northfield on the stage line of early 
days. The shanty was roofed with split oak 
pieces, which did excellent service in dry weather. 
In the early part of 1856 this was the only place 
to stop, and was very much crowded, the boarders 



having to sleep on the lloor, aud on special occa- 
sions they would us' their wagons for a bed with 
but t\\v, canopy of heaven for a coV(^r. Tliis was 
run as a stopping place for about two yc^ars, when 
it was made a dwelling house, and used as sui^h 
for a number of years. The beautiful residence 
of William Giles, qow crowns the site the "stop- 
ping place" occupied in days of yore. 

Northfield can now accommodate her guests in 
the following hotels: Archer's Hotel. Central 
House, St. Paul House, Farmer's Home, Norske 
Hotel, and several boarding houses. 

INTEIiESTINi; EVENTS. 

The fir.st practicing physicians in the town were 
Drs. Schofield and Hanchet, who were both in 
business here in 1857 and '58. Dr. Schofield, who 
was the earlier of the two, is still iu active prac- 
tice in town. 

A child of Mr. and Mi's. Alexander Stewart, in 
1850, was an early birth, and was named James. 

Fred. Bingham, son of Mr. aud Mrs. John Bing- 
ham, was an earlj comer, and the young man is 
now in the jjhotograjjh business near Winnipeg. 

Another early comer iu Northfield was George, 
a son of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Emery, iu 1856. 
He grew up near Northfield, and is now a prac- 
ticing lawyer in Le Sueur county. 

Sadie Lockwood, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
Ephraim Lockwood, was ushered into existence at 
an early day in 1857, aud still lives in Northfield. 

Charley, a son of .A.lva and Lovica Cole, was 
also an early birth, being brought into the light 
of this world in Northfield in the spring of 1857. 
He is now a farmer near Grand Folks, Dakota 
Territory. 

Blr. anil Mrs. J. A. Hunt were blessed with a 
.son on the 2d of January, 1858, which they named 
William, and he is now a practicing physician. 

In 1857, Mr. Kansom Smith and Miss Mary 
Jenkins were joined in the bonds of wedlock by 
the bride's father, H. Jenkins, Esq. The couple 
are still living in town. At first they moved to 
Bnish Prairie, but afterwai'ds got into the city. 
This was very likely the first marriage, 

Mr. Benjamin Kimball to Miss Hattie Kelley 
was the next event of this kind to happen, and 
they at once took charge of the "Mansion House.'' 
In the course of a few years they went to California. 

The first person to pay the debt of mortality in 



400 



IIISTOUY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Northfield was a two-year old child of Epbraim 
Lookwood, in November, 1856, and the remains 
were deposited in a spot that was already in con- 
templation for a cemetery, in the northeast part 
of the town, bnt were siilisequently removed to 
the present cemetery in the south part. 

Charles Loomis died in April, 1858, and his re- 
mains repose in the cemetery south of town. He 
died of bydro])hobia — a very sad and peculiar 
case. 

.Tosejjh Drake died in the spring of 1858, and 
was buried in the same place, and was perhaps the 
first there. 

One of the first deaths was Mr. Simmons, who 
was drowned in the Cannon River in June, 185(), 
while Hoating logs for the construction of the mill. 
He left a family of a wife and three children, one 
of whom now lives in the township. His wife af- 
terwards married a Mr. Mosher, and in 1864, com- 
mitted suicide. 

On the 5th of November, 1878, the first house 
built in Northfield was destroyrd by fire. It was 
erected by John W. North, and stood im north 
Division street. 

On the 19th of May, 1880, the Congregational 
church and two barns were destroyed by fire. 

A most heart-rending affair occurred in North- 
field ou the 22d of March, 1858. A son of Mr. 
Finley McFee was riding a horse and leading an- 
other with a halter tied around his wrist, when the 
bad horse took fright, and pulled the lad off and 
ran with him dashing out his brains in his mad 
career. 

On the 24th of October, 1872, a liarn belimging 
to Fred. Goodsell was set on fire by some unknown 
person, and while attention was directed towards 
the fire Mr. Emery's grocery store was entered and 
robbed of $149.37. It was evidently what is 
called in the rogues vernacular "a put up job." 

The brewery, one mile from town, was burned 
ou tlie 14th of December, 1872. The concern was 
insured for .$2,000. 

On Saturday the 18th of May, 1873, a runaway 
occurred in which a sou of Mr. Leist, aged five 
years, lost his life. 

Silver Weddino.— The twenty-fifth anniver- 
sary of the wedding of the parties named below 
took place in Northfield some time in 1879, but the 
exact date has dro))ped out, and there is not time 



to secure it now, so it is introduced as it came 
from the local paper : 

" Saturday last signalized an interesting occa- 
sion to some of our citizens. It was the twenty- 
fifth anniversary of the marriage of W. H. Ben- 
nett and wife, which was nothing less than then- 
silver wedding. Mrs. Bennett is a member of the 
somewhat numerous Bunday race, and they aU, or 
nearly all, rallied and stormed the castle, the num- 
ber present being about fifty persons, though 
some were unavoidably absent. Among the pres- 
ents were the following ; One silver-plated cake 
dish, one silver-plated castor, one dozen silver 
forks, very nice; two sets napkin rings, properly 
marked; two butter-knives, one pickle-fork, one 
silver thimble, one set each of silver table and tea 
spoons. These were presented by a neat speech 
from S. S. Dickinson, Esq., and duly acknowl- 
edged by the recipients, though it was so much of 
a surjjrise to them that their utterance was some- 
what emotional, as would be very natural under the 
circumstances. It was a very interesting and en- 
joyable occasion. We wish Mr. and Mrs. Bennett 
much joy on this auspicious beginning of the sec- 
ond (piarter century of their married life, and 
hope they may reach their golden wedding, 
twenty-five years hence." 

Marhiel) Oveb Aftek Fifty Yeaks. Eehodnd 
IN Golden Bonds. -In the spring of 1878, a house 
iwW of old and middle-aged came together to keep 
in fitting style the fiftieth anniversary of the wed- 
ding of Mr. and Airs. Almou Morris of this city. 
The scene of the festivities was at the residence of 
Mr. A. P. Morris, who with his wife invited the 
guests and provided the entertainment. The bride 
of a half century ago was attired in white. To 
fiank this couple were the aged Mr. and Mrs. Con- 
verse, of Dundas, who six years before had enjoyed 
a similar occasion. A brother and sister of Mr. 
M. were present from Wisconsin. The first hour 
was occupied with giving and receiving congratu- 
lations. A quartette sung by Cashier Phillips, 
Prof. Thomas, Mrs. Rice and Emma Wheaton led 
to some remaks by Rev. Mr. Leonard, including 
the interesting story of courtship of this couple 
and some of the incidents of their married life. 
Then they arose, joined hands and convenanted 
over to love, serve and cherish each the 'sther till 
the end of life. President Strong offered a prayer 
relating to the past, the present, and the future. 
Tlie "Wedding March" was then rendered by Mag- 



CITY OF SOIITIIFIELD. 



401 



gie Dickson. Prpsitleut Strong rear! a golilen wetl- 
diug j)oem written tor tbe oi-oasiou by a Vermont 
minister past eighty, and the former pastor of the 
bride and groom. C. A. Wheaton, of the Jnurniil, 
sang with due pathos, "John Anderson my Jo." 
Prof. Fattee, in behalf (if A. P. Morris, jjreseuted 
a gold-headed eane to l)oth father and mother, and 
to the former a splendid Waltham gold watch and 
chain, while to the latter, from a nuralier of friends 
in town, was given an easy chair. The wedding 
dress was sent by Mrs. A. M. Rawson, of Chicago, 
and an extra cane came from Wm. F. and Charles 
Merriam of the same city. A table was covered 
with other choice presents. Then followed the 
singing by all of "Nearer My (xod to Thee," and 
after that commenced a feast of another sort. 
Oceans of various good things had been prepared 
and were now served by the host in excellent style, 
and in a style of equal excellence were con- 
sumed. Thus hurried on the evening's close, and 
at a late hour the pair, for whose sake the as- 
semblage was held, were left to rest and to indulge 
in pleasant memories of that notable 10th of June, 
which surely will continue to the close of life. Not 
far from 130 guests were present, and nothing oc- 
curred to mar in the least the enjoyment of the 
happy hours. 

KuBY AVedding. — The fortieth anniversary of 
the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Holt, was 
celebrated on the 20th of November, 1879. The 
bride's original name was Julia Cushmau. Forty 
years is more than the life of a full generation, 
and represents the time spent in the wilderness by 
the children of Israel, but it is (juite certain that 
this couple, although they have traveled consider- 
able, have not been all this time in the wilderness. 
This affair was well attended and was a very 
jjleasant one. 

MuKDER .\ND Attempted Robbery. — In the an- 
nals of crime the Northfield tragedy is widely 
known on account of the daring atrocity of the 
enterprise, and the fatality of its results to the 
chief actors. The men engaged in the venture- 
some exploit were the "James brothers," and the 
'•Younger brothers," and others whose names will 
appear in the course of the narrative. 

The party consisted of eight men who arrived 
in town between 10 and 11 o'clock on the 7th of 
He])tember, 1876, and making their headquarters 
at a saloon, waited until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. 
They then made a concerted attack upon the bank, 
2G 



five of them paying especial attention to the rob- 
bery which was couteni] dated, one of them sta- 
tioned himself on the sidewalk near the corner of 
Lee & Hitchcock's store, and one at the door of 
the First National Bank, while the other three 
went inside to commit the robbery. At the same 
time the three others came galloping acro.ss the 
bridge, and with frightful yells and horrible ejacu- 
lations, Iiegan firing their revolvers into stores and 
at all persons who dared to shom themselves at 
doors or windows, and riding up Division street 
patroled in front of the bank, keeping up a con- 
tinuous firing from their revolvers and calling 
with murderous imprecations upon all who came 
in sight to "git," displaying the most excellent 
horsemanship. Meantime the three men who 
entered the bank jumped over the counter with a 
single bound and presented revolvers to the heads 
t)f the three men who were there, .1. L. Heywood, 
the acting cashier, E. E. Bunker, the teller, and J. 
F. Wilcox, the bookkeeper, saying that they were 
going to rob the bank, and asking for the cashier. 
On being told that he was not in, they ordered Mr. 
Heywood, who was seated at the cashier's desk, to 
open the safe; the vault door was standing open, 
but the safe door was closed. Mr. Heywood posi- 
tively refused to open the safe for them, when the 
villain took hold of him and drew a long knife 
across his throat, threatening with the most hor- 
rid oaths to cut bis throat from ear to ear, unless 
he instantly complied. Mr. Heywood released 
himself and started for the door crying murder at 
the top of his voice, but he was knocked down 
with a navy revolver, and dragged to the door of 
the vault, and a shot was fired to further intimi- 
date him. Mr. Bunker, meantime had torn him- 
self away and escaped out of the back door, 
receiving a shot in the shoulder, which, however, 
did not prevent his shouting an alarm. The leader 
stepped into the vaidt and tried to open the inside 
door when Mr. Heywood attemjited to close the 
door upon him, but was jerked away by one of 
ruffians. Further etTorts were made to induce the 
acting cashier to open the safe door, but all with- 
out avail. All this time one of the scoundrels had 
young Wilcox on his knees with a revolver at his 
temple. 

This was the condition of aflfairs inside when 
the men, who were being severely punished out- 
side, called out to those inside of the bank to 
leave it at once, as it was getting ttio hot for them. 



402 



HISTORY OF RIVIC COUNTY. 



Two of them inimediately jumped over tbe 
counter and rushed into tbe street, the other one, 
who is supposed tp have been Jesse James, as he 
was jumping over the counter, indignant and ex- 
asperated at the dismal faihire of the daring 
scheme, turned and deliberately fired at Mr. 
Heywood, the second shot killing him instantly, a 
ball through the left temple literally blowing his 
brains out. 

While this tragedy was being enacted in the 
bank, another drama loaded with tragedy had 
been rehearsing in a lively way outside. When 
the "road agents" rode up towards the bank, 
Mr. J. S. Allen, who kept a hardware store 
on the south side of Mill Square, had his suspic- 
ion aroused. He followed them, and reached the 
bank just as the robbers had entered, the guard 
there at once collared him, and pointing a pistol 
at his head ordered him to keep quiet, but he 
broke loose and ran, followed by two shots. Mr. 
A. R. Manning, hearing the situation, seized a 
breech-loading rifle and taking his station at tbe 
corner of Lee & Hitchcock's store, fired a few 
shots, and succeeded in killing one of tbe mis- 
creants, wounding anotlier, and killing a horse. 
Of course it required a high order of courage to 
thus make a target of himself; as it was, he nar- 
rowly escaped destruction. Henry Wheeler, 
a young man in a drug store on tbe east 
side of the street, ran up stairs into the Dam- 
pier House, where he liad an old carbine, and 
coolly fired from tlu' window three shots, all he 
had, and killed one of the brigands and wounded 
a hor.se and perhaps one of the bandits also. 
Among others who took a hand in the skirmish 
were, J. B. Hyde, L. Stacy, and K3v. Mr. Phillips, 
who used shot guns and pistols, and they must 
have done some execution, as the cadavers had 
fine shot in their faces. Mr. George Bates also 
drew the fire of the assas.sins by presenting a 
pistol, and attempting to tire a gun that would 
not go off. As they came from inside, the sur- 
vivor; of tlie fray made no unnecessary delay in 
starting im that j)erilous ride, which proved quite 
as disastrous as the commencement of this abor- 
tive robbery had thus far been. When they were 
mounted and about to ride off, the wounded man 
on the sidewalk said, "For God's sake Ijoys, don't 
leave me;"sotliey took him up and threw him across 
a horse and then gallopetl away. As they rode 
up the street, a Swede came out of a shop and was 



ordered to go back, but not understanding what 
they said failed to comply, and he was shot 
through the head, dying the next Monday. 

Telegrams were at once started in all directi(jns 
to intercept the outlaws. Unfortunately the 
operator at Dundas was not in, or the whole gang 
might have been captured there. Parties were 
organized at various points, and the story of the 
flight with the wovinded man, the pursuit, with 
the attending escapades and hair-breadth escapes 
on lioth sides, affords a most exciting chapter in 
this kind of literature; for the whole country be- 
tween here and Missouri, the headquarters of the 
gang, was excited and under arms, and the rtsult 
was that three were captured and ime more killed, 
making six left behind of the eight who started on 
this errand of plunder. The two who escaped 
were Jesse and Frank James, the latter being the 
oue wounded in Northfield. The names of those 
killed in Northfield were Clell Miller and Stiles. 
Charley Pitts, alias George Wells, was killed at 
Madeliu, where Cole, Robert, and James Younger 
were finally captured, and subsequently lodged in 
the Faribault jail. Rumors of a rescuing party 
oau.sed a guard to be placed outside the jail, and 
on the 3d of October, 1876, a watchman, who 
was coming to report for duty, was shot and in- 
stantly killed by Frank Glazier, a guard at the 
jail, who mistook him for the advance guard of 
a rescuing party. This was indeed a sad and 
fatal mistake, making the sixth human life de- 
stroyed in consequence of the attempt to rob the 
Northfield bank. 

On the l(>th of November, 1876, the bandits 
were indicted at Faribault, and pleading guilty, 
were sentenced on the 20th to State prison during 
the term of their natural lives, and on the 22d of 
the same month they were taken to Stillwater. 
Thus ended this terrible aflair. 

THE INDIANS. 

In the autumn of 1862, after the Sioux massa- 
cre, the people in and about Northfield were in a 
chronic state of apprehension. Indians wore con- 
stantly passing in small bands, and while the days 
were passed with feelings of security, the nights 
were instinct with emotions of dread, every un- 
usual sound was transformed into inJieatious of 
the approach of the blood-thirsty savage, and 
very many persons, who had retired for the night 
had the most gloomy forebodings, and felt that it 



CITY Oh' yonrninKLi). 



403 



was extremely uncertain whether the light of 
another morning would ever dawn for them. 

Scouting parties were raised to scour the irountry 
for the lurking foe, and in one of tliose s(|uads 
was a man by the name of Holibs, who, when a 
few miles out eouchided to fire oil' aii old charges 
in liis gun, and pointing to a cornfield discharged 
the piece, when there arose the most car-pierc- 
ing screams, and a woman made her appearance, 
bringing one foot in her hand and exclaiming 
that she had been sliot, which proved to bo the 
case, the shot having taking effect in the foot. 
Hobbs explained the nature of the accident, and 
the woman, who was just from England, was 
willing to forgive him, if "in another like time 
he would shoot in the ( h )air." But this state of 
affairs did not continue long, and ti> paraphrase a 
monotonous army report, "all was (|uict on the 
Cannon." 

In the fall of 1857, a band of Sioux on a 
predatory expedition to the Chippewa region^ 
east of the river, camped near the village. 
They soon moved on and crossed the river 
between Hastings and Ked Wing and had a 
bloody fight with their enemies, securing several 
scalps. On their way back they again encamped, 
this time within the city limits in the northeast 
part of the village, and here, being so far away 
from the Chippewas that they had no fear of a 
surprise, a scalp dance was indulged in. Each 
scalp was put on a hoop and that attached to a 
pole aljout ten feet long, and around these with 
spasmodic contortions and ear-splitting yells and 
drummiugs they danced, if such gyratory jump- 
ings can be so called. 

Another Indian affair occurred in 1808, when 
the Little Crow band of Indians were on the 
rampage about the country. A party of four 
left the main body west of Northfield and 
made their way hither on a horse stealing ex- 
pedition. Crossing Mr. Daniels' farm, a half 
mile from town, and so on to Michael Kennery's 
place and remaining concealed until night, took 
six horses and made off' toward the woods, retrac- 
ing their steps. A force was at once organized 
in town and a hot pursuit started. The Indians 
finding themselves pursued kept dodging back and 
forth in the woods. At one point there is a cross 
road on the Dundas and Faribault road, leading 
into the timber and to the ford of the Cannon 
River, and at this point a guard was stationed, as 



the red skins might cross there. About eleven 
o'clock they came in sight, crossed the ford and 
l)Ushed along slowly to the corners. There was a 
farm house near the ambush, and as they passed, 
the farmer's wife rushed out and screamed at the 
top of her voice. -'Here they come! Shoot 'em! 
Shoot 'em!!" This of course alarmed the fellows, 
and they turned and recrossed the river. They 
were pursued for several days and finally over- 
taken and the whole four shot to death, the whites 
losing a single horse. 

This locality for a year or two, seemed to be on 
a regular thoroughfare for the Indians between 
the Mississippi Kiver and some point on the Min- 
nesota River, as hardly a day passed without see- 
ing them in greater or less numbers. It was not 
uncommon for a woman, jicrliaps alone in the 
house, to look up and see one of their " tigly 
mugs" flattened against a window pane, or for a 
man to stumble over them asleep in the barn. 

At one tune, Mrs. Martin, who lived where John 
Ames now does, was badly freightened on seeing 
a large number of them, estimated at fifteen hun- 
dred, passing not far from her house. She was 
alone with a babe and two other children, and 
hastily wrapping up the little one put it in a drip- 
ping pan, and tying a string to it, started with 
the improvised baby carriage and the other chil- 
dren for John S. Way's place, a mile and a half 
distant. 

POLITICAL;. 

A charter for a village government was obtained 
in 1871, and the first meeting under the new or- 
ganization held in March. The first oflicers were: 
President, S. P. Stewart; Councilmen, E. Lathrop, 
H. Scriver, F. A. Noble, and E. Hobbs, and on or- 
ganization, E. Lathrop was chosen Chairman. 
Lewis Goodsell was elected Recorder; Fred. 
Goodsell, Treasurer; Charles Wheeler, Marshal; 
Lewis Goodsell, Assessor; O. M. Meade, Attorney; 
F. O. Rice, Surveyor; and A. F. Kingman, Street 
Commissioner. 

In the spring of 1875, a city charter was ob- 
tained. The election for city officers having taken 
place, a meeting for organization was held on the 
16th of March at Lyceum Hall. It was called to 
order by the Mayor-elect, H. Scriver, and there 
were present the following Aldermen: Charles S. 
Hulbert, C.W. Mann, A. P. Stewart, B. M. James, 
C. S. Farrell, J. C. Nutting, Harold Therson, and 
O. S. Taylor. A. P. Stewart was elected Presi- 



404 



HISTORY OF IIWK GOVNTY. 



(]eut;jW. H. Norton, Recorder; Charles Tiiylor. 
City Attorney; O. M. Meade and C. A. Wlieaton, 
.fuslices of the Peaee; J. L. Heywood, Treasurer; 
Elias Hobbs, Chief of Police. The better class of 
citizens have always held the offices, and the ad- 
ministration of the city governraeut has been 
without opportunity for adverse criticism. 

The ]}resent officers are as follows: Mayor, G. 
M. Phillips; Aldermen— First Ward, E. Lock- 
wood and J. Handy; Second Ward, O. T. Lysue 
and .T. B. Hyde; Third Ward, F. A. Noble and 
August Ebel; Recorder, G. H. Coon; Treasurer, 
H. B. dress; Chief of Police, William Russell: 
Fire Warden, S. S. Dickinson; Street Commis- 
sioner, S. S. Noteman ; Justices of the Peace, T. 
H. Streeter and O. M. Meade; Health Officers, H. 
L. Coon, M. D., and .T. S. Hoskius. 

INDUSTinAL AND BUSINESS INTBKESTS. 

The industrial and manufacturing interests of a 
community, as well as of the country, lorm as it 
were the bone and sinew of ]jrosperoiis life, and 
like the agricultural interests, are one of the 
ground principles upon which depends, to a great 
extent, tht; success of all other branches of trade. 
The benefits arising from industrial enterprise are 
innumerable. It develops the various resources 
of the country, builds up cities and villages, and 
is naturally beneficial to all classes of business 
men —the merchant, mechanic, and laborer — alike, 
and in very many instances throughout the coun- 
try, the rapid growth of cities and towns is due to 
tlie <'xchisive agency of some manufacturing en- 
terprise-. The al)Ove is no less true in the case of 
Northiield; although comparatively young in in- 
dustrial growth, the good effects are nevertheless 
readily observed, and the rapid and increased 
growtli of this particular branch of the business 
interests of the jjlace is the best evidence that 
could be afforded in maintenance of tlie theory 
presented. 

Fiijs'r Saw-Mili.. — Mr. North built the first 
saw-mill, as he states in his it^tter; It was an old- 
fashioned mill, although it had, in addition to the 
vertical saw, a circular that would cut a board not 
exceeding twelve inches wide. This mill was run in 
an intermittent way for about ten years by Mr. 
North and Mr. Ames, and was afterwards pur- 
chased by the latter. 

A Steam Saw-Milt, was built in the spring of 
18.')7, by Cox <t Fleming. The boilers were 
liauled in winter Ijy team from Dulniipie. Wlien 



they arrived the event was duly celebrated by the 
firing of anvils — the only available cannon — and 
guns, and other demonstrations of joy. It was 
jilaced up the river just outside of the village 
]ilat and run for about three years and disposed 
of to parties in Stillwater. The cost of operating 
in the hard woo \ lumlier, it was claimed, was too 
great to allow a margin for profits. 

Van Buskiuk Buotheks' Machine Shops. — In 
187(i, a feed mill was established near the railroad 
station, but it was soon discontinued as .such, and 
remodeled into a foundry and machine shop. 

Wyman'.s S.\sh, Doou, and Blind Factory. — 
This was erected in 18(i7, by Daniel Wyman, and 
run for about four years, when it was destroyed 
by tire. It stood south of the depot, where the 
planing mill now is. It was one of the best es- 
tablishments in the State and had a saw-mill con- 
connected with it, and a full complement of mod- 
ern machinery. 

A sash, door, and blind factory was put up in 
1859, by Pease & Clarry, down the river (m the 
east bank. After about two years the machinery 
was sold and the building, after a time, was re- 
moved to the farm of Mr. S. Bunday. 

Ckeameu MANUiWCTORY. — This estalilishment 
was started in 1879, for the manufacture of the 
'• Cooley Creamer," a piece of furniture to faoili- 
tite the handling of cream, which is made in two 
sizes. No. 4 and No. 6, representing the number of 
cans they hold. The first proprietors were Whit- 
tier k Huut, l)ut the firm soon Viecame Whittier 
k Camp. In the sjiring of 1882, the firm was 
changed to Whittier & Ensign, the names of the 
members being C. F. Whittier and W. E. Ensign. 
Its location is on Water street and employs about 
six men. 

.Iesse Ames' Sons Flouring Mills. — The first 
Hour-mill built here was on the east side of the 
river in 18.5(5, by J. W. North. It was a two run 
mill operated by water, and was run for several 
years by the builder, I,)ut finally sold to C. A. 
Wheaton who added another run of stones, and it 
continued to grind as a custom mill till 18(!4 or'G5, 
when it went into the hands of Jesse Ames & Sons, 
who rebuilt and enlarged the capacity to seventy - 
five barrels a day and operated it as a meriihant mill. 
Tlie mill was thus run until ISOil, since when it 
has been ns(Hl as a custom mill, and it is now un- 
der the management of Felix Collett who heljied 



CITY OF MiiailFlKl.l). 



■t05 



t<) Imilil it. and lias worknil there eDutiniiously ever 
since. 

TiiK New Mill on the west side of tlie river 
was liiiilt by Jesse Ames .*c Sons in 1809, and was 
set in o])erati(in that winter witli six nin of stones 
and the ability to turn out 151) barrels in twenty- 
fonr hours. In 1875, the seventh run was put in 
with new bolting arrangements to earry it u]) 
to 175 barrels a day. In 1879, thirty-tivc feet 
were added to the height, making it five stories 
al)Ove the basement; steam power was also added 
at this time in the form of an Atlas Corli.ss engine 
of two hundred horse-power. At the same time a 
complete transformation of the grinding machin- 
ery was made, and to-day the establishment ex- 
hibits tlie following schedule : Ten double sets of 
Ellis' corrugated rolls, nine double sets of Smith's 
rolls, two single sets, one set of Stevens' scratch 
rolls, four centrifugal rolls, seventeen Smith's puri- 
fiei-s, twenty-five reels, three run of .stones, with 
smuttera, cockle machines, and the other apparatus 
usually found in a first class mill. It now manu- 
factures 400 barrels of fine tiour in twenty-four 
hours. The water-power is derived from a hea<l 
of nine feet on the Cannon River, and is trans- 
mitted by two Victor turbine wheels, forty-eight 
inches in diameter The establishment emjikiys 
about twentv-five men, and the elevator capacity 
is 40,000 bushels of wheat: the bran house will 
hold about 200 tons, the storage capacity for Hour 
is 1,800 barrels, and there is a wood yard that 
will hold several thousand cords. It is claimed 
that this mill was the first in the State to turn out 
the new process flour, and that the first patent 
flour used in St. Paul was from this establishment. 
Gen. Ames, one of the sons, lives in New York and 
handles tlie Hour for the market. The value of 
such a mill io the city and country is very great. 

It should be noted that at the international ex- 
hibition in I'hiladelphia in 1870, this mill received 
the highest marking of any straight Hour at the 
- exposition. 

The perscmnel of the firm is Adelbert Ames, John 
T. Ames, and John Handy. 

In connection with the mills there is a machine 
shop, under tlie supervision of Felix CoUett, Jr.^ 
where repairing is done and much new machinery 
turned out, emjiloying several men. 

In 1880, a spur track mas built so that wlieat is 
delivered and the flour loaded at the mill. 

Thk N(UtTiiFii:i.i) Elev.\tor was built bv the 



railroad company at the time of the completion of 
the road, and they still own it. It is 75x100 feet 
and handles 200,000 bushels of grain annuiiUy. 
It is operated by Ames k Archibald under the 
personal management of George Grevy. 

The railroad was compleled in bSOo, and the 
j)resent station immediately built, also an elevator 
which at once began to receive grain. The gra- 
ding was begun in 18G0, but during the war work 
was susjieuded, but subsequently resuni"d and the 
tracklayers reached this point in September, and 
made their way towards Faribault. 

Citizens NATioNAii Bank of Noktiifield. — 
This flanking house was established in January, 
1878, by W. H. Norton, who was president, and A. 
W. Nortcm casliier. The capital was .S25,000. The 
present bank building was erected by Mr. Norton, 
the president, and in September of that year the 
bank was regularly organized under tlie State law 
with a capital of ^50,000. In 1880, A. W. Nor- 
ton, tlie cashier, died, and he was succeeded by 
W. H. Norton. * 

FiitsT National Bank. — Tliis banking institu- 
tion was originally established with a banking 
capital of ^50,000, which has been increased to 
the present capital of .§100,000. This bank was 
the scene of the attempted robbery liy the Younger 
Brothers gang, which is given in full elsewhere. 

FIliE DErAItTMENT. 

There is a very ellicieiit lire department in Nortli- 
tield. It was at first organized on a small scale 
about 1873, as a hook and ladder company, and 
in 18S0, a force ))ump was procured aud attached 
to the Ames mill, with sutlicient power, with suit- 
able hose, to throw water as far as Dundas if 
necessary. The Ames mill ofi'ered to furnish power 
whenever it should be recjuired for ti u years. The 
present chief of the dejiartment is J. H. Lawrence, 
and James Anderson is a.ssistant, witli luNidquar- 
ters in the City Hall or engine room. 

On the 12th of March. 1880. the City Council 
authorized the Mayor and Keeorder to issue bonds 
to the amount of $4,500, for the purpose of pro- 
curing fire apparatus. 

The City Hall engine house was erected in 1880. 
There are accommodations for the fire engine and 
other apparatus on the first floor and the Council 
chanilier above. It is 20x00 feet, and in addition 
to the two stories has a ba.sement, the cost being 

_ about S:!,000. 

»Thi8 last sentence should read: "In 1880, W. H. Norton, the cashier, died, and he was saccecdcd by A. W. Norton.'' 



406 



HTSTORT OF BICE COUNTY. 



POLICE FORCE. 

Of course while Northfield was still a town the 
constables, or a dejiuty sheriff, il: there happened 
to be one in town, were supposed to be the official 
guardians of the peace and the preservers of law 
and order. When the village government was in- 
stituted, the marshal was supposed to stand be- 
tween the people and the elements of turbulence. 
When, however, Northfield became a city, that 
metropolitan luxury, a police force, made its ap- 
pearance, and it has existed ever since. The force, 
as at first organized, consisted of a Chief and 
Assistant. The first Chief was John B. Horner, 
the next was Elias Hobbs. The present Chief of 
Police is William Bussell, with two Assistants in 
the persons of R. C. Ingalls and William Campbell. 

PO.ST-OFFICE. 

In the fall of 1855, a Post-office was established 
about a mile and a half west of Northfield, called 
"Fountain Grove." Charles Wheeler, who^was the 
second Sheriff of the county, was the Postmaster. 
After some mouths it was removed to Northfield. 
Charles Knight was afterwards Postmaster. It 
■was kept in a shanty on the land now owned by 
William Childs, and remained there until the sum- 
mer of 1856, when it was removed into a "lean-to" 
connected with Jones' store, and John E. Kennedy 
was commissioned to handle the mail. Mrs. Hat- 
tie Kingsley was next in order and held the office 
for a number of years, and then J. W. Sebberson 
and afterwards Cutlaf and S. H. Freuch, the latter 
of whom is the present Postmaster. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

The first school opeded in Northfield was in the 
fall or winter of 1856, and it was called to order 
by Rollins Olin, who had twenty-five scholars in 
the little frame building put up for the purpose 
that year. This building was made to answer the 
requirement with considerable pressure up to 
18G1, at which time another was put uj) at a cost 
$6,000, on the same site, and which was the envy 
of neighboring districts for a wide range. Six 
lots were bought and both buildings were used as 
there were a sufficient number of children to fill 
them. This consolidated school lasted until the 
building was sold to the St. Olaf College. It was 
used as a school for about two years wheu it was 
moved over to their place and is now one of their 
halls. 

Tn 1874, an Independent school district was or- 



ganized and a large commodious bmlding erected 
at a cost of $30,000. It occupies a place on a 
whole square, next to the public park, and is a fine 
appearing building of pressed brick, three stories 
high, and a liberal basement story. It is sufficient 
to state that it has all the modern school improve- 
ments, and standing as it does near the Cimgre- 
gationalist church, and not far from the college 
buildings, it does not suffer in comparison with 
them, but is a worthy companion for those stately 
buildings alike devoted to educational purposes. 

The contract for the erection of the edifice was 
awarded to James Boyd, of St. Paul, who did all 
the carpenter work for $12,114, and to J. E. Boyd, 
& Co., of Minneapolis, who were to do all the 
mason work for •'ii8,494.50; the aggregate amount 
for these two jorincipal items in the construction of 
the building being .$20,608.50. 

Tke present school officers are: Directors, O. F. 
Perkins, President; J. T. Ames, Treasurer; W. S. 
Pattee, and A. F. King; Secretary, A. Noble. 

The teachers are: Principal, S. F. Brady; As 
sistant, Miss Williams; Miss Delia Parks, Miss 
Hattie A. Field, Miss Catharine Bingham, Miss 
Jameson, Miss Agusta Riddle, Miss Wheeler, and 
Miss Leota Bailey. 

ST. olaf's scnooL. 

A school adapted to the purpose of educating 
the Scandinavian youth who may desire it in this 
community, was started early in the seventies in 
this city and kept for three years. A building 
was then erected which now stands on a command- 
ing eminence near the western boundary of the 
city. It was built by subscription, and is of stone, 
visible at a great distance. The cost was $18,000, 
and it is still unfinished, although it is in good 
condition to accommodate the 100 pupils who are 
in attendance. In addition to the college build- 
ing there is what is known as Ladies' Hall, a 
structure 45x55 feet, and devoted to residence as 
well as instruction purposes. The college was 
opened in 1874. The management is vested in 
thirteen trustees. The I'oUowiug are the officers of 
the institution: President, Rev. B. J. Muus; Vice- 
president, N. A. Quannen; Treasurer, B. J. Muus; 
Secretary, T. N. Mohn. 

Mr. Mohn is the principal of the school and the 
manager of the institution, residing vnthin its 
walls. The assistant teachers are Rev. O. G. Fel- 
land and A. Egge, A. B. Vocal and instrumental 
music. Miss M. O'Brien. 



CITT OF NOItTIIFIKLD. 



407 



Tbe followiug from the aiino\incpnieut nf the 
lustitutioii will show its objects ami aims. 

COURSES OF STUDY. 

"The school is especially adapted to the purposes 
of the American youth, of Scandinavian parent- 
age, who desire a thorough practical education 
and hence the foHowing Iiranelies are predominant: 

English language and literature. 

Mathematics. 

History. 

Geography. 

Natural sciences. 

Music, ( vocal and instrumental. ) 

Latin. 

Bookkeeping. 

German language and literature. 

Norwegian language and literature. 

EXPENSES. 

Fall Term. — Two mouths. — Begins second 
Wednesday in September. 

Tuition iji G 00 

Board U 00 

Room rent 2 00 

Total $22 00 

Winter Term. — Five months. — Begin.s first 
Wednesday in November. 

Tuition $15 7.5 

Board 36 75 

Room rent 5 25 

Total $57 75 

Spring Ter7ii.— Three months. — Begins Blarch 
81st. 

Tuition !S 8 25 

Board 19 25 

Room rent 2 75 

Total .1|!30 25 

Expenses to he paid at the beginning of each 

term. Winter term paid in two installments, the 

last, January 15th. 

Music and the use of instrument, ijil'lr a term — 

twenty-four lessons." 

CARLETON COIiLEGE. 

Carleton College o\yes its origin, primarily, to 
Mr. C. M. Goodsell, late of Nortlifield, who came 
to Minnesota with the purpose of establishing 
somewhere within its limits a Christian College — 
a sort of Northwestern Oberlin. That purpose 
w.is made known (o several of the older clergy- 



men, some of whom had tbought much upon the 
subject and were deeijly interested. These minis- 
ters, among whom Revs. Charles Shedd, Edward 
Brown, Charles Secombe, Ricluird Hall, and David 
Burt should be specially named, consulted to- 
gether, and in 1HG4, the State Conference of Con- 
gregational Churches, in accordance with a resolu- 
tion drawn by Mr. Brown, appointed a committee 
to consider the feasibility of founding such an in- 
stitution. Two years later, after having visited 
the several places which had sought to secure tho 
location of the proposed college within their limits, 
the committee reported unanimously in favor of 
Nortlifield. 

Here, in this beautiful town, situated on the 
Cannon River and the Chicago, Milwaukee k St. 
Paul Railroad, the college was located on a com- 
manding eminence overlooking a pi(^turesque val- 
ley and rich surrounding country. The grounds 
donated by citizens of Nortlifield embraced nearly 
twenty-five acres, which, together with the money 
raised by them, represented about •'$25,000. A 
large building that had been used as a hotel was 
purchased and fitted up for the immediate use of 
the preparatory department, which was opened on 
the 25th of September, 1867, under the charge of 
Horace Goodhue, Jr., a graduate of Dartmouth 
College. For three years the school went on, the 
trustees of the college, which had been incorpo- 
rated, laboring with great zeal for its advance- 
ment. Pecuniary pledges in various parts of the 
State had been made to the extent of $12,000', but 
a sum larger than could possibly be realized was 
required to meet the current expenses which had 
been already incurred. There were no funds for 
new liuildings, the students were few. Mr. Good- 
sell had died in May, the seeking for a man from 
the East to take charge of the school had been in 
vain, and the prospf ct of raising up an institution 
here that would fulfill the hopes of its friends and 
projectors seemed unjjromising. 

In Septemlier, 1870, the trustees proceeded to 
open a collegiate department, and elected Rev. 
James M. Strong, the pastor of the Congregational 
church in Faribault, as President. He had been 
from the first one of the trustees, and knew its 
past history and present wants. On the 13th of 
October another meeting of the board was held, 
and there were several noted clergymen present 
■who were in attendance upon the Congregational 
Confiu'ence. A number of them were called into 



408 



BISTORT OF RtCE COUNTY. 



the council in relation to the college, they were 
Rev. Dr. Ray Palmer, Rev. Dr. Clapp, and Rev. 
Dr. William Barrows. Mr. Strong conchuleJ to 
accept, and on the next day the meeting of the 
conference was devoted to the young college, and 
to show the situation of affairs, and under what 
circumstances this college was started we will allow 
an eye witness to tell the story. 

WONDERFOD MEETING. 

"It was a wonderful meeting. So soon as the 
decision of the trustees was announced in Con- 
ference, the Holy Spirit seemed to take possession 
of the assembly. Men prayed that that border 
land, not. far as yet from wigwams, might be dedi- 
cated to Christian learning ; and that farms and 
ballots and juries might come up under the sun- 
light of the decalogue. These prayers wandered 
off into blessed visions. Tiien remarks grew out 
of the prayers, that they must raise up, on the 
ground, the ministry and the intelligent and vir- 
tuous merchants, farmers, and mechanies, that the 
new coiuitry needed. Some one mentioned the 
little beginnings, right among the Indians, of Old 
Harvard and Dartmouth, and it gave such courage, 
that poor men became rich, in faith, and women 
broke forth into singing. 

Between the songs and the prayers short 
speeches were filtered in.olosing with subscriptions 
■ — -the very best figures of speech for such an oc- 
casion. Men of Amherst, Yale, Dartmouth, and 
Williams said that they must plant as good a col- 
lege there, and named their subscription. The 
meeting increased in wonder, and we of the East 
were amazed at the broad views, long forecastings, 
and exurbent benevolence of those men and 
women of the prairies. It does make some difler- 
ence in a man's views whether the next hill is the 
Rocky Mountains, or just over the brook back of 
the red schoolhouse. Thirty-seven donations were 
made, and their hearty consecration to learning 
made each a little fortune. 

The miscellany of donors was typical of a wide 
interest. Four of them were women, two were 
families, three handled land, others handled goods 
or mechanical tools, or agricultural, and one fresh 
meat. Seventeen of them were ministers, and 
mostly missionaries, and about as rich as Peter 
anil John when they went to a prayer meeting 
once and met a lame man. How we all wept when 
one man, who had better gifts than that of public 
speaking, with a choked utterance, pledged twenty 



dollars, and said it was for his boy in heaven who 
died in the army. One stalwart missionary, who 
told me his family burials had kept pace with his 
field all the way from Ohio to Minnesota, said he 
had no money, never expected to have, and the 
brethren knew it; but he could' not lose his chance 
in so splendid a work. He offered a fine colt, that 
was entered at forty dollars — more than the sheep 
given to Cambridge College its second year. The 
new president quietly remarked that no boys 
would be allowed to ride a "pony" on college 
grounds. Another brother, so good, hard-work- 
ing and poor, whose parish I have seen east of the 
Merrimac and west of the Mi ssouri, offered his 
twenty dollars in three ann^ial payments. He 
knew of the logs and spades around the founda- 
tion of Illinois College. Vanderbilt, in his dona- 
tions, never came up to that twenty-dollar man in 
proportion to his property. Then how we took 
heart and sung and offered thansgiving when six 
thousand dollars were pledged. One church was 
pledged for one hundred and six dollars, while a 
modest lady, through her husband, put down five 
hundred. Scores of thousands, and the name of 
the college followed that donation, in good family 
descent. A young missionary offered twenty-five 
dollars out of the closing quarter of his scanty 
salary. Just over the river from his hired log 
parsonage was the Indian. He said the logs, shy 
oteaeh other, left the cabin well ventilated, and 
the puncheon floor yawned with cracks, but 
neither he nor his young wife had any jewelry to 
lose through; and his four chairs were stout and 
good if they were borrowed; and as he would 
never have another chance so favorable to found a 
college, he must take part. A secretary, private 
agent to get rid of "unabridged" money, depiived 
the happy subscriber of the luxury of paying the 
amount. 

So we went through the meeting and took the 
thirty-seven subscriptions, and when the close 
came, the people were too happy to take the bene- 
diction and separate. 

Probably there have been few meetings beyond 
the Alleghanies more joyful or devout, or more 
fruitful for Christ's kingdom. When the meet- 
ing opened, the total property of the institution 
was estimated at $15,000, and the subscriptions 
of that afternoon were $16,44(5. True, that sub- 
scription would easily disappear in the high, ar- 
tistic finish and furniture of a room or two in .some 



CITY OF yonril FIELD. 



109 



eastern halls of learning, benevolently built, but 
it went very far toward ptittiug, already hundreds, 
and by and by thousands of youtli, well trained 
in letters, the scienees, and morals, into our young 
and gigantic West." 

President Strong at onoe bent all his energies 
to the work of putttug the College on its feet, 
and during that fall came tlie earnest of future 
gifts in the form of eighteen hundred dollars 
from Mr. William Carleton and Miss Susan Willis, 
both of Charlestown, Massachusetts, who had be- 
come interested in this young College of the 
Northwest. Their interest seemed to be greatly 
increased by President Strong's providential pres- 
ervation from death by railroad accident, at Hart- 
ford, Connecticut, in December of that year. 
Soon after sulliciently rec(jvering from his injuries 
to reach his home, in the spring of 1871, he re- 
ceived for the college from Mr. Carleton the uncon- 
ditional gift of SiiO,000. This princely donation at 
once insured the success of tlie hitherto struggling 
institution, to which, in grateful acknowledgement, 
and by unanimous vote of the Board, the donor's 
name was given. A subsequent gift of ten thous- 
and dollars from Miss Willis, was acknowledged 
by calling the central college building "Willis 
Hall." 

These early, and at that time unprecedented, 
gifts to the college were supplemented liy many 
others, both at home and abroad. In 1872, nearly 
nine thousand dollars were promised by the 
churches of the State; and from the same sources 
came, in 1875, for the endowment of the Chair of 
Physical Science, pledges amounting to over 
twenty thousand dollars. Of this amount the cit- 
izens of Northfield, who have from the first cher- 
ished this institution with singular civic pride, 
gave more than one-third. The gifts of Minne- 
sota to the college have aggregated over one hun- 
dred thousand dollars, and nearly one-half of this 
amount has been received from Northfield. Fif- 
teen thousand dollars were raised in New Eng- 
land, in 1875. Thus the funds of the college 
steadily increased, enabling it to enlarge its edu- 
cational facilities, and attain a commanding posi- 
tion among the institutions of learning in the 
West. 

The erection of the college building was com- 
pleted and it was formally dedicated on Thursday, 
the 19th of December, 1872. In June, 1871. the 
"College Society," at a meeting in New Haven, 



Connecticut, on motion of Rev. Dr. Bacon, "Carle- 
ton College was duly endorsed and recognized as 
a member of the brotherhood of colleges." And 
from this time the college began a career of use- 
fulness which it is gratifying to know still con- 
tinues, sunny skies replacing the gloom which had 
hung over its prospects. Professor Payne was se- 
cui'ed about this time, and with his enthusiasm in 
Mathematics and .\stronomy, infu.sed new life into 
every department of Carleton. In due time the 
Observatory was added, with its practical as- 
tronomical and meteorological observations, aided 
by the costly apparatus which will be more fully 
described further on. In 1872, the title of Doctor 
of Divinity, which had been so clearly earned, 
was conferred ubon the President, Rev. Dr. J. W. 
Strong, as he was thereafter called. . He had se- 
cured pledges during 1872 and '73 to the amount 
of eight thousand dollars. In 1874 and "75, over 
fifteen thousand dollars was raised by him in New 
England. During the year 1875, seven 
thousand were pledged by the friends of 
the college in Northfield on' condition that 
thirteen thousand more could be raised 
on or before the 1st of January, 187G. 
This Wiis for the purpo.se of endowing the (Hiair 
of Physical Science. The task \\;is undertaken 
by the indefatigable President, and after a weary 
and dilflcult canvass, on the last of December, he 
returned with the whole sum made up, when he 
was confronted with a telegram revoking one be- 
quest of one thousand dollars,thus jeopardizing the 
whole amount, l)ut prompt and decisive work se- 
cured the deficiency, and on the 1st of January 
the whole sum was pledged, and a surplus of four 
hundred dollars. 

The institution has been particularly fortunate 
in its teachers, who have been earnest, self-sacri- 
ficing, and devoted in the luost intelligent way to 
the best interests of the school. 

The relationship to the General Congregational 
Conference involves no jurisdiction over the Col- 
lege, as there is no corporate connection, but it is 
one of friendship and community of interest, and 
that body through a committee yearly in([uires 
after its welfare to leaiu what good offices it can 
render. On the board of trustees are representa- 
tives of other denominations, and it relies U|.on 
the letter of no Catechism, and inculcates the for- 
mulas of no creed, lint it is nevertheless the semin- 
ary for the inculcation of the teachings of Chris- 



410 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



tianity as exemplified by Congregationalism as it 
exists to-Jay in the teachings from its thousand 
pulpits all over this broad land. From the very 
nature of the case, Carleton College is a home 
missionary and a potent instrumentality in form- 
ing public sentiment. 

On the 23d of December, 1879, Willis Hall, 
containing the library, cabinet, and recitation 
rooms, was destroyed by fire. The utmost 
vigilance was used to save the valuable things 
contained in the different departments, such 
as the valuable library and furniture connected 
therewith. The books were hurriedly barried 
to the Observatory. A large share of the Mu- 
seum was saved, and considerable of the valu- 
able apparatus in the Laboratory, more or less 
damaged. One of the most important instruments 
carried from the burning building was the grand 
piano, which, with some risk, was safely landed on 
the outside. 

Fortunately for the college institutiim and for 
Professor Payne individually, the many and costly 
astronomical iustruments were safely located in 
the Observatory, and all unharmed. The insur- 
ance and the building ($12,000) was divided as 
follows : 

Underwriters .ff3,000 

North American. Philadelphia 3,000 

Home, New York 3,000 

St. Paul Fire and Marine 3,000 

Total S12,000 

And on the contents : 

Phoenix, Hartford .$2,650 

Phenix, New Hork 2,650 

Total 5,300 

Making a grand total of ..?! 7,300 

Professor Sj)erry lost almost his entire library, 
containing encyclopanlias, dictionarie.s, medical 
and scientific books; a quantity of valuable min- 
eral and geological specimens, tents, bedding, and 
camp equipage, three trunks containing a quan- 
tity of summer and extra clolhing, a fine double 
piano-leg study table with drawer containing 
clipj)ing8, memorandas, lectures, etc., the whole 
having a cash value of nearly $1,000 — upon 
which, fortunately, he had an insurance of $500. 

The energy and devotion of the officers of the 
College were again placed in special recjuisition 
and convenient temixirary quartc^rs were secured. 



the students remained loyal, and college work was 
pursued without interruption. 

Meantime a deep and widely extended sympa- 
thy for the College was awakened. The citizens 
of Northfield, and others in the State, again gen- 
erously tendered their aid, and old and new 
friends at the East rose up to help the institution. 
With the gifts thus ofl'ered, together with the 
money received from insurance, WilUs Hall was 
rebuilt on an improved plan; a greatly-needed 
building for scientific purposes was erected, and 
the foundation of a not less-needed Ladies" Hall 
was laid. 

Thus, through judicious management on the 
part of its officers, and the- generosity of Christian 
friends, its grow th has been unprecedented. Be- 
sides assistants, its faculty now consists of thir- 
teen professors and teachers who devote their 
whole time to the work of instruction. During 
the past year, over three hundred students were 
enrolled in the different departments. 

Four courses of study have been arranged. 
Three of them, the Classical, the Literary, and the 
Scientific, are collegiate courses — each covering 
four yeaj-s. after full preparatory work has been 
completed; and one is au English course, de- 
signed for those who cannot secure a more thor- 
ough education. While students may jmrsue 
elective studies, selecting from a wide range, de- 
grees are conft'rred only upon those who complete 
satisfactorily one of the prescribed collegiate 
courses. Full provision is made for instruction 
in Art, in Elocution, and in both Vocal and In. 
strumental Music. A special course in Pure 
Mathematics and Practical Astronomy is now 
offered. 

As an item which may be interesting reailing 
years hence, when the changed values and cir- 
cumstances may make the figures representing the 
cost of an education here appear grotesijue, the 
i'ollowing card is printed: 

"Boarding Depaktment. — The boarding de- 
partment and the domestic affairs of the College 
family at Ladies' Hall are committed to the direc- 
tion of the Matron, under the general supervision 
of the executive committee. It is designed, so far 
as possible, to secure for every youg lady entering 
the family, the influences and privileges of a Chris- 
tian home. All the lady teachers reside there, and 
board at the same table with the students. Gen- 
tlemen students who ]jrefer to do so, may also take 



CITY OF NOliTlIFlELD. 



411 



their meals at Ladies' Hall. It is not tlesignetl to 
make the Boarding Hall a source of profit to the 
College, but to furuish to teachers aud students 
good and acceptable board at the lowest practic- 
able rate. 

Expenses — Board in College building, per 

week (tea and coffee extra) S2 50 

Tuition— Fall term () 00 

Tuition — Winter and spring terms, each. . . 7 50 

Room rent, per term 3 00 

Incidentals, per term 1 00 

Extras — Tuition — Piano or cabinet organ, 

per lesson of one-balf hour 50 

Tuition — Cultivation of the voice, per lesson 

of one-half hour 50 

Use of piano or organ, per term, one hour 

each day 2 00 

Drawing, painting and Penmanship — As an- 
nounced by the teacher. 

Term bills are due at the beginning of each 
term, and board bills every four weeks in advance. 
No term bills are made out for less than half a 
term. 

No deductions are made, except in case of sick- 
ness which continues for a month or more, unless 
by special agreement when the student enters. 

Students ordinarily can sujiply themselves with 
wood at an expense of from $4 to .'55 per cord; and 
those wishing board in private families (including 
room, fuel, and lights) can secure it at from S3.50 
to .S4.00 per week. Furnished rooms, without 
board, are obtained at SI. 00 per week. 

Applications for board and rooms should be 
made as early as possible. Inquiries relating to 
studies, classes, text-books, and examinations may 
be addressed to any of the instructors, but all 
general correspondence should be directed to 
Jas. W. Strong, -President, 

Northfield. Minn." 

CARLETON rOLLEGE OI5SERVAT0RY. 

The Observatory of Carletim College is near the 
east side of the campus. The main building is 
twenty feet square, and, from the ground to the 
top of the dome, thirty-three feet high. There arc 
two wings, each twelve by fifteen feet and fifteen 
feet high, with Hat roof. It fronts to the south, 
with a total length of fifty feet. The west wing 
contains the transit instrument and the chrono- 
graph. On the first floor of the main building is the 
small room fur the portable instniments and their 



accessories, the pier for the astronomical clocks, 
telegraph oftice, computing room, and circular 
stairway, leading to the equatorial room in the 
dome. 

The central ei|Uatorial pier starts nine and one- 
half feet below the surface of the ground, has a 
footing of large Hat stone in a vein of coarse 
gravel, is built circular with a diameter of eight 
feet, and is of solid masonry in cement to a height 
of three feet above the groud. The well contain- 
ing the pier is curbed with a dry stone wall from 
the l)ottom to the surface of the ground, bo that 
the pier may stand independent of the ground 
from its base. Above the first floor it is built of 
brick in a circular form to the upper surface of the 
second floor, and capped with a stone three and 
one-half feet in diameter and eight inches thick. 
The entire height of the pier is twenty-six feet. 
The j)ier for the transit instrument is made in a 
similar manner, except that it is rectangular in 
shape. 

The east wing is for the astronomical library 
and observer's study. 

The second story of the building is devoted to 
the equatorial room which is circular and sixteen 
feet in diameter. It is a little more than sixteen 
feet from the floor to the highest point of the 
dome. The dome is a hemisphere, and rests on 
twelve sheaved rollers, and it is revolved by ma- 
chinery at the pleasure of the observer. The 
ribs are of pine covered without with tin painted 
nearly white, within with canvas kalsomined blue. 

Instrdments. — Tlie observatory is furnished 
with the following instruments: 

A Clark equatorial telescope, eight and one- 
fourth inches aperture, ten and one-half feet focal 
length, with a Bond spring governor driving clock 
and a full battery of eye-pieces with jiowers rang- 
ing from 50 to 800. The micrometer is of the late 
Burnham pattern furnishing the best bright wire 
illumination now in use. 

A Byrne portable equatorial telescope, four and 
three- tenths inches aperature; powers ranging 
from 50 to -140. 

A transit instrument made by Fauth & Co., 
Washington; three inches aperture, and forty - 
two inches focal length, with reserving apparatus. 

Two Howard clocks, mean time, and sidereal, 
numbered respectively 196 and 195. Both are 
furnished with electrical break-circuit attachments 
for time and longitude work. 



412 



HISTORY OF RICE GOUNTT. 



A Bond sidereal chronometer supplied also with 
the break-circuit attachment aud numbered 374. 

A Clark chronograph and the ordinary meteor- 
ological apparatus comjilete the list of the outfit 
in instrumeuts for practical astronomy. 

Time Service. — The time service of the Observa- 
tory began October 23d, 1878, immediately after 
the new clocks were regulated, the Northwestern 
Telegraph Company (now Western Union) having 
previously asked for the time, and having run a 
telegraph line to the Observatory and furnished it 
with an office. 

The daily electrical time-signals are given by 
the mean-time clock itself, which has a break- 
circuit attachment operated by a small wheel on 
the shaft of the second hand which has thirty- 
one teeth spaced to represent two seconds of time 
except fhrer, which give continuous seconds, to 
mark the close of each minute. This clock is 
placed in a local circuit with ajipliances for cuttiug 
it into the main telegraph line for daily noon sig- 
nals. 

By arrangement with the railroad companies the 
meau-time clock is put into line daily at 11 o'clock 
and 57 minutes, so that three full minute signals 
may be given, the last stroke of the third minute 
being understood to mark the time of twelve ex- 
actly. Until quite recently the distribution of 
the time to the railroads has been effected in the 
followiug manner: 

Th(> prnici]ial offices of resort of the companies 
terminating lines in St. Paul aud Minneapolis have 
wire connection with the main office of the Chi- 
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway for the pur- 
pose of time. In this way the Observatory clock 
has daily given its three-minute signals over the 
main lines of these companies. The branch lines 
use the same time, but it is repeated over them by 
hand. When the main line.^ are thus connected 
the clock has given its break-circuit signals over 
128.') miles of wire in six different States and Terri- 
tories, ranging from Kansas City to St. Paul, 
Winona, and McOregor of Iowa. For a few weel.s 
recently, the signal has been modified by reversing 
the points of the relay in the local circuit, for the 
purpose of a muki-rircnil signal on the main lines. 
A five-minute signal attachment has also been ap- 
plied to the clock that time balls may be dropped, 
at noon, daily in Cfmnection with the railroad time 
service, (.\rraiigenients are already made to drop 
a time-ball in r:ii'h of the cities of St. Paul and 



Minneapolis, the apparatus for the same now beinp; 
in hand. ) This five-minute attachment, as it is 
called, is a plain disk, connected with the train of 
the clock so as to revolve once in five minutes, and 
a portion of the circumference representing four- 
teen seconds is cut away. It is, of course, in the 
local clock- circuit and serves to keep that circuit 
closed, and hence the main line open during the 
fourteen seconds preceding the aixtietli one before 
noon. This interval of ojjen line gives oppor- 
tunity to connect time-balls and electrically con- 
trolled clocks with the Observatoi-y clock for the 
purpose of giving the noon signal publicly to 
cities and the railway companies in various ways. 
Distribution of the Time. — The following 
r.iilway companies take the Northfield meridian 
time directly or indirectly, and use it over their 
lines without local change except at distant points: 

Mika. 

1. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- 

way on its five divisions west of the 
Mis.sissippi Eiver.embracing an aggre- 
gate length of 2,271 

2. Winona & St. Peter Railway (branch of 

Chicago & Northwestern Railway) uses 
both Northfield and Baraboo signals 
but runs on Northfield time 453 

3. Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & 

Omaha Railway, from Sioux City to 
Elroy, Wisconsin, on all its branches. . 1,057 

4. Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway, from 

Minneapolis South 361 

5. Northern Pacific to end of track west in 

Montana 1,033 

6. St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Rail- 

way, to Winnipeg possibly, to St. Vin- 
cent certainly 1 ,(125 

7. St. Paul & Duluth to the head of Lake 

Superior 153 

Total number of miles 6,353 

The last two companies do not take the time 
directly from the Observatory, but from jewelers 
in the city of St. Paul, who receive our daily sig- 
nals. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & 
Omaha company have recently placed three of 
Dudley's electrically controlled regulators on its 
main line at St. James, St. Paul, and Eau Claire, 
Wisconsin. Tbese clocks are so constructed that 
they mav be set on true time by the Northfield 
clock daily by telegraph. This has been done for- 
the hist three mouths. 



CITY OF SiiUTllFlKlA). 



4ia 



Tlio territory traversed by these niilroada em- 
liiMfcs [ill of MiuucBota, ]);irt.s of lowii, Nebraska, 
Diikota, Wisconsin, Montariii, jiml possilily the 
province of Manitoba. 

The Observatory is iu telegraphic connection 
with Washin^'ton, and is placed on the list of 
the Smithsonian Institution for free communica- 
tion of astronomical discovery Its exact geo- 
graphical position is Latitude, W degrees, 27 min- 
utes, -t().8 seconds; Longitude, 1 hour, 4 minutes, 
23.8 seconds west of Washington. 

Advanced Coukse in MATiiKMATies and As- 
TuoNOMT. — In erecting the observatory the object 
was threefold: 1, To give instruction to under- 
graduate students; 2, To olTer an opiiortunity for 
a comjjlete course of study iu pure mathematics 
and practical astronomy ; and 3, To aid in original 
investigation. 

With the present facilities, these three lines of 
work have been undertaken, and unexpected suc- 
cess has attended each. The latitude of the Ob- 
servatory was determined by Professor B. F. 
Thomas (now of the Universitv of Missouri) in 
• 1879, by the Talcott method, using a VVurdemanu 
two-inch zenith telescope, loaned by Lieut. Ed- 
ward Maguier, Chief Engineer of the Department 
of Dakota. In 1880, the jjresent director of the 
Observatory re-determined it, using the same in- 
strument and method, and obtained the result 
given above, which varies but a few hundreths of 
a second from that obtained one year before by 
Professor Thomas. In October, 1880, by the 
courtesy of the last officer named and Lieut. O. B. 
Wheeler, of the Lake Survey, the longitude of 
the Observatory was determined, the Coast Sur- 
vey meridian of St. Paul being the base of opera- 
tion. Independent reductions of these observations 
showed the longitude of the Observatory to be 14.3 
seconds west of St. Paul and hence from Wa.sh- 
ington, as named above. Original, elementary, or 
class work of some kind is going im constantly, in 
the midst of which the director aims to keep iu 
mind and fittingly to express the true relation of 
the Creator to his own works. 

Mathematical Libkart. — The library to aid 
the special study of mathematics and astronomy 
consists of about 800 volumes. It contains stand- 
ard works from the Bryant collection, with addi- 
tional purchases, and the published observations 
<yf Washington and other leading observatories iu 
the world. Mr. T. Dwight Townseud, of Pitts- 



burgh, Pennsylvania, has loaned to tlie Observa 
tory his library oi rare and valii:iblc works on 
mathematics ami pliilosophy. The ( )lisiivatory is 
in need of abetter lilirary. 

GOVEKNMHNT SuiNAL STATION. During tlie 
summer of 1881, the government designated 
(3arletoii College as a voluntary signal station, 
and furnished the necessarj' instriunents for ob- 
servation and monthly report to Washington. The 
College supplied further apparatus needed to make 
the station first-class in every particular. Daily 
observations are recorded according to the Wash- 
ington rules, weekly averages by request, are sent 
to a large number of country newspapers, and 
monthly reports are regularly sent to Washington. 

The Sidbhkal Messenoer. — The latest step 
taken by the Observatory in the interest of its 
general work, is the beginning of an astronomi- 
cal periodical, under the name given above. The 
first number was published iu March la.st, and it 
will continue iu monthly issues, except July and 
September of each year, The subscription price, 
per year, is .'$2. The work is adapted to those in- 
terested in popular astronomy because of its 
plainly-worded articles, and it will be helpful to 
the student or amateur observer. It is the only 
publication of the kind in the United States. 

OFnoERS OF (iAELETON COLIiEBE. 

BoAUi) OF Trustees. — Rev. Richard Hall, St. 
Paul; Hiram Scriver, Northfield; Rev. James W. 
Strong, Northfield; Miron W. Skinner, Northfield; 
Prof. J. L- Noyes, Faribault; David C. Bell, Min- 
nea]xilis; Chas. S. Hulbert, Minneajiolis; Rev. 
Edward M. Williams, Minneapolis; Hon. Harlan 
W. Page, Austin; Hon. William Wiudoiu, Winona; 
Rev. Henry A. Stimson, Minneapolis; Hon. Wil- 
liam R, Marshall, St. Paul; Daniel R. Noyes, Jr., 
St. Paul; Hon. C. E. Vanderburgh, Minneapolis; 
Rev. Cassius M. Terry, St. Paul: Cteorge M. 
Phillips, Northfield; Rev. L. H. Cobb, Minneapo- 
lis; Rev. David Burt, St. Paul; Rev. D. L. Leon- 
ard, Northfield; Rev. L. W. Chaney, Mankato; 
Willis H. Norton, Northfield; Rev. M. McO. Dana, 
D. D., St. Paul; W. S. Pattee, Northfield. 

Insrrdctous, '1881-82. — Rev. James W. Strong, 
D. D., President, and Professor of Mental and 
Moral Philosophy. 

Horace Goodhne, Jr., .\. M., Professor of Greek, 
and Priucipal of the Preparatory Department. 

Wm. W. Payne, A, M., Professor of Mathematics 
and Astronomv anil Director of the Observatory. 



414 



UISTOUY OF lilCE COUNTY. 



I\lis8 Margaret J. Evans, A. M., Precejitress, 
and Professor of English Literature and Modern 
Languages. 

Lyman B. Sjierry, M. D., Professor of Geology, 
Zoology, and Physiology. 

Kev. George Huntington, A. M., Professor of 
Logic and Rhetoric, and Instructor in Elocution. 

Miss Alice L. Armsby, A. M., Professor of 
Latin. 

Rev. Arthur H. Pearson, A. M., Professor of 
Chemistry, Physics, and Mineralogy. 

Rev. M. L. WillistoQ, A. B., Professor of Polit- 
ical Economy and History. 

Dwight C. Rice, Professor of Music. (Granted 
leave of absence for the year). 

Mrs. Mary R. Wilcox, Teacher in the English 
Course. 

Miss Susan A. Searle, A. B., Teacher in the 
English Course. 

Miss Alice M. Heald, Teacher of Instrumental 
Music. 

Miss Cora M. Nichols, Teacher of Vocal Cul- 
ture. 

Offk^eks. — Miss Anna T. Lincoln, Matron. 

Alfred W. Norton, Treasurer. 

W. S. Pattee, Loan Agent. 

George M. Phillips, Financial Secretary. 

Andrew Lee, Deputy Financial Secretary. 

CoNCLDSioN. — As a fitting close of this sketch 
of Carleton College, which to-day is so much larger 
than Harvard or Yale was at several times its age,an 
account of the closing exercises of the year 1882, 
from the local press, is printed here, and if changes 
in all that pertains to civilization are as radical 
for the next one hundred years as has been wit- 
nessed in the last century, this will be rich read- 
ing to the graduates of that day: 

COMMENCEMENT DAT. 

The attractions of a beautiful June day added 
to the usual magnetic attractions of Commencement 
Day, brought together an immense multitude of 
people this morning, filling every inch of available 
space in the commodious audience room of the 
Congregational church. The room itself, attract- 
ive and pleasant in its appointments, was rendered 
especially so by elaborate floral decorations. The 
organ loft at the rear of the rostrum was a bower 
of beauty. Upon the organ, covered with ever- 
green, stood a large harp, also of evergreen, with 
golden harp strings, and on either side was a 
massive mound of foliage and flowers. At either 



side of the platform stood large masses of tropical 
leaves and blossoms. Above all was draped in 
letters of gold on a back-gound of blue the class- 
motto: "Noil Finita sell Bnita." 

Soon after the appointed hour, 10 o'clock, the 
members of the Board of Trustees and Faculty of 
the College filed to their seats upon the platform, 
whereupon Danz' orchestra struck up Wiegand's 
'•Popular Songs," and the exercises went on apace. 

Dr. F. A. Noble, of Chicago," in a fervent prayer 
invoked the Divine blessing upon the interests of 
education in general, upon the interests of Carle- 
ton College in particular, and upon the exercises 
of the day and those who in them close their col- 
lege days. 

At the close of the prayer. Governor Hub- 
bard, Professor Kiehle, and Rev. E. S. Williams of 
Minneapolis, were led to seats upon the ])latform 
amid applause. 

In well-chosen Latin periods Miss Mary E. 
(Trittiin said in turn to the audience, the President 
the Trustees, the Faculty, her class-mates and col- 
lege-mates, ■eon fudutamim. 

The first oration of the day was delivered by 
Byron Abbott, on "Democracy in Europe." Start- 
ing with the jjroposition "The history of the world 
is the history of liberty," Mr. Abbott traced the 
history of Democracy in Europe, showing the 
steady growth of principles of freedom. 

Selden Bacon in his oration endeavored to an- 
swer the question, "Will the French Republic En- 
dure?" Though finding some causes for fear, in 
the character of the people and the complicated 
political inheritance from the j)ast, Mr. Bacon con- 
cluded that the prospect was bright and bright- 
ening, and that the French republic will endure. 

Wuerst's "Under the Balcony," rendered by the 
string quintette, was followed • by the cration of 
Wm. T. Bill, who spoke of " The True Destination 
of Philosophy," and said in substance: The true 
object of philosophy is the ac([uisition of truth by 
a study of the facts of the universe without and 
the universe within, matter and mind, and a tra- 
cing of their causes. In the past much error has 
been associated with philosophy, but progressive 
philosophy is leaving its mistaken j)rinciples be- 
hind and advancing toward the ideal philosophy. 

" The Unknown God " was the thctne of the 
classical oration of Charles C. Wheelock. After 
referring to the scene in Athens where Paul waa^ 
inspired by the humble altar and its significant 



CITY OF ,MH;TII h'lEIJ). 



410 



inscription to deliver bis eloquent adiiress, the 
speaker developed the thought that the idea of a 
supreme being was universal among men. It lias 
m uiifested itself in various forms and phases 
among different nations, and finally in its true, 
form in the "Man of Nazareth." 

Areturus Z. Oonral argued that "Strong Con- 
viction is the Vital Element of Progre.ss " in his 
oration. The intinence of this mighty power 
makes itself felt upon individuals, developing in 
them sineerity,decision, courage, and independence, 
and has given us the heroes and martyrs of his- 
tory. It exerts its magic power upon society and 
intious, and causes revolutions and reformations, 
which mark the progress of mankind. 

The audience rested itself by rising while the 
orchestra jjlayed the "Reign of Venus" waltz, after 
which Mr. Hale H. Cook orated in answer to the 
question, " For What Will Our Age be Remem- 
bered?" To XMY age, said he, much has been 
given, and of it much will be required. What is 
it which pre-eminently makes and is to make 
memorable our age? Ours is the age of develop- 
ment, past ages have been ages of discovery, this 
is the age of development. Its iuHuence is mak 
ing its stamp upon science, philosophy and mor- 
als of the age. 

Miss Emily M. Brown, in her philosophical 
oration, discussed " Mysticism," which she defined 
as a belief in a direct and immediate intercourse 
between man and his maker, as one of the many 
theories man has made in his search after and study 
of divinity and infinity. Mysticism and skepti- 
cism are the two extremes. The one believes too 
much, the other too little. Mysticism is scarcely 
less baneful than skepticism, and ought to receive 
the attention and opposition of champions of truth, 
not lies. 

"The Citizen of the Future " was the subject of 
an oration by William V. Powell. The advance 
of civilization is placing more and more responsi- 
bility upon the individual, the government of the 
future is to be the republic of ths present per- 
fected. The citizen of the future must be quali- 
fied tor his position and prerogative by the char- 
acteristics of integrity and honor. 

The orchestra held the audience spell-hound by 
the soft strains of the "Turkish Patrol," and there- 
upon Mr. Merrill A. Robinson held their attention 
-_ by his presentation of the "Mission of the Educa- 
tor." It is the privilege and duty of the educator 



to train and cultivate young and plastii; mdividu- 
ality, which is to play so important a part in soci- 
ety and government. He stands at the point where 
to start the rivulets which will soon become the 
groat rivers, and ho may and does, to a large ex- 
tent, dire?t their future course. 

Lynn C. Skinner portrayed the wonderful char- 
acter and career of Savouasola, the Italian re- 
former, whose noble struggle in life and death for 
principle and fellow men marks him one of the 
greatest martyrs of the world. 

The last oration of the day was that of William 
A. Selleck, who made " Historic Perspective " his 
theme. Greatness, he argued, is a relative term, 
circumstances, times, and conditions modify con- 
ceptions of things and events. In the historic 
perspective we see things in their true relations, 
nations in their' proper bearings. By forecasting 
the future perspective of our country many facts 
and features of our natural life are made to stand 
out bi'f(jre us more cl<>tirly. And now we turn to 
the narrower perspective of college life. 

The Valedictory. — Mr. Selleck addressed suc- 
cessively President Strong, the Board of Trustees, 
the Faculty, the citizens of Northfleld, and his 
classmates and schoolmates appro])riate w<irds of 
farewell, infusing into the common-place valedic- 
tory an unusual amount of good sense and good 
sentiment. 

Presentation of Diplomas. — After music liy 
the orchestra. President Strong, with the permis- 
sion of Professor Noycs, president of the Board of 
Trustees, presented the diplomas. To the follow- 
ing were given degrees of bachelor of arts: 

Byron Abbot, Kandiyohi. 

Seldeu Bacon, Norwich, Conn. 

William T. Bill, Northfleld. 

Areturus Z. Conrad, Sterling. 

Hale H. Cook, Leslie, Michigan. 

Merrill A. Robinson, Plainview. 

William A. Selleck, Owatonna. 

Lynn C. Skinner. Northfleld. 

Charles C. Wheelock, Mantorville. 

Emily M. Brown, Granger. 

Mary E. Griffin, Northfleld. 

Mr. Selleck also received a degree for complet- 
ing the literary course. 

To William P. Powell, of Medford, was awarded 
the degree of Bachelor of Science. 

The Master's degree was given to Mr. H. C. 
Wilson, who graduated in 1879, and has passed 
the recjuired examinations. 



41G 



n [STORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



The President stuteil that the Trustees had in- 
structed him to state that those who had com- 
pleted the Englisli course of the College should 
Lot take part in the commencement exercises or 
receive degrees. He then presented to Misses 
Esther E. Adair, of Owatonna, and Ruth E. Reed, 
of Lime Springs, Iowa, certificates of graduation 
in the English course. 

The Award or Pk[zes. — Next in order was the 
announcement of the prizes, which were made by 
the Chairmen of the committees, who acted as 
judges. Rev. Mr. Kendall, of Northfield, after a 
few interfating and amusing remarks, presented to 
C. D. Decker, of the senior prejjaratcry class, the 
jirize for the best declamation, and to P. E. Kent 
the prize for the best essay. 

Rev. Mr. Brown, of Owatonna, with pleasant 
words of congratulation and counsel, gave to E. 
K. Cheadle, of the junior class, the prize for the 
best argument in debate; to Mr. F. N. Dickson, of 
the freshman class, $10.50 of the freshman prize, 
and to Miss Clieadle the remaining .f8.50 of the 
prize. President Strong announced that the 
Reeve prize for perfect deportment and highest 
scholarship was awarded to Mi.ss Emily Brown of 
the senior class. 

Tlie exercises, which were throughout more than 
usually interesting, were concluded with the bene- 
diction pronounced by Prof Kiehle, State superin- 
tendent of jjublic instruction. 

Each of the speakers, (m leaving the stage, re- 
ceived numerous tokens of regard in the shape of 
beautiful bouquets. 

The Dinneb. — Immediately after the exercises 
at the church a large number of invited guests, 
including tlie graduating class, trustees, faculty, 
alumni, and friends, repaired to the dining room 
at the Ladies' Hall. Here they found tables well 
laden with good things, to winch they did ample 
justice. The feast was elaborate in all its parts 
and Pet and served in attractive Rtyle. 

As soon as a moderate degree of order could be 
secured. President Strong said it was time for the 
intelltctual fea.st to begin, and called Prof. Noyes 
to the chair, who, after a few remarks, expressing 
his satisfaction in the exercises of the day and his 
gratification at the prospects of the college, in- 
vited Rev. E. M. Williams, of Minneapolis, to pre- 
side over tlie exercises. Mr. Williams made a 
siiort sharp si)eech, and in turn called on Prof^ 
Ki(>hle, (ien. Ncttleton, (lov. Hubbard, Rev. M. 



W. Montgomery, and Dr. Noble, of Chicago, who 
each responded with striking felicity, keeping 
those present in a constant state of laughter. The 
general tenor of the remarks was highly com- 
mendatory of the e.tercises of the day, and con- 
gratulatory of the college on its prosperous pree- 
ent, and hopeful future. Ex-Gov. Pillsbury said, 
" T congratulate the state of Minnesota on having . 
such an institution as this within its borders. I 
am officially related to the State University and 
believe in it and rejoice in its prosperity; but not 
more than I do Carleton College on its marvelous 
success. There is an abundant field for both in- 
stitutions. With one exception I have attended 
every such anniversary exercises at Carletim Col- 
lege since the beginning, and have watched with 
increasing interest and pride its steady growth, 
and witness to-day's exercises with keen pleasure." 

I liave been greatly pleased with what I have 
seen and- heard to-day, said Prof. Kiehle; for I see 
here the growth and fruits of Christian education. 
This institution Ijears an important relation to the 
educational work in the State. I believe in the 
State University, but I believe in Carleton College 
also, and think there is ample room for both to do 
great things. 

Dr. Noble said he had noticed a general ten- 
dency among educators in the West to dwell up<m 
the advantages of small colleges; but he advised 
those who speak of and for Carleton College not to 
argue on this line, but to expect of the college 
great things. The prospect is that this institution 
is to be one of the great educational centers of 
the Northwest, great in its resources, in its influ- 
ence, in its numbers, and in all things. 

For the fii'st time speeches were called for and 
given by a number of the alumni, who told their 
regard for the Alma ^tlltel\ and their joy in her 
jirosperity. 

This was one of the most enjoyable features of 
the anniversary exercises, and all dispersed with a 
feeling of personal satisfaction and pride in the 
young institution under whose auspices they 
had met. 

The Pkesident's Reception. — In the evening 
the president's reception took place at the residence 
of Mrs. Norton. A large number of ladies and 
gentlemen connected with and interesi,3d in the 
college, accepted President Strong's invitation 
and passed an unusually pleasant evening. 

TiiEiit PitosPEGTS. — The graduating class is 



CITY OF XOUTiniRLD. 



417 



miido up of strong material and commouce life 
uuiler favoral>Ie auspices. So far as they know at 
present their several prospects are as follows: 
Courad will enter the Union Theological Semi- 
nary, New York, in the fall; Miss Brown will go 
to Japan, under the aus)iicos of the A. B. 0. F. 
M., as principal of a ladies' school, known as the 
" Kobe Home." Mr. Bacon intends to study law 
in Yale law school; Messrs Abbott and Bill will 
read law somewhere in the West; Mr. Kobinson, 
MissGrifHu, and Miss Adair will teach for a while; 
Mr. Cook, after teaching for a time will prol)ably 
study law. Miss Eeed expects to make a further 
study of music. Mr. Selleck will teach a year, 
then take up the study of law; Mr. Skinner will 
eventually go into the banking business; Mr. 
Powell purposes going into business in Wisconsin; 
Mr. Wheelock intends for the most part to ]5ursue 
linguistic studies at Y^ale." 

beligious. 

First Congregational Ohueoh op North- 
field. — On a Sunday afternoon in September, 
1854, Elder Cressey, a lUiptist missionary, 
prfeached in an unfinished log house of Aleseuder 
Stewart which all the Congregationali.sts were glad 
to attend. On the 10th of June, 1855, Rev. Ricli- 
ard Hall preached in the same place, and on the 
1st of August there were services in the cabin of 
Thomas H. Olin. In May, 1856, Eev. J. R. Barnes 
visited Northfield and found a few Congregra- 
tionalists. and on the 15th held service in the fore- 
noon in a half built house, afterwards Jenkins' 
Tavern, and in the afternoon another meeting was 
held and the importance of starting right was 
urged in relation to religious matters particularly. 
At that time there was no plastering in the houses, 
or fences in the fields. During the summer a 
sclioolhouse was built, and there were services 
imce in two weeks or so. At that time there were 
but eleven Congregational churches in existence 
in Minnesota, six of them being organized that 
summer. A council was called on Saturday, the 
30th of August, 1856, to regularly organize the 
church. There were no delegates present and but 
two ministers. Rev. J. R. Barnes and a chance 
visitor. Rev. Josejih Peckham from Massachusetts, 
and the next day the church was duly organized 
with twelve members. ' Mr. Barnes continued until 
May, 1857. Rev. Joseph 8. Rounce then located 
here and remained six years. 

In 1858, there was a revival and fourteen joined 
27 



the church. In 1860, there were thirteen who 
withdrew to form a church in Waterford. The 
Sunday-school and the prayer meetings were union 
at this time. The little l)anil struggled on up to 
February, 1862, meeting in the schoolhouse and 
Methodist church. 

By. a great effort a church fund was got up 
amounting to $1,100, and a church was erected 
24x40 feet and when compl(>ted was made free 
from debt. The next summer a $00 melodion was 
purchased and the event was looked upon as an 
evidence of prosperity and progress most encour- 
aging. In 1863, Mr. Rounce removed from North- 
field and there was no pastor. Rev. J. G. Wilcox, 
the Baptist minister, and the evangelist, Rev. H. 
H. Morgan, supplying the pulpit. Eev. E. P. 
Hammond, the revivalist, was also here for a sea- 
son and forty members joined the church, and the 
thirteen who went to the church at Waterford re- 
turned. That year the increment to the church 
amounted to ninety-two souls, and after a greater 
or less dependence for eight years upon the Home 
Missionary Society, it became self-supporting. 

On the 5th of April, 1864, Rev. Edwin S. Wil- 
liams, just from Oberlin, Ohio, came, and his ordi- 
nation followed on the 10th of June. In 1865, 
the church was enlarged by the addition of twenty 
feet, and a bell, the gift of eastern friends, was 
hung up. In 1867, another enlargement was 
made by an east wing 20x22 feet, and costing 
.$1,000. In 1868, a west wing of like size was 
added. 

In 1866, the State Conference located Carletou 
College here, and thenceforward the church and 
the college have had a propinquity which has been 
mutually advantageous, as it has been intimate, 
cordial, and helpful. Rev. J. W. Strong was in- 
augurated as president of the college in 1870. Mr. 
Williams continued his pastorate for six years re- 
signing in May, 1870. In June, 1872, R jv. James 
A. Towle was chosen pastor and broke the bread 
of the word to this people until the 1st of April, 
1875. The evangelist. Rev. Mr. Cadwallader, was 
here in the winter of 1874 and '75. 

The plan of weekly offerings was adopted in 
1875, and has proved successful. President Strong 
preached until Rev. D. L. Leonard came, in July, 
1875, and he resigned in July 1881. 

On the 19th of May, 1880, the church was 
burned, and measures were at once taken to i-e- 
build, a site being secured in a beautiful location 



418 



HISTOnr OF lllGE COUNTY. 



nearly opposite the public school building. A 
most elegaut church was erected in a modern style, 
which has ample seating capacity, is well heated 
and ventilated, and most admirably adojjted for 
church purposes, at a cost of over $20,000. 

Kev. Heniy L. Kendall was called to become 
pastor on the 18th of November, 1881. 

The membership of the church at the present 
time is 323. When it was organized there were 
eight members, as follows: Moses Porter, Mrs. 
Moses Porter, Ammi M. Nichols, Mrs. Lucie A. 
Nichols, Daniel W. Kingsley, Allen N. Nour.se, 
Thomas H. Olin, and Mrs. Sarah Olin. This little 
band of Christians must indeed liave had extrava- 
gant expectations if in that day of small things 
they could have anticipated the condition of the 
church and its surroundings that we now behold. 

A list of those who have been clerks of the so- 
ciety is here appended: Allen N. Nourse, Myron 
W. Skinner, Joseph H. Spencer, Horace Goodhue, 
James J. Dow, Henry S. French, Mrs. Nellie L. 
Bunker, and the present clerk Miss Emma Whea- 
ton. On account of tliis being the home of Carle- 
ton College this church must continue to be the 
leading one in town. 

Methodist Episoor.4.L Church. — The first meet- 
ings in this vicinity were lield in the house of BTr. 
Larkins, three miles south of Northfield on the 
road from Hastings to Faribault, on the '24th of 
July, 1855, by Dr. John L. Scjheld, a local 
preacher from Racine, Wisconsin. Kev. Mr. 
McKenzie, from Illinois, also preached for some 
time at Mr. Larkins', at Cannon City, and other 
j^laces. At the Wisconsin Conference, in the au- 
tumn of 1855, Rev. T. M. Kirkpatrick was ap- 
pointed to the Cannon River Mission, which 
extended from the mouth of that river westward. 

Early in September the meetings were held here 
in the house of Joseph Drake, and also at Foun- 
tain Grove. The first (piarterly meeting was held 
on the 1st of December, 1855, at James McGinnis' 
residence. In February, 1856, Mr. Kirkpatrick 
was ap))oiuted ])residing elder. Dr. Sohofield was 
appointed a leader of the class which was formed 
with seventeen members. When the schoolhouse 
was built, in 185(5, Rev. William BlcKiuley 
preached at the several appointments, and by 1859, 
about 100 members and probationers were gathered 
within the circuit. At this time a board of trus- 
tees was appointed ami a lot jjrocured, and ar- 
rangements made to build a cliurch, which was 



completed in 1859. Its location was several blocks 
southeast of the present edifice. Among those who 
were stationed here were the following Reverend 
gentlemen: Thomas Day, J. Stagdill, T. W. Rich- 
ardson, G. W. Bennett, J. M. Rogers, under whom 
a debt of «500 was paid, S. J. Sterrett, J. W. 
Martin, now presiding eliler of Mankato district, 
which brings it up to 1870, when Noel Lathrop 
followed and T. M. Gassart, W. W. Park, S. G. 
Gale, G. R. Horr, and Levi Gilbert, the present 
pastor. A parsonage was built at an early day. 
Tlie new parsonage was built in about 1875, and 
the new church erected so as to be occupied on the 
first floor in 1878, at a coat of over $8,000. There 
are about 200 members and a Sunday-school of 
100. The main audience room of the church is 
now in process of completion. 

MoE.\vi.\N Chuech. — It is claimed that this 
church originated in Moravia and Bohemia as long 
ago as in 1415, having been started by John Huss 
as a schism from the Catholic church, and thus 
antedating the Lutheran. 

In 18(59, this society was organized in North- 
field, there having been service for some time 
previous. The church is on Division street, and is 
a neat structure. Among the clergymen who have 
administered to this little flock may be named, 
Kev. C. L. Reinke, Rev. D. Z. Smith, and Kev. 
Ernst Schwartze. 

All S.vintr' Epis('opal CnrKCH. — The first 
remembered service in this belief was at the house 
of Harley D. White, on the 9th of March, 1856, 
and in the evening there was another service, and 
one infant was baptized. Services were occasion- 
ally held by Rev. R. J. Lloyd Breck, Kev. D. P. 
Sauford, and others from Faribault. On the 1st 
of November, 1858, the parish was organized, and 
there was service by Rev. Mr. Breck, Rev. S. W. 
Manney, and students from the Divinity School at 
Faribault. The first visit of the Bishop was on 
the 26th of February, 1860. Rev. Solomon 
Stevens Burleson oBiciated from the 3d of Jan- 
uary, 1864, until September, when he was or- 
dained into the priesthood and became Rector, 
and weekly service was afterwards held. On th ^ 
22d of March, 1865, a lot was purchased of Sam- 
uel Wing and deeded to the Seabury Mission. 
Tlie edificfe was begun in May, 1866. The sum uf 
•■SI, 100 was raised, and the building was ready 
for service that winter. The consecration took 
place on the 11th of April, 1867. Right Rev. 



CITT OP NORTn FIELD. 



419 



H. B. Whipple and Rev. Edward R. Wells were 
present. A communion service was presented. In 
October, 18(58, means were raised to purchase a 
parsonage, which was done, and in November it 
was occupied. In 18(i0, the children of the Sun- 
day school began work to secure funds with which 
to procure a bell, and by September they had got 
together .$35. The citizens made up the balance- 
and on the 11th of October its peals rang out. 

Among those who liave been pastors here since 
that time, may be named : Rev. T. S. Pycolt. 
George B. Whipple, Rev. A. R. Graves, Rev. A. J. 
Yeater, Rev. J. Dudley Ferguson, Rev. George L. 
Chase, Rev. E. 8. Wilson, and A. W. Ryan. As 
to their having a pastor now can be judged from 
the reply received on asking A. O. Whipple, one 
of the leading members of the church, "What is the 
name of the pastor?"' he said he "did not know 
they had a pastor." 

Baptist Church. — The meeting held for the 
purpose of organizing was on the 27th of July, 
18.56, and the following jiersons constituted the 
membership: Charles F. Whittier, Mrs. Mar- 
garet A. Whittier, Joseph Harris, Ransom V- 
Smith, George W. Smith, Hannah F. Smith, and 
Alvah Cole. 

On the 27th of September following the organ- 
ization was completed; Elder Cressey was Mod- 
erator. 

At a meeting in October, the church was for- 
mally organized by the other churches of the 
same denomination already in existence within 
hailing distance. A third meeting was held on 
the 23d of November, when Elder Cressey was 
called as pastor, with a salary of ijlOd for one- 
fourth of his time for one year. On the 31st of 
March, 18.57, it was resolved to build a church. 

Rev. J. G. Wilcox came in April, 1858; he had 
been an agent of the American Baptist Home Mis- 
sionary Society at New York. He became pastor 
and succeeded in building the church which still 
stands. He remained until 1809, when Rev. T. R. 
Peters came and remained eleven months. 
According to the records, he was ordained on the 
24th of May, 1870. 

Rev. J. H. Wilderman was tlie pastor in 1872. 
Rev. S. S. Utter was afterwards pastor, and while 
here he was instrumental in building the parson- 
age, which was done in 1874 and '75, at a cost of 
about $2,000. Rev. John Rounds became pastor 
in March, 1869. There are now sixty members. 



There is a Sunday school with J. T. Wymau as 
the superintendent. 

St. Dominie-Roman Catholic— About the first 
service in the interest of this church was in 18G0, 
by Rev. Father Keller and Rev. Father Sheae, 
and the other priests up to 1882 have been. Rev. 
Father Ralph Hoose, Rev. James McGlone, and 
Rev. .John Pahein who came in 1875. The land 
was procnred and building begun in 18(50. Since 
the church was built it has received an addition, 
and there is a parsonage adjoining. Its location 
is on the west side. Rev. Mr. Paldm also has 
another charge, "the Church of the Annunciation'' 
located in Webster township. 

German Methodist. — The church where this 
congregation worships is on the west side of the 
river. The earliest services were held in about 
1856. The ministers who have labored here are: 
Rev. H. Hermsmyer, Rev. Charles P. Richster,Rev. 
Henry Schneicker, Rev. Henry Roth, Rev. Wil- 
liam Bucholz, Rev. William Reltered, Rev. Jacob 
Keller, and Rev. William Pogenhat, the present 
pastor. The church was built about 1876, at a 
cost of S2,000. The circuit embraces several 
other places, Prairie Creek, East Prairie, and 
others. There is a Sunday school under the 
superintendence of Michael Tramm. 

First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran 
Congreg.ation — St. Johannes. — Meetings were 
held in 1869, in the schoolhouse and 
in Thoreson's Hall, by Rev. N. A. Quam- 
men at irregular intei'vals. Since then at 
the German Methodist; and the Moravian Church 
was leased at one time. This congregation is 
closely connected with St. Olaf's School, Rev. Mr. 
IMohn being the present pastor. The church was 
built in 1881, at a cost of about $3,000. 

In 1877, the questi(m of temperance agitated 
this church, many meetings were held, and it was 
finally decided that those who habitually drink 
intoxicating beverages could not be admitted as 
church members. In 187G, the society joined the 
Svnod. Tliere is a membership of fifteen families. 

The Trustees are: O. T. Lysne, H. O. Gratf, 
anil Edwin Alfson; Treasurer, S. A. Siverts; 
Clerk, M. A. Boe. 

ASSOCIATIONS AND SOCIETIES. 

The Old Settlers' Association.— This club, 
which is a county society, an account of which 
appears in another part of this work, met in 
Northfield on the 26th of January, 1876, and the 



420 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



usual variety of exorcises were gone through \vith 
and Mr. H. Scriver, the Mayor, ilelivered an ad- 
dress, whieh is preserved here: 

" Selected by your Committee to open the cere- 
monies of this festive occasion, I feel like the boy 
on the Fourth of July morning who has the honor 
of firing the first anvil, a little nervous lest the noise, 
or the powder, or the anvil have would a disagree- 
ably elevating effect, and he come to some sad 
end, like a good many little boys doing their coun- 
try's duty. Nevertheless, like him, cheered on by 
the reflection that it will be the opening chorus to 
a good deal of thrilling music contributed by my 
friends and neighbors, and as the explosions of 
wit and humor, of tales of by-gone days, burst 
forth, rocket-like, from your well-filled memories' 
store, I will be amply repaid for the risk I take. 
And first I must congratulate you ujxm the day; 
a day to become dearer to us as the pleasant as- 
sociations are increased with the revolving years. 

A generous, whole-souled, large-hearted person 
must he or she have been who first conceived tiie 
idea of having a day set apart for the purpose of 
reviving the memories of the buried past, to con- 
tribute to the hearty cheer and good- will of the 
present. A day to lift us out of the slough of the 
cares and anxieties of this busy lite, and make us 
"O'er a' the ills o' life victorious." Farther 
north at a certain season of the year, as the sun 
sinks below the horizon, the aurora follows the 
circuit of tlie sky until the sun again bursts forth 
in all his glory of light and heat. So the recol- 
lections of this day will follow us as the year rolls 
around, and we will feel its influences and have its 
cheer to help us through many a dark moment of 
trial. 

We cannot have too much "oil of gladness" in 
tliis wearing, active life of ours, and it is a pleas- 
ing feature to lie noticed that the days of good 
fellowship and pleasant associations are on the in- 
crease among us. We may say of the day in the 
words of Burns: 

"But oil'd by thee, 
The wheels o" life go down the scrieven 
Wi' r.attlin' glee." 

In June, 1856, I came to the State (then Terri- 
tory ), riding in a stage from Hastings. As the 
prairies spread out before us in their living green, 
dotted with tlir wild rose and other flowers, was it 
any wonder that the lieartot the traveler from the 
barren hills of the East or the wilds of Canada, 
should leap for joy withiu him, and that he should 



feel that this is indeed a goodly land? And as we 
came over the hill east of the village, and the 
noble forest with that then magnificent grove of 
elms near the mill broke upon our view as the 
stage drove into the embryo city of Northfield, 
need you be surprised that I ordered my trunk 
taken ofi', and felt at last I had reached my jour- 
ney's end, and in old settler's parlance "stuck my 
stake." At that time the line of woods came down 
ujjon a line with the railroad track. The school 
section was furnishing wool and logs for the gen- 
eral public. The latter (the logs I mean) were 
sawed up at the old mill, standing where now 
stands the west side grist-mill. Tlie lumber so 
furnished was building up the town, and so fur- 
nished a salve to the consciences of those receiving 
its benefits. The skeleton balloon frames were 
being erected with great rapidity. The frames of 
the Jenkins and Cannon Eiver Houses were up, 
and Mr. North's, the most complete in the village, 
was a board house, battened and lined with cot- 
ton cloth, in which he and his family had spent the 
winter, standing about where Mr. Gress' shoe store 
stands, and is now the building occupied by Mr. 
liivins opposite the Lyceum. The grist mill was 
just enclosed, and under its shadow John Way 
and I threw out black bass with a spear a fast as 
we could handle them. The old bridge was a 
rude affair of bents and stringei's, swept away two 
or three times and replaced. There was a tradi- 
tion that floodwood was found on the line of this 
Division street, landed here by some great flood. 
Nothing so great has occurred in our day, al- 
though we have had some pretty ones. The grist 
mill furnished shelter for our first Fourth of July 
dinner. Many of you remember the basswood- 
jflank, one-story building, 20x30 feet, set on 
blocks, in which was the beginning of the mercan- 
tile interests of Northfield, now grown to such 
magnificent proportions. Perhaps you would not 
recognize it now in the two-story building owned 
by the corporation of Carleton College, and known 
by the significant name of " Pancake Hall," taken 
from the busy mart of commerce where it served 
an honorable purpose, and exalted to the higher 
duty of shelter and for the ga.«tronomic uses o'i 
those seeking knowledge under difficulties. 

The fir.st stock in trade amounted to tiie modest 
sum of .'{;500. A pale-faced youth who had seen 
too much in-door work for health, was its iiappy 
proprietor, and on the counter, as h.o made his bed 



a ITT OF NOUTll FIELD. 



421 



on a piece of cotton cloth, the favoring breezes 
blew over him between the shrunken phmks at the 
sides and the loose boards of the lioor, and bronglit 
health and vigor again. 

You remember the remarkable summer of "5(5, 
and for that matter every season is remarkable. 
The frequent and terrible thunder showers; how 
it seemed every night almost as though all nature 
was about to collapse. How the lightning played 
and the thunder roared and crackled, and the 
morning would c)])en clear and beautiful and na- 
ture with her face washed would smile again. 

At times during the night herds of cattle with 
no fear of the "cattle law" before them, would 
come down hungry for salt, and as the brine 
dripped through the opening floor from pork or 
fish barrel, the frail building would surge back 
and forth from their endeavors to reach it, till it 
seemed to its owner a question whether the cattle 
or the gentle breezes of the thunder showers 
would succeed first in toppling over his castle. 
Occasionally a venturesome calf would succeed in 
crawling under, .and then there was no more sleep 
from the rattling and the banging of the door 
boards till that calf was dislodged. Warned by 
these experiences, the new building has been sunk 
to the solid rock. A hen hatched her brood under 
one corner of the building, and asserting her right, 
female-like, to roost or ruin, would ascend the 
stairs in the quiet shades of evening, and at peep 
of dawn the owner was awakened by peep of 
chick, and the whole brood would come clamoring 
down the stairs and demand an exit. Animal life 
was active in getting a living. Even a little 
mouse, attracted, perhaps, by the goodly size of 
the young man's shoe, as affording sufficient stor- 
age for a winter's supply of food for the family, 
persisted several nights in succession in attempts 
to fill it with nuts. 

The first religious service that I attended was in 
old Mr. Drake's house, two miles smith. Dr. Sco- 
fleld officiating. When the schoolhouse on the 
east side of the village was enclosed, services were 
held there, and the good people came in to attend, 
drawn by the sure-footed slow locomotion of ox 
teams. The first debating club was organized and 
held there, and the first question on the board was 
"female suffrage." Thus early did this great 
question agitate the minds and hearts of this com- 
munity. It was difficult to find anybody to take 
the negative, for the male sex, especially, felt that 



the great necessity of the hour was the immigra- 
tion of the fairer sex. Young men and old liaclie- 
lors, therefore, were! spoiling to have women vote, 
and every inducement was oHered to get them 
here. The debating society grew, and a reading- 
room was formed and the upper portion of Skin- 
ner's store occupied, but it was soon felt that a 
building suitable to its needs must be had, anil the 
present Lyceum building and library was the re- 
sult. The long winter evenings were spent in 
debate, music, readings, original papers, etc. Of 
course we had some astonishing bursts of eloquence, 
for genius felt in this free air untrammeled. One, 
iu using a Bible illustration, spoke of the "Widow 
Cruse's jug of oil as unfailing. In s])eakiug of 
his musical acquirements he said, "I once liad no 
ear, no voice, but look at me now." A sufficient 
cause of encouragement iu the musical line to 
those who knew him. As we felt the necessity of 
the civilizing influence of music in our serai-savage 
state, a band of young men was formed, led by 
John Mullin, now of Faribault, who, differing 
somewhat from a certain long-eared gent, had more 
voice than ear for music, the principles of whom 
were that each should be an independent singer 
sing in his own key, and as loud as possible. Un- 
der the inspiration of a large and appreciative 
audience, when at the word that hopeful band was 
let loose on the expectant ear, it was like a thous- 
and bulls of Bashan, or a regiment of army mules. 
The efTect was terrific, and at the word "Halt!" 
they were finally stopped, and the stillness could 
be felt — a trifle. 8uch ancient lyrics as "Old 
Grimes," "The Battle of the Nile," etc., were ren- 
dered with stunning effect. Time hung heavy. 
Money and girls, two prime necessities of life, 
were scarce. Even a counterfeit bill was a prize 
to some, and the first financial principle I heard 
enunciated was, "Never refuse a counterfeit; I 
would rather have a counterfeit than a genuine, 
for it helps to make trade lively. Keep it circu- 
lating." A print'iple which, if faithfully foUowed, 
will no .doubt make it lively. If a sleigh ride was 
gotten up a sort of lottery was resorted to, and 
sorry was the poor wight who was not paired ott'. 
We have a tradition that the winters were cold 
in those days. Certainly the climate is changed 
now, but no doubt we were as often puzzled as the 
Irishman who, looking at the thermometer, said, 
"I have often wondhered how a little thing loik 
that should make it so cault in the wintlier and so 



422 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



warrum in in the summer." It is, I suppose, be- 
yond contradiction that in the winter of '56 it did 
not thaw on the south side of the house for three 
months. It is perhaps well to refresh our mem- 
ories in these mild and salubrious days with recol- 
lections of those severe winters which gave our 
State such a bad reputation East, and in which it 
is said we were oljliged to piece out our thermom- 
eters with broom handles in order to make a proper 
record. Mr. Jenkins had a boarder who froze his 
toes while asleep in bed with his feet near a win- 
dow, and there was quite a disturbance among the 
boarders in consequence of the smell of gargling 
oil used in healing the injured members. 

A more turbulent, roystering, good-natured, and 
withal complaining, whining crew, it would be diffi- 
cult to get together than were those boarding at 
the two hotels during those winters. Scant fare 
and tough beef were disguised blessings to stir 
their sluggish blood and keep things lively. But 
woe to the poor traveler who happened along. 
What their ingenuity could- not devise to annoy 
each other was visited upon him. While his at- 
tention would be attracted liy some one at his side 
at the dinner table his pie or cake, or any little 
delicacy, was fast disappearing down the capacious 
maw of a consjiirator at the other side. Overcoat 
pockets were visited and bottles, "contents not 
noted," was sure to be confiscated for the public 
good. At night he would wake up perhaps shiv- 
ering from the loss of a blanket, and the snoring 
occupants "f the field room would be entirely 
ignorant, of course, of the cause of his distress 
until the disturbance would bring the landlord to 
his relief. Toll was levied on the two enterprising 
young merchants, and there was a constant oscil- 
lation from one side to the other of these idlers. 

Ingenious devices wers used to distract the 
attention of the merchants, while a dip into the 
candy-box or nut barrel was made. • Nails were 
driven into the ends of sticks by which a bunch of 
raisins could be quietly "hooked." You see to 
what straits for employment and amusement many 
were driven. 

In tlie spring of '.57, when the river was at the 
flood, a young man ventured to go over the dam. 
In doing so, his boat swamped and he was nearly 
drowned. Upon being drawn upon the bridge, 
his landlord walked up to the almost lifeless body, 
and giving it a kick said, "I'll teach you not to go 
and drown yourself till you have paid me your 
board." 



In those halcyon days of steamboats, when rail- 
roads and railroad bonds did not trouble us, those 
of you who traveled, recollect how crowded they 
were, packed like herrings in a barrel, was a com- 
mon occurrence, when caliin floors, chairs, tables, 
and every available space and piece of furniture 
were put in requisition and covered by tired 
humanity. It was once my good fortune to obtain 
a room in company with a very corpulent German. 
Eetiring first, I took the lower berth, and was soon 
fast asleep. I did not awaken when he entered, 
but soon did so from a crash and the smothering 
effects of the upper berth upon me while the fran- 
tic struggles and great weight of my German 
friend soon made me aware of what had happened. 
He soon rolled off, however, and as soon as he 
could get the mattress off, my ears were greeted 
with the exclamations and question, "Mine CotI 
Mine Cot! ish you kilt?" Soon assuring him I was 
safe it no doubt took a great load off his mind, as 
he did off my stomach. 

But I must close my already too lengthy 
sketch. Do you realize that many of you have 
lived here one-fifth of the length of the life of 
this Nation. It seems short, but so it is. But the 
other day a light-haired youth was m.nrried who 
had not seen the light of day when you and I 
came here. A generation already past. It seems 
but the other day when the Indian trail could be 
tracked across the hill where now stands our Col- 
lege building. I believe but tew shadows have 
fallen across our pathway during the past year. 
Our number undiminished as we assemble again 
with unbroken ranks. A mercy of which we 
ought to be truly thankful, while it may be con- 
sidered a glorious tribute to the general healthful- 
ness of our climate. A kind Providence has certainly 
smiled upon us. Changes scarcely perceptible 
are constantly occurring with us. A few more gray 
hairs may be noticed perhaj)S, a little more stoop 
to the shonlders, a slight halting in the step, warn- 
ing us that change is upon us, and that it cannot 
always be so, but for present mercies let us be glad 
and rejoice, that we have been enabled to meet to- 
gether once more under such happy auspices." 

The Association met in Northfield on the Kith 
of February, 1882. The usual progromme was 
carried out, and speeches were made by G. W. 
Batchelder, Rev. A. Willey, Robert Watson, J. C. 
Cooper, Sherriff Barton, Gen. Nutting, D. H. Orr, 
Rev. WilHam Reynolds, F. W. Frink, Rev. L. Gil- 



CITY OF MillTIII-'IKLl). 



423 



bert, and others. A letter was received from Mrs. 
E. Hobbs which was read and highly appreoiated. 

Lyceum .Vssociation. — A i>nmiinent feature in 
early days was what is known under the above 
title, and oeeupied a eeutral position, as the citi- 
zens were so nearly shut out of the world tliat 
tiiey had to depend upon their own genius for 
sources of amusement. This society took i|uit(' a 
wide range, and the best talent of the place «a8 
called into requisition. A gratifying feature was 
the commingling of elements whicli were denomi- 
nationally antagonistic, as all shades of belief 
joined hands in sustaining the society. The 
early records are not visible, but the tradition is 
that it was called into being in 1858, and under 
its benign pressure a building was c nstructed. 
Weekly meetings were held in the regular season 
the fee for membership being iif2 at first, but af- 
terwards it was reduced one-half. 

The discussions which were held we-e character- 
ized by ability, originality, and often blended with 
eccentricity, leaving them long to be rememl;ered_ 
As the adherents of the various fonns of religious 
belief began to gather, each would get up social 
gatlierings by themselves, and the denominational 
entertainments took the place of this association; 
thus apathy necessarily resulted, and finally the 
meetings were discontinued. In 1878, the build- 
ing and the library that had been accumulated 
was transferred to the city. 

Soci.vL Lodge No. 48 — Masonic. — This was in- 
stituted on the 6th of October. 1864, with the fol- 
lowing first three oHicers: Charles Taylor, W. AI.; 
D. W. Whitney, S. W.; Felix Collett,"j. W. The 
regular communications are on the first and third 
Wednesdays of each month. 

The following lirothers have been masters of 
the lodge: Charles Taylor, H. W. Bingham, 
Morgan Emery, F. A. Noble, A. A. Keller, J. W. 
Murphy, and O. P. Perkins, the present master. 
The other officers are: H. L. Crittenden, S. W. ; 
Willis Eaw.son, J. W.; V). H. Lord, S. IX; S. L. 
Bushnell, T. 

Royal Arch Chapter — Corixthiax No. 33. — 
Was instituted on the 1st of March, 1877. The char- \ 
ter members were: C. N. Daniels, C. E. Rogers, 
L. k. Puller, J. D. Johnson, Peter W. Delaney, 
S. Raineri, H. J. Eldred, P. Collett, J. C. Haven. 

The meetings are on the second and fourth 
Thursdays in each month. 

The present officers are: H. K. Kelley, H. P.; 



H. L. Crutten, K.; B. P. Henry, S.; J. L. Black- 
man, Sec; John Hands, T. 

NoHTiiKiKi.n Lodge No. .50. — Odd Fei,lows. — 
There was a lodge instituted here before the war, 
but which surrendered its charter. 

The pi-esent lodge was instituted on the l.jth of 
Novemlier, 1875. The charter memb.'rs were: S. 
S. Dickinson, William H. Bennett, T. M. (lossard, 
Otis H. Taylor, John Lapp, Samuel W. Matteson, 
C. H. Miller, Peter Filbert, Henry EI.el, and W. 
O. Johnson. There are now .sixty members. The 
present officers are Cialen H. Coon, N. (r.; .1. A. 
Lawrence, V. G. ; James Morton, Secretary; S. 
Raineri, Treasurer. 

Orient Encampment No. 20. — The cliarter 
members of this body were: J. A. Lawrence, 
David Sibbesou, Seymour Finkelson, O. H. Tay- 
lor. John F. Hunter, William H. Bennett, I. B. 
Hodgson, Ross C. Phillips, Ira Sumner, Charles 
H.Miller, S. Raineri, William Ebel, and limry 
Riddell. The nights of meeting are on the first 
and third Thursdays of each month. 

The officers for the current term are: Henry 
Riddell, C. P.; G. H. Coon, H. P.; D. Sibbe.son, 
S. W.; P. Henderson, J. W.; S. Finkelson, S.; 
S. Raineri, T. 

Northfield Lodge No. 41 — Ancient Order 
OF United Wokkingmen. — The original members 
were: George A. Henry, E. Lockwood, George 

E. Bates, E. H. Springer, W. J. Sibbeson, E. J. 
Clark, Mason Wheeler, D. J. Whitney, W. N. 
Olin, and S. A. Morse. 

It has now a membersliip of twenty-two. The 
officers for the jiresent term are: James Kenney, 
M. W., E. Lockwood, P.; C. W. Mann, 6.; 

F. O. Rice, R.; C. A. Drew, T. 

Knights of the Golden Rule.— Institued on 
the 15th of August, 1879, with the following roll: 
H. S. Robinson. Joseph Cocayne, E. B. Carpen- 
penler. 

Yoi'NG Men's Ciihistian .Association. — This 
was first organized as a Students" Cliristian .Asso- 
ciation in 1874, with the following officers: Pres- 
ident, .1. J. Dow; Vice President, E. S. Ross; 
Treasurer, E. W. Young; Secretary, W. K. Mul- 
liken. 

The last meeting of this organizaticm was on 
:he 14th of .Tiine, 1879, when it was reorganized 
.inder the rules of the '-Young Men's Chris- 
tian Association." The present officers are: Pres- 
ident, Dr. Graves; Vice President, O. L. Robinson; 



424 



niSTORY OF mcB COUNTY. 



Treasurer, M. Wright; Secretary, Sarah T>. Steg- 
ner. A reading room well filled with periodicals 
is kept open down town. 

Good Templaks. — This institution was organ- 
ized on the 21st of September, 1881. Its meet- 
ings are on Tuesday evenings. 

The fraternal orders being rather popular at 
the present time, particularly where there is life, 
health, or accident insurance, there may be still 
others in town, as there is certainly quite an ex- 
tensive membership in outside companies. 

OLD TOWN HALL. 

This building was the first erected by the town 
for puljlic purposes, on Fourth street, and was us- 
ually called "Lyceum Building," as it was con- 
structed under the auspices of the Lyceum Asso- 
ciation in 1858. All the residents contributed to 
pay the -"JljOOO it is said to have cost. A library 
was also started by subscription, and kept accu- 
mulating through the means of festivals and en- 
tertainments iintil there were upwards of 400 
valuable volumes. The building is in a state of 
decay, and is occupied as a justice's office. 

WATEEFORD. 

Early in 1855, a town was laid out north of 
Northfield about two miles, just over the line in 
Dakota county. This was before Northfield was 
platted, and there was great rivalry between the 
new places, which amounted to animosity in some 
instances. This feeling between new towns which 
were springing all around, seemed to be general; 
each one seemed to feel that it could ouly tiourish 
at the expense of others. This town of Waterford 
was laid out by "Bobby Masters." He secured a 
Post-office and had it opened early that year, which 
might have been in the fall of 1854, or early the 
following year. One of the Atkin boys, whoever 
they were, was the Postmaster. The office was 
kept in an old trunk. Joseph Bills and Mr. Parch 
have been Postmasters. Mrs. Madison is the pres- 
ent Postmistress. The place now has about one 
hundred inhabitants, and of course is no longer 
a rival of Northfield. 

This place, although in Dakota county, is men- 
tioned for the good it has done and the good it is 
still doing as a place of trade for some of Bice 
county people. 



CHAPTER LIII. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Captain Jesse Ames was born at Vinal Haven, 
Knox county, Maine, on the 4th of February, 1808. 
He lived on a farm until fifteen years of age, then 
went to sea and at the age of twenty-three was 
master of a merchant vessel. On the 27th of Oc- 
tober, 1832, Miss Martha Tt>lman became his wife. 
She is a daughter of Thomas Tolman, of Bock- 
land, Maine. Mi's. Ames sailed round the world 
twice with her husband, who, after being captain 
of a vessel thirty years, made his last voyage in 
1861, coming from New Zealand to London, and 
thence home, after selling his vessel. Having a son 
in Minnesota, he visited the State and concluded 
to cast anchor here for life, and after two years 
spent in farming in the county, located in North- 
field. In October, 1864, Mr. Ames and his sons 
purchased the flouring mill at this place, and the 
" Northfield" brand of flour, made by Jesse Ames 
& Sous, and now by Jesse Ames' Sons, is in high 
repute. In 1868, Mr. Ames was in the Legisla- 
ture and was also a member of the Convention at 
Chicago, which nominated Grant the first term. 
He has two children; John T. and Adelbert. 

David Ames, a brother of Capt. Jesse Ames, 
was bom in North Haven, Knox county, Maine, 
on the 26th of June, 1819. He received a good 
education and taught school in the winter for 
thirteen or fourteen years. During the summer 
he coasted from Rockland to New York, having a 
vessel of his own a portion of the time. In De- 
cember, 1842, he married Miss Lucy Dyer, of his 
native phice, and they have four children; Char- 
lotte B., Hannibal Hamlin, John B., and Arthur 
H. In 1847 and 1850, Mr. Ames was in the Maine 
Legislature. In 1867, he came to this place and 
soon after engaged in his brother's flour-mill. He 
owns a farm of four hundred and seven acres on 
Prairie Creek, and a residence in the city. Has 
been Chairman of the Board of Supervisors three 
years. 

W. M. Berkman was born in Franklin county, 
Indiana, on the 29th of March, 1854, and the 4th 
of July following his parents came to Minnesota. 
His father enlisted in the army, leaving his family 
in Hastings, and in 1866, they removed to Min- 
neajjolis and soon after to St. Paul, where the 
father still resides, being one of the leading vet- 
erinary surgeons in the State. In 1878, our sub- 
ject married Miss Daisy C. Williamson, the ■ cere- 



CITY OF NORTH FIKLD. 



425 



mony taking place the 5tb of September. Tn May, 
1880, be came to Northfield, and his profession is 
that of a veterinary surgeon and physician. He 
has two chiUlren; Jessie C, and Mildred May. 

Julius L. Blackman was born in Jericho, Ver- 
mont, on the 2(ltli of Novemlier, 1848. His par- 
ents were Wells and Fidelia M. Blackmau, and liis 
father was born in Connecticut but removed to 
Vermont in an early day. When Julius was four- 
teen years old the family moved to Northfield, Min- 
nesota, locating on section thirty-four, where our 
subject grew to manhood. He attended the com- 
mon schools for a time, and afterwards Carleton 
College. He learned the drug business with Con- 
ner & Miner, and in 1872, engaged in the latter 
business for himself, having since continued at 
the same. His wife was formerly Miss Clara B. 
MoCausland. They have two children, Jessie 
Marion and Henry Arthur. 

Daniel Bowe, a native of Genesee county. New 
York, and one of Northfleld's early settlers, left 
his native State when about thirty years of age, 
and went to Ohio, where for about ten years he 
was engaged in farming. In 1842, Miss Eveline 
Lord became his wife and in 18.J.5, they came to 
Northfield, locating in section seven. He read 
law here and was admitted to the bar in 1SG2, and 
until recently has continued in practice in this 
place. He is at present in Dakota Territory. Of 
a family of four children three are living: Ar- 
thur E., Daniel E., who lives in Sciota, Dakota 
county, and Mary, wife of E. J. Evans, of Fergus 
Falls. 

Arthur E. was reared on a farm and when 
twenty years old entered the office of Gordon E. 
Cole, of Faribault, with whom he read law for a 
time, afterwards with his father in this place, and 
then with R. Reynolds, at Detmit, in this State; 
was admitted to the bar and after three years 
at his profession went to Minneapolis. He 
practiced there for a time, then returned to North- 
field and formed a partnership with his father un- 
der the firm name of Bowe & Bowe, and is still in 
practice. He marrried Miss Hellie M. Henderson 
on the 1st of February, 1881. 

Benjamin R. Bauker, a native of New York, 
was born on the 24th of September, 1841, and re- 
moved with his parents to Jeflerson county, Wis- 
consin, when eight years of age. He worked at 
the carpenter trade tiU 1866, with the exception of 
one year spent in the army in thu First Wiscon- 



sin Heavy Artillery. He came to Northfield, and 
one year later removed to Collins, McLeod county, 
where he farmed and worked at his trade four 
years, then went to Lahetteo county, Kansas, re- 
mained one and a half years and in 1873, returned 
to Northfield and h.as given his attention to his 
trade. Mr. Barker has been twice married; first 
to Miss Henrietta Wood, who died after a year 
and a half of wedded lite. The maiden name of 
his present wife was Miss Eliza H. Curtis, Of 
three children born to him only one is living, 
Ethel P. 

Felix Collett, a native of lower Canada, was 
born near Montreal, on the 14th of August, 181.'5. 
Wlien sixteen years old he went to upper Canada, 
and for three years was engaged in the lumber 
business, then came to Ohio, remaining twelve 
years as clerk for the railroad and canal com- 
panies, and was also in the laud office. In 1849, 
he went to California, and after mining two years 
returned to Canada, wliere he engaged in lumber- 
ing aiul carpenter work. In 1855, he came to 
Minnesota, stopped in St. Anthony a few months 
and in December came to Northfield and first 
worked on the old mill, now standing on the east 
side of Cannon River. When it was completed he 
was employed in it and has remained there ever 
since. Mr. Collett has been married twice. His 
first wife was Miss Rebecca Batson and she bore 
liim three children, only one of whom is living, 
Nelson T. His present wife was Miss Jane Chis- 
holm. 

Hiram L. Coon, M. D., was born in Grafton, 
New York, on the 25th of August, 1828, and 
reared to agricultural pursuits. He removed with 
his parents to Milton, Rock county, Wisconsin, 
when twelve years of age, received an education 
at the common schools, Milton Academy, and 
Rush Medical College in Chicago, from which he 
graduated in 1854. He commenced the practice 
of his profession in Rutland, Dane county, Wis- 
consin, where he was married in 1855, to Miss 
Sarah Morton, daughter of Roger Morton. In 
1856, he removed to Austin, this State, and in 
1861 to Northfield, where he Las been in con- 
stant practice since, giving especial attention to 
surgery. He is a member of the State and also 
of the American Medical Societies; was County 
O(.)rouer several years. His children are Galen H., 
an attorney at this place, and George M., attend- 
ing medical lectures at Rush Medical College, in 
Chicago. 



426 



HISTORT OF RICE COUNT r. 



Galen H. Coon, a native of Rutland, Wisconsin, 
dates bis birth the 21st of August, 1856, and 
came with his parents to this place. He first at- 
tended the common scliools, then was a pupil at 
Carleton College and later at the State University 
of Wisconsin, graduating from the law depart- 
ment and was admitted to the bar at Madison in 
1880. On the 29th of December, 1875, Miss Jen- 
nie S. Bush became his wife. They have had two 
children, both of whom are dead. Mr. Coon has 
continued at his profession here and is the City 
Reorder, elected in March, 1882. 

Arthur W. Dampier was born in Meriden, 
Steele county, Minnesota, on the 3d of June, 
1859. He is a son of Edward Dampier, former 
proprietor of the Dampier House, who in 1878, 
rented Archer's Hotel, which he conducted till the 
20th of July, 1880, when he was succeeded by his 
son, Arthur W. The house is a four-story brick, 
containing about fifty rooms and is a first-class 
hotel. Mr. Dampier was married on the 12th of 
October, 1881, Miss Augusta M. Kiddell being his 
bride. 

H. D. Davis was born in Dodge county, Wis- 
consin, in February, 1847, and came with his 
parents to Minnesota when eight years of age, lo- 
cating in East Prairieville, Rice county, where he 
grew to manhood and received a common school 
education. He engaged in farming in the latter 
place but in 1871, went to St. Paul, where he en- 
gaged in a meat market for one year, then came 
to Northfield and carried ou the same business. 
He was joined in matrimony in 1877, with Miss 
Eliza Spencer, a native of Vermont, born in 1847, 
He is now engaged in the livery business, under 
the firm name of Davis & Hibbard. 

EzEKiEL C. DwiNEL was bom in Newport, Sul- 
livan county. New Hampshire, on the 29th of July, 
1824. At the age of fourteen years he engaged 
to work in a saw-mill, and two years later in a 
machine shop remaining in the latter five years. 
When twenty-one years old, he went to Claremout 
engaged at his trade, and in two years removed to 
Union village, Washington county. New York, 
where he remained three years, employed in manu- 
facturing jMiUs, then went to Port Edward. In 
1848, Miss Louisa Tanner became his wife, the 
ceremony taking place on the 20th of Ainil. In 
1856, he came to Nortlitield and the first work he 
did was on the second frame house on the east side 
of the river, thou was employed on the mill being 



built by Mr. North where the floiar mill now 
stands. After its completion he worked in it for 
a period of four years and the following six years 
was in the employ of Linus Pox in his machine 
shop and foundry. In 1866 or '67, in company 
with Frank Wyman, he built a j^laning mill and 
sash, door, and blind factory, which they operated 
about five years, when it was destroyed by fire, 
the loss being $15,000 and no insurance. He then 
built a small planing mill to which he added a 
feed mill, which he conducted till 1875, then sold 
to S. P. Stewart and went to his native town on a 
visit. He returned in the fall, worked for Mr. Fox 
until 1877, then went to the Black Hills and run a 
quartz mill for a Minneapolis firm one year, since 
which time he has been in the employ of the Ames' 
as machinist and engineer. He had one son, 
Charles C, who died at the age of seventeen years. 

Willard E. Ensign was born in Wood county, 
Wisconsin, on the 23d of November, 1859, and 
when two years old removed with his parents to 
Wabasha county, Minnesota, and ten years later 
to Redwood county, where our subject lived 
till 1879. He then came to this place and was a 
student at Carleton College two years, and in 
March, 1882, formed a partnership with C. F. 
Whittier for the manufacture of the Cooley 
Creamer, in which business he is now engaged. 
Miss Anna M. Shufeldt became his wife on the 
12th of June, 1882. 

F. FiNKELSON was born in Racine, Wisconsin, 
in 1855, and remained there until fourteen years of 
age, then came to Minnesota and located in North- 
field, where he grew to manhood. He first at- 
tended the common schools and finished his edu- 
cation in Miimeapolis, afterwards clerked in the 
general merchandise store of E. Lockwood and 
later became a partner in the same store. Mr. 
Lockwood retired from business in the spring of 
1882, and the firm is now Finkelson Brothers & 
Alfson. He was married in 1877, to Miss Minnie 
Gress, a daughter t)f C. W. Gress. They have 
been blessed with three children; (irace, Emme- 
liue, and Charles. 

LiNfs Fox was born in Oswego county, New 
York, in 1828, and reared on a farm. When six- 
teen years old he removed with his parents to 
Lenox, in the same State, where he gx3\v to man- 
hood and received a common school education. 
He learned tlie trade of a moulder and followed 
that business until 1859, when he came to Minue- 



CITY OF SdUTll FIELD. 



427 



sota, located in Nortbfield and built the first foun- 
dry in the place which he still carries on in 
company wilh S. T. Forris, having a niachiueshop 
iu connection with the foundry. Mr. Fox was 
married in his native county in the spring of 1853, 
to Miss Mary L. Palmer. He has been Justice of 
the Peace two years. 

Henry S. French, a native of Stockton, Maine, 
was born on the 14th of September, 1 843, and spent 
the first fourteen years of his life on his father's 
farm. The confines of the land became too narrow 
for his enquiring mmd and he engaged as cabin 
boy on a sliip, worked his way up until at the age 
of twenty-two he was master of a merchant vessel, 
sailing between the United States, West Indies, 
and Europe. When twenty-eight years old he 
sold the vessel of which he was a part owner at 
Boston, and in 1872, came to Northfleld, where he 
engaged in the furniture business. On the 25th 
of April, 1871), he was appointed Postmaster and 
still holds the same position. 

L. F. Gordon is a native of Guernsey county, 
Ohio, and dates his birth the lOth of February, 
1851. In 1858, his parents came to Rice county 
and located on a farm near the village of Dundas, 
where his mother still resides, his father having 
died the 2d of April, 1882, and is buried iu North- 
field cemetery. Mr. Gordon makes his home in 
Northfield at present. He owns a farm of three 
hundred and twenty acres in Stevens county, one 
containing one hundred and sixty acres in Murray 
county, and one of the same size in Grant county. 
On the 11th of May, 187ti, he married Miss Mary 
L. Kouuce, a native of Rice county. They have 
two children: Edith E. and Eldora. 

H. C. Grcss, a native of Germany, was born in 
1847. He grew to manhood in his native country, 
received a common school education and learned 
the cabinetmaker's trade. He came to Chicago in 
1871, worked at his trade nine years, then was in 
the furniture business, and in 1881, came to North- 
fleld where he has a furniture store. He was mar- 
ried in 18C5, to Miss Sarah Braudes, a native of 
St. Peter, Minnesota, the marriage ceremony tak- 
ing place at Rock Island, Illinois. He is t!:e 
father of four children, three of whom are living; 
Albert, Annie, and Emma. 

Franklin Hodoe was born in Madison county. 
New York, on the 25th of September, 1831, and 
grew to manhood on a farm. When eighteen years 
of age he was obliged to depend on his own re- 



sources. On the 21st of April, 18(i4, married Miss 
Mary Jane Avery, who was born in Perryville, 
New York. The same year he came to Minnesota 
and now owns a farm in Dakota county and a 
beautiful residence and grounds in the city of 
Northfield. His father died on the 3d of Jidy, 
1850, and his mother when he was but a few 
months old. 

J. A. Hunt was born in Franklin county, Mis- 
sissippi, iu 1823, and grew to manhood in his 
native State, receiving a common school education. 
He learned the tanner's trade and remained at 
home oa a farm until twenty-two years of age, 
then removed to Readsborough, Vermont, where 
he was married a few years later to Miss M. L. 
Hicks, who is a native of Vermont, born in 1825. 
H*e removed to Minnesota in the spring of 1856, 
and located in Northfield, where he opened a meat 
market, the first in the place. He was in that busi- 
ness seven years, then opened a grocery store, 
which he has since continued with the exception 
of two years. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt have had three 
cliildren, two of whom are living, Hiram and Wil- 
liam. 

A. C. Hammang is a native of Spring Prairie, 
Wisconsin, born the 27th of June, 1848, and came 
with his parents to this State in 1854. They lo- 
cated in Dakota county where they remained 
until their death. Our subject came to Northfield 
in September, 1859, and learned the trade of a 
bhicksmith, at which he has been employed until 
recently. He is now in company with .Jacob 
Diehl and conducts a meat market. Mr. Hammang 
was married in February, 1872, to Miss Mary A. 
Nash, a native of New Jersey. They have four 
children; John W., Elizabeth May, Emma Adelia, 
and Frank L. He owns a good residence and lot 
iu the city. 

Hiram A. Hunt, a native of Vermont, was born 
in Bennington, on the 27th of November, 1855, 
and while still an infant removed with his parents 
to Northfield. He received his education at the 
common schools and Carleton College, and was 
subsequently employed as clerk in a mercantile 
bouse. He was engaged in the insurance business 
for three years and has since been bookkeeper for 
Ames & Archibald. 

John Handy is a native of England, born on 
the 11th of November, 1846, and emigrated to 
Canada when ten years old. In 1861, he removed 
to Pennsylvania, where he worked at the milling 



428 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



business two years, then came to Dundas and was 
in the employ of the Archibalds in the mill until 
1871. He then came to Northfield and with the 
exception of one year spent in California, was in 
the employ of the Ames' until 1876, then became 
a partner in the firm, having charge of the mill. 

William E. Hihbard was born in the town of 
Orwell, Rutland county, Vermont, on the 12th of 
October, 1851, and removed with his parents to 
Dakota county, Minnesota, in 1855. They en- 
gaged in farming in Waterford, and William, when 
twenty-one years old, engaged with W. Gould in 
Minneapolis in selling farm machinery. In 1876, 
in company with D.wight Bushnell, he opened a 
liverv stable and agricultural house, but disposed 
of it in a few years, and since October 25th, 1881, 
hiis been with H. D. Da^ns in the livery business, 
under the firm name of Davis & Hibbard. They 
own a fine two-story brick veneered building 
33x110 feet with forty stalls. He married Miss 
Fraukie Bushnell on the 26th of January, 1881, 
and they have one child, Ella L. 

Elias Hobbs was born in Bfuton, Lackawanna 
county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of February, 
1830. His father died when Elias was six years 
old, and he made his home with his grandfather 
ten years, when the latter also died. Oar subject 
then learned the stone mason's trade and after- 
ward became a student of Hartford University in 
Sus((uehauna county. He then engaged in sur- 
veying and in 1855, came to Hudson, Wisconsin, at 
which place and Eiver Falls he spent the winter. 
In the spring of 1856, be removed to Northfield 
and has since been engaged in surveying and real 
estate business. He has been Deputy Sherifl' at 
different limes, and was in the Legislature in 1873. 
He married Miss Emeline Stowell, a daughter of 
Hammon Stowell. The issue of the union is three 
children; Arthur C, Walter S., and Emily W. 

.TonN HxiNTRit was born in Dumfries county) 
Scotland, on the 29th of May, 1826, and came to 
Canada with his parents in 1831. They located 
near Cornwall, where they resided till their death. 
In 184il, our subject married Miss Jane Fergu- 
son. In 1855, tney came to Minnesota, locating 
iu Dakota county, where they resided four years, 
then moved to Faribault, and in November, 1869, 
came to this city, where he has a fine residence 
and also owns a farm in the township. Mr. 
Hunter has ;i family of seven children: John F., 
Jane M., Barbara" A., William H., Eliza H.. 
Stephen A., and Marietta. 



LoEL B. HoAG was born in Bristol, Vermont, 
on the 19th of January, 1830, but moved to west- 
ern New York with his parents while in his fifth 
year, and was reared on a farm. When twenty 
years old he learned the carjienter's trade, and al- 
ternated between that, school teaching, and at- 
tending school till 1856, when he came to Roch- 
ester, Minnesota, and engaged at bis trade. In 
the fall of 1857, he removed to Cannon Falls, and 
with his lirother, R. A. Hoag, began the publica- 
tion of a newspaper. In April, 1858, they moved 
the printing office to Northfield and published a 
pnper several years. In August, 1862, he enlisted 
in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry as 
First Lieutenant, and was mustered out as Cap- 
tain three years later. He returned to Northfield 
and on the 21st of May, 1856, married Elizabeth 
Beach. They have had three children, two of 
whom are still living; Nellie E. and Lillian M. 
Poor health prevented him from working at his 
trade, so.as an experiment,in 1870,he moved on his 
farm in the township of Northfield, but continued 
declining health compelled him to leave it 
after a stay of five years, and he returned to the 
city, where he still resides, but iU health has pre- 
vented him from engaging in any business isince. 

Benaiah M. James was born in Nortbwood, 
Rockingham county, New Hampshire, on the 2d of 
Deceml)er, 1824, and lived in his native place 
until fifteen years old, receiving such an education 
as could be obtained at the common schools. In 
1849, he married Miss Mary D. Haynes, of Deer- 
field, New Hampshire, and for several years was 
engaged in the wholesale and retail business, carry- 
ing a stock of fancy dry goods and confectionery. 
In 1854, he removed to Wisconsin, and in 1855, 
came to this State, locating near Rosemount, Da- 
kota county, remained sis or seven years, subse- 
quently removiug to St. Anthony, the schools be- 
ing the main inducement. In 1866, he came to 
Northfield, where he has a farm of sixty-five acres 
within the present city limits, building a cheese 
factory iu 1871, which was one of the first enter- 
prises of the kind in the place, and conducted the 
same until recently. He has had five children, 
four of whom are living; his son Willis A. being 
Deputy County Treasurer of Hennepin county. 
Mr. James was elected to the State L-^gislature in 
1874, by the Republican party. 

CAPTAIN Ddren F. Kelley was born in New- 
port, New Hampshire, on. the 16th of November 



CITY OF NORTIIFIELD. 



429 



1839, and came to Nortlifii'kl in 1855. He wiis a 
Btudeut in Hamlin University in 18G0 and '(!!, and 
in August, 18(i'2, enlisted in tlie Seventh Minne- 
sota Volimteer Infantry. Marched to the relief 
of Fort Kidgely against the Indians; participated 
in the battle of Wood Lake on the 23d of Se])tem- 
ber, the capture of "Red Iron's" camp a few days 
later, and the release of bis white captives; was 
with Gen. Sibley's expedition against the Sioux to 
the Missouri in 1803; went south with the regi- 
ment in September, and was appointed A. A. Q. M. 
and A. C. S., and served at Marganzie, Port Hud- 
son, and Baton Rouge, Department of the Gulf. 
Capt. Kelley was mustered out in the winter of 
18(57, after a continuous service of four years and a 
half. He married Emma I. Rounce, daughter of 
Kev. J. S. Rimnce, the first resident Congrega- 
tional minister in Northfield, the ceremony taking 
place on the 2d of February, 1863. Mr. Kelley 
took the tenth Government census for the city of 
Northfield in 188(1. He is iiow proprietoi- of the 
South-side dairy, conijjrising one hundred and 
sixty acres within the city limits, from which the 
town is supplied with milk. Mr. and Blrs. Kelley 
have one daughter, Eva I., born on the 2(lth of 
October, 18()l!, at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

A. F. KiNGM.VN was born in Massachusetts in 
1824, grew to manhood and received his educati<m 
in that State. He taught school two years, then 
engaged in running a wholesale notion wagom 
selling goods in different parts of the State twelve 
years. He was married in 1847, to Miss Marion 
Jenkins, who was bom i7i 1824. She biu'e him 
four children, only one of whom is living, Rolden 
E. On account of his wife's failing health, he 
removed to Minnesota in 1857; was on a farm in 
Rice county until 18(34, then removed to Korth- 
field, where he started a meat market, and several 
years later engaged in buying wlieat, which he 
continued four or five years and has since been in 
the hardware business, the firm name being 
Bacon, Kingman & Co. 

Fr.vnklin Kelley was born in Newport, New 
Hampshire, on the 24th of September, 1810. He 
received his education in his native town and at 
New Hampton Seminary, and afterwards tauglit 
vocal music and the district schools for several 
terms. He was married on the 2(')th of Novem- 
ber, 1835, to Miss Temperance Dwiuell, of his 
native place. Mr. Kelley was engaged in farm- 
ing and the lumber business for about twentv 



years, when, on account of his failing health, he 
came to Minnesota and settled in Nortliiield on 
the 22d of April, 1855, ))re-enii)ting near what is 
now the city of Nortlifield. He was Ccuinty 
Commissiojier several terms before jNIiunesota was 
admitted as a State, was one of the building com- 
mittee for the first church edifice in Northfield, 
and has taken an active part in the religious insti- 
tutions of the i)lace. Mr. and Mrs. Kelley have 
had seven children, six of whom are living; 
Marha E., Duren F., Mary A., Seth C, Lura E., 
and Helen M., all but one of whom are married. 
Mr. Kelley resides in the city and still owns his 
old farm adjacent. 

William A. King was born in Alexander, Gen- 
cssee county, Nesv York, on the 5th of .\pril, 
1820. He came to Illinois in 1840, where in 1855, 
lie married Mrs. Marietta Brown, also a native of 
New York. In 1808, he came to Northfield wber<! 
he has since resided, having fourteen acrss of land 
and a fine residence in the city. 

Henky E. L.-\wrf.nce was born in Clareiuont, 
Sullivan county. New Hampshire, on tlie 2()th of 
May, 1852. At the beginning of the war his father 
enlisted, went South, and died at Port Royal, 
S )uth Carolina. The family came to Minnesota 
in the spring of 1861, and settled at Northfield. 
After Henry completed his education, he entered 
the Enterprise newspaper office at the age of six- 
teen, and afterward published the "Monday Morn- 
ing News" at Minneapolis for one year. On the 
1st of November, 1876, he established the "Diin- 
da.s News," continued the j^nblication in that vil- 
lage three years, when he removed to Nortlifield 
and changed the name of his paper to the 
"Northfield News." It has a large circulation in 
both towns. 

.TrLL\N A. Lawrence was born in Claremont, 
Sullivan covmty, New Hampshire, on the 16th of 
April, 1852. In 1860, he came to Northfield and 
was engaged in agricultural pursuits several 
years. In 1875, he started a saloon and has a fine 
billiard hall on the corner of Fourth and Main 
streets. He is chief of the fire department, is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity and alsn an Odd 
Fellow. 

Edgar Lockekby, a native of Bridgewater, 
Michigan, was born on the 9th of .August, 1838. 
and came with his parents to Rice county in 1855. 
They located in Bridgewater, where they remained 
five years, then removed to Northfield. Our sub- 



430 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



ject went to Idaho in 1864, and remained eight 
months, and for one year after his return was eu- 
gagen in mercantile business. Then, in company 
with Mr. Pwight Bushuell, he estabhshed a livery 
stable. Their building is on West Third street. 
Miss Ada BuUoek became his wife on the 9th of 
September, 18GG. They have two children; Ida 
F., and Charles E. 

Drew H. Lord was bom in Lathrop, Susqe- 
hanna county, Pennsylvania, on the 6th of June, 
1844. He learned the carpenter trade and when 
eighteen years old enlisted in the Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania Cavalry, serving nearly three years 
as musician. On receiving his discharge he went 
to Seranton, where for eight years he engaged in 
C(mtracting, building, and lumbering. He was 
married to Miss Olive M. Lord on the 20th of 
Aj:)ril, 1870. He made a trip to Kansas but re- 
mained only a few months, and in December, 1873, 
came to this place and entered the employ of the 
Ames' as millwright. 

C. W. Mann was born in Canada on the 20th of 
May, 1830, and removed with his parents to Rook 
county, Wisconsin, in 1845, where he received his 
education and grew to manhood. He removed to 
Minnesota in the spring of 1851, and four years 
later located in Northfield, in section thirty-four, 
where he engaged in farming ten years. He was 
married on the 4th of December, 1856, to Miss 
Elizabeth A. Bush, also a native of Canada, born 
the 10th of May, 1832, the marriage ceremony 
taking place in St. Paul. They have three chil- 
dren; Bion E., born the 11 th of October, 1857; 
Lydia D., born the 12th of September, 1859; and 
Cora L., born the 31st of October, 1869. He re- 
moved to the city of Northfield in the fall of 1869, 
and has since been engaged in the lumber business. 

Alexander Merritt was born near Waterford, 
New Jersey, on the 15th of April, 1815, and when 
young moved with his parents to Cayuga county, 
New Vork, and grew to manhood on a farm. He 
was married in 1839, to Miss Betsey Davis, a native 
of New York, born in 1817, and removed to Michi- 
gan where he engaged in driving stage. In the 
spring of 1856, he came to Minnesota, located near 
Hader, Goodhue county, and came to this place in 
1877. Ho had a family of nine children, five of 
whom are living; Roseltha, Ann, Frederic S., 
Charles E., Melissa J., and William H. 

Prof. T. N. Moun was born near Skieu, Nor- 
way, on tlie 15th of July, 1844, and came with his 



parents to America at the age of eight years. 
They settled in Columbia county, Wisconsin. Our 
subject graduated from the Lutheran College at 
Decorah, Iowa, in the class of 1870, having taken 
the full classical course, and in 1873, from the 
Theological department of the Concordia College 
at St. Louis, Missouri. In 1874, he came to St. 
Paul; wfls engaged in the ministry a few months, 
then, when Rev. B. J. Muus founded St. Olaf's 
School at this place Prof. Mohn was sent to take 
charge of it. He is principal of the Institution 
and there are five or six teachers under his super- 
vision. He was married in 1875, to Miss Anna E. 
Ringstad, of Winneshiek county, Iowa. They 
have two children; Nils Ivar Edward and John 
Olaf Gerhard. 

F. A. Noble was born in Vermont in 1825, and 
removed with his parents to New Hampshire when 
seven years old. He attended the common schools 
and finished bis education at the Academy of New 
Hampshire. At the age of twenty years he en- 
gaged in the manufacture of lumber and followed 
the same for years, and subsequently went to Bos- 
ton where he was engaged in the music business. 
He was married in Sanbornton, New Hampshire, 
in 1845, to Miss Lyda A. Smith who was born in 
the latter State in 1826. In 1860, they removed 
to Minnesota, located near Cannon Falls where 
Mr. Noble was on a farm one year and a half, then 
came to Northfield and engaged in the manufac- 
ture of leather and gloves. He has had a family 
of five children, four of whom are living; Lyda, 
wife of Charles Anderson; Clara Jane, Florence, 
and Flora. 

A. W. Noeton was born in Cattaraugus county, 
New York, on the 1st of June, 1852. He remained 
in his native county, living with his parents and 
receiving a liberal education, until the western 
fever reached the East, when they came to New 
Richmond, Wisconsin. Here he remained until 
1871, and then transferred himself to this place 
and engaged in the dry goods store of Lee & 
Hitchcock for the ensuing four years. He next 
engaged in the insurance and loan business in 
company with his brother who had preceded him 
to Northfield, remaining in that business until the 
bank with which he is now connected was started 
by his brother, W. H. Norton, as a private enter- 
prise. The subject of our sketch took the position 
of cashier and when the Citizen's Bank was organ- 
ized under the State law in September, 1878, he 



CITY OF NOUTIIFII-:!.!). 



431 



gave w<iy to his brother and became assistaut 
cashier to him. On the 1st of .Tiinnurj', 1881, he 
was re-elected cashier and still holds the jiosition. 
In 1876, Mr. Norton was married to Miss Hattie 
A. Strong, and one sou has blessed the union. 

VV. H. Norton, deceased, a Ijrother of the sub- 
ject of our last sketch, was alo born in Cattarau- 
gus county, New York, in 1848. He came to 
Northfield in 1868, and made his home here until 
his death in 1880. He was most of the time en- 
gaged in biinking, loaning aud insurance business 
and was the founder of the Citizen's Bank, being 
first president of the same. He erected the hand- 
some bank building and did much toward making 
Northfield what it is. He was highly esteemed by 
all who knew him and left many friends to mourn 
bis loss. 

WrLLiAM S. Pattee is a native of Jacks<m, Waldo 
county, Maine, born the 19th of September, 1846. 
He attended the common schools and neighboring 
academies, and in 1868, entered Bowdoin College, 
from which he graduated in 1871, and was then 
appointed Superintendent of public schools in 
Brunswick. Maine. In 1871, Miss Julia Tuttle. 
of Plymouth, in the same State, became the wife 
of Mr. Pattee, and the next year he came to Illi- 
nois, where he received an appointment as profes- 
sor of natural history in Lake Forest University 
in that State. In 1874, he removed to Northfield 
where he had been elected Superintendent of the 
public schools, and he did a great deal while iu 
that office and since, in giving the schools the 
reputation abroad for solid worth and attainments. 
He had, previous to this time, studied law and in 
1878, was admitted to the bar of Bice county, and 
at once entered upon the practice of his profession 
in the city of Northfield. 

John Passon is a native of Germany and dates 
his birth the 11th of October, 1823. He received 
a good education and in 1843, entered the Prus- 
sian army, remaining in service seven years and 
participating in engagements iu Denmark. He 
emigrated to America in 1852, and came to Minne- 
sota seven years later, locating first in Winona. 
He was married iu 1863, to Mrs. R. Hannerman 
who had one sou by her first husband. She died 
in this pl.ace. In 18(16, they removed to North- 
field, where Mr. Passon owns property, both in (he 
city and township. 

William W. Payne was born in Somerset, 
Hillsdale county, Michigan, on the 19th of Blav, 



1837. He was reared on a f.irni. and at the age 
of seventeen years taught school, wliicli occu]ja- 
tion he followed three years, teaching a ])ortion 
of the time and attending school tlu^ reuiainde.'. 
At the age of twenty years lie entered the Hills- 
dale College, from which he graduated in 1863, 
then spent one year iu the law department of 
Michigan Univei-sity, then the same length of 
time in the Chicago Law School, graduating in 
186J5, received the degree of L. L. B., and was ad- 
mitted to the bar of Illinois. In 1866, Mr. Payne 
removed to Mantorville, Dodge county, Minnesota, 
and formed a partnership with E. Taylor, which 
continued one year. He was the projector of the 
•'Minnesota Teacher" and "Journal of Kducation," 
which he published for about five years at St. 
Paul. He was County Superintendent of schools 
of Dodge county. In 1868, he was appointed 
Clerk in the oflice of the Superintendent of Public 
Instruction under Mark H. Dunnell. On the 8th 
of June, 1870, Miss Josephine Viuecore, of Stan- 
ton, Montcalm county, Michigan, became the wife 
of our subject. In the winter of 1870 and '71, lie 
purchased the paper known as the "Mantorville 
Express," which he edited a few months, aud in 
September, 1871, came to Northfield as Professor 
o" mathematics aud astronomy in Carleton Col- 
lege, and still holds the same position. In the 
summer of 1881, the government made Carleton 
College a signal office, and he was appointed vol- 
untai'y signal observer. In March, 1882, he started 
the "Sidereal Messenger," a monthly review de- 
voted exclusively to astronomy. Mr. aud Mrs. 
Payne have one child, Jessie V. 

F. C. P. Pentz, M. D,,was liorn in Hanover,Ger- 
many, on the 20th of January, 1823. He received 
an education at the high school, and in 1841 and 
'42, served in the Prussian army. In 1846, ho 
entered the Gottingen Medical Institute, but did 
not take a full course, and in 1848, returned to 
the army. He came to America in 1850, and iu 
1855, married Miss Rt>becca Abbott, a native of 
Indiana. One year later they removed to Minne- 
sota, but did not settle permanently in this place 
until 1S67. Mr. Pentz has practiced as a physi- 
cian jjart of the time since coming to this country- 

Osi'AB P. Perkins, the first settler of the legal 
professi(m in Kice county, was born in Stowe, La- 
moille county, Vermont, on the 4th of January, 
1830. His parents were Capt. Ellet Perkins and 
Mrs. (Lathrop) Perkins, a daughter of Cap'. 



432 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTT. 



Daniel Lathrop. When fifteen years old, Oscar 
went to Woodstock, spent three years in farming, 
attending a district school in the winters, and then 
for the ensuing four years was a student at 
Bakersfield Academy, teaching during the winter 
season. In 1853, Miss Harriet E. Fay became 
his wife. He commenced reading law with Wil- 
liam C. Wilson, and was admitted to the bar in 
June, 1854. He came to Minnesota in the autumn 
of that year, spent the winter in St. Anthony, and 
then located in Fariljunlt, where he practiced his 
j^rotession twent_Y-oue years, and in 1876, came to 
Northfleld, forming the law firm of Perkins & 
Whipple. Mr. Perkins has held various ofBces 
since his residence in the State; was County Attor- 
ney four years, a member of the constitutional 
convention in 1857; prosecuting attorney for the 
Fifth Judicial District one term, and was iu the 
State Senate in 18(57 and "68, being Chairman of 
the judiciary committee both sessions. He was 
elected Coimty Attorney in 1878, and still holds 
the office. Their children are Fay and Mollie. 

E. Pldmmer was bom in Lincoln county, 
Maine, on the 24th of October, 1835. He was en- 
gaged in farming and the raanufacure of lumber 
in his native State until 1857, then came to Min- 
nesota and located in St. .Anthony, now East Min- 
neapolis, where he followed the latter employment. 
He enlisted in 1861, in the First Minnesota 
Light Artillery, and served till the close of the 
war, participating in many heavy battles under 
Gen Sherman. He lias been engaged in mercan- 
tile pursuits most of the time since leaving the 
army, and in 1874, opened a stock of goods in 
Northfield, but has recently retired from busine.ss. 
Mr. Plummer has been twice married; first in 
1857, to Miss Sarah J. Norris, who died in June, 
1806, and is buried in East Minneapolis. His 
present wife was Miss Martha S. Moses, whom he 
married in October, 1869. 

C. W. Pyb is a native of Yorkshire, England, 
born on the 10th of September, 1846. When he 
was two and a lialf years old bis parents came to 
America, and locate d in Du Page county, Hlinois, 
where they remained till 1856, then removed to 
Wheeling, Eice county, and located on a farm. Our 
subject attended Shattiick School in Faribault 
about five years, and for eight years afterwards 
was engaged iu teacliing school, and since then 
has practiced law. In 1878, he married Miss 
Luc} A. Cook, wlio was born near Madison, Wis- 



consin, the ]2th of March, 1845, and when sixteen 
years of age came to Dodge county, Minnesota, 
with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Pye have three 
children; William W., Grace M., and Edith M. 

Adel H, Eawson, deceased, a native of New 
Hamp.shire, was born on the 19th of May, 1814. 
His father was a physician, but lived on a farm, 
where onr subject grew to manhood. When 
twenty-one years of age, be went to Madison 
county, New York, where he was engaged in mill- 
ing for a time, and afterwards in mercantile pur- 
suits. On the Cth of June, 1839, Miss Eliza Fos- 
ter, of Stockbridge, Madison county, became his 
wife. The result of the union is four children; 
Milton, Sarah, Willis, and Flora, the latter of 
whom died at the age of fifteen years. In 1857, 
they removed to Northfield township, bought a 
farm in section thirty-two, but always lived in the 
city. He was quite extensively engaged in the 
lumber business, and' in 1874, bought the saw 
mill formerly owned by Whittle & Carlow, to which 
he added a box factory, running them both two or 
three years, then put in heading machinery and in 
1878, began the manufacture of barrels, making 
from 75,000 to 80,000 annually, most of them be- 
ing used at home. His son and A. P. Morris were 
with him in business imder the flim name of Eaw- 
son & Co. Mr. Eawson died on the 12th of July, 
1882, and is buried in Northfield cemetery. 

Willis Eaw.so.v, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. 
Eaw.son, was burn in Stockbridge, Madison county, 
New York, on the 3d of July, 1848, and came to 
Minnesota with his parents in 1857. In 1872, 
Miss Sarah A. Converse became his wife, and they 
have had four childreu, three of whom are living; 
Willis C, Stella, and Je-^se. Their youngest child, 
Carlis Merle, was born on the 4th of December, 
1881, and died the 17th of July, 1882. - 

0. N. Eamsdell was born in Windham county, 
Vermont, on the 11th of May, 1816, and there 
grew to manhood on a farm. In February, 1842, 
he married Miss Maria E. Field, a native of New 
Salem, Massachusetts, born on the 29th of Sep- 
tember, 1820, and removed to Vermont with her 
parents when twelve years old. In April, 1855, 
they came to this State, located first on a farm in 
Scott county and in February, 1858, came to this 
township and settled on Prairie Cre?k, but now 
reside iu the city. They have one child, Ella M., 
now Mrs. C H. Watson. 

WiLLi.vM H. Eeviek is a native of St. Lawrence 



CITY OF NOHTITFIELT). 



433 



county, New York, born on the 3d of March, 1855. 
Wlien twelve years of age he came to Bridge- 
water, Rice county, with his mother and brothers, 
and the former still residis iu that township. Our 
subject came to Northfleld iu March, 1881, and 
does business under the firm name of Sampson X' 
Revier. He is one of a family of eleven children, 
of whom there are three girls and eight boys. 

Cabl Rtcheij, a native of (xermany, was born in 
1830, grew to manhood and received his educa- 
tion in his native country. He was a carver by 
trade, working at it there four years, and in 18.53, 
emigrated to New York City, where he engaged in 
the furniture business. He then removed to New 
Hampshire where he married Miss Sojihia Oldham, 
a native of England, born in 1836, the ceremony 
taking place on the 20th of July, 1857. In two 
years he went to Ashburnham, Massachusetts, 
where he remained over three years engaged at 
his trade, then moved to Gardner in the latter State 
and in the spring of 1874, came to Blinnesota, lo- 
cated in Northfleld, and established a cigar manu- 
factory. Mr. and Mrs. Richel havp eleven children ; 
Charles A., twenty-four years old; Alfred H., 
twenty-one; William 0.. nineteen; Herbert, eigh- 
teen; Benjamin F., sixteen; Emma, fourteen; 
Christian F. S., ten; Josejjhine S., eight; Sarah, 
six; Esther S., five; and Joseph G., one. Mr. 
Richel is a man of good address, sociable, and 
liked by all 

Charles Siofield was born in Racine county, 
Wisconsin, on the 22d of March, 1842. His father 
came to Minnesota in 1855, and the following year 
moved his family to Bridgewater, Rice county, 
and located on a farm. Dr. Scofield soon moved 
to Northfleld, where our subject received his edu- 
cation and learned the painter's trade, which he 
still follows. In October, 1861, he enlisted in the 
Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company 
F, and served till the close of the war, participat- 
ing in the battle of Corinth, Lookout Mountain, 
and others. He was married in March, 1867, to 
Miss Harriett Riddle, a native of Canada. They 
have three children; Aura Ann, George Henry, 
and Robert Leroy. Mr. Scofield has a residence 
in the city and a farm in Dakota Territory. 

John L. Soofield, M. D., was born in Stam- 
ford, Connecticut, on the 23d of July, 1811. His 
l)nrents were in the latter place on a visit at the 
time of his birth, but were residents of New York 
City. John graduated from the University of 
28 



Pennsylvania in 1832, and commenced practice in 
New York. He sul)sequently went to Jackson- 
ville, Floridi, remaining but a short time, then to 
Raymond, Racine county, Wisconsin. In 1830, 
he married Miss Betsey A. Dibble, the ceremony 
taking place on the 24th of July. He remained 
in the latter place with the exception of two years, 
1849 and '50, spent in California, until 1850, then 
came to Northfleld, where he was the first, and for 
many years the only physician in the place. He 
flrst made a claim about four miles south of the 
village and iu March, 1858, removed to the town. 
In 1857 and '58, Mr. Scofield was a member of the 
Legislatui-e and lias also filled local offices. He 
has had four cliildren, two of whom are living; 
Francis L., and Charles. 

Hiram Si 'river, a native of Hemmingford, 
Quebec, Canada, dates his birth the 22d of April, 
1830. He engaged in mercantile establishments 
till 1850, when he came to this place, and on the 
12th of June purchased the general merchandise 
store of Coulson Bros., who had started the first 
store in town a few months before. Mr. Scriver 
lias been iu business here ever since and was an 
early member of the board of Supervisors, of 
which he was Chairman; also a member of the 
school board and has held town and county otflces. 
He was married in 1800, to Miss Clara E. Oliu, 
and they had one child who died when two years 
old. Mr. Scriver was the first Mayor of the city 
of Northfield and was in the Legislature in 1877 
and '70. He has been one of the trustees of Carle- 
ton College since its organization, and recording 
secretary until the last meeting of its officers. 

Solomon P. Stewart was born in Williams- 
town, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, on the 
28th of August, 1823, and removed with his 
parents, at the age of twelve years, to Williams- 
town, Cswego county. New York, and five years 
later he engaged in the lumber business. In the 
spring of 1844, he came to Racine county, Wis- 
consin, where he engaged as a machinist, and 
afterward in the livery business. In 1857, he 
came to Northfield and has since taken a deep 
interest in the progress of the ti iwn, having served 
iu the school board six years and as Mayor two 
years. He has been twice married; first, in 1849, 
to Miss Mary Allen, of Geneva, Wisconsin. She 
died in January, 1801, leaving two children; 
Granville W., and Mary Bell. His present wife 
was formerlv Miss Emilv S. Tuttle, whom he mar- 



434 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



ried on the 10th of April, 1863. They have three 
children; Carl L.. Carrie E., and Mary B. 

James W. Stisonq, D. D., President of Carleton 
College, is a native of Vermont, born iu Browniiig- 
ton, Orleans county, on the 29th of September, 
1833. He graduated from Beloit College, Wis- 
consin, iu 1858, and from Union Theological Semi- 
nary, New York, in 1862, being ordained in Sep- 
tember of the same year. He commenced his 
duties as a minister at Brodhead, Wisconsin, and 
after two years came to Faribault, Minnesota, 
where, in January, 1866, he^was installed as pastor 
of the Plymotith Congregational church. He be- 
came the first President of Carleton College in 
1870, then known as Northfiekl College, and sub- 
sequently the duties of professor of mental and 
moral philosophy were assigned him. Mr. Strong 
was married at Beloit, Wisconsin, to Miss Mary 
Davenport, a native of Milan, Ohio. The union 
was blessed with four children, one of whom is 
dead. Those living arc William B., born on the 
8th of December, 1866; Edward W., born on the 
22d of October, 1870; and Arthur D. W., born on 
the 6th of March, 1874. 

Hiram Spraoue was born near the village of 
Ellisburgb, Jefferson county. New York, on the 
16th of December, 1827, and there received his 
education, learning the carpenter trade. His father 
was captain on a vessel running from Ogdens- 
bnrgh, New York, to Chicago, on the great lakes, 
and when Hiram was seventeen years old he was 
on the vessel with his fattier. In 1864, he came to 
Minnesota and located on a farm on Prairie Creek 
in Northfield township, where he remained five 
years, then moved into the city. He has had three 
children, two of whom are living; Lora Genevieve, 
and Mary Eloise. The eldest is married. 

Tbdman H. Streeter, a native of Rowe, Frank- 
lin county, Massachusetts, was born on the 16th 
of December, 1816, and removed with his; parents 
to Whitingham, Vermont, when quite young. He 
worked on a farm and iu a woolen mill until eigh- 
teen years old, then entered the Whitingham 
Academy, from which he graduated three years 
later. Ho then went to New Jersey, taught school 
two years and returned to his home. He com- 
menced tlie study of law and was admitted to the 
bar of Windham county, Vermont, some jears 
later. He was a Kepresentative from Windham 
county in the State Legislature in 1858, and dur- 
ing t'Je Kebellion was a recruiting ofKcer. In 



1868, he came to Minnesota, located in this place 
and has since practiced his profession here. He is 
Court Commissioner and Justice of the Peace, be- 
ing elected to the former five consecutive terms of 
three years each, and the latter four times in suc- 
cession. He has been married twice; his first wife 
was formerly Miss Nancy M. Taylor, and the 
second wife Mrs. Eliza A. Thayer, both of whom 
are dead. 

Charles M. Thompson, M. D., was born in Scot- 
land, on the 7th of July, 1844, and emigrated with 
his parents to America when ten years of age, lo- 
cating in Worcester, Massachusetts. In a short 
time they removed to Waterville, Maine, and when 
fifteen years of age our subject came to Still- 
water, Minnesota, and in one year went south for 
his health. In 1865, he came to Northfield and 
clerked two years, studying medicine at the same 
time. He then went to Ann Arbor, Michigan, 
graduating from the University of that place in 
the spring of 1870, and has since been iu practice 
here, with the exception of one year Spent in Eu- 
rope at the University of Edinburgh and St. 
Bartholomew Hospital in London. He was mar- 
ried in 1881. to Mrs. .\nnie M. Smith, the ceremony 
taking place on the 30th of August. 

Capt. D. S. Van Ambtjrgh is a native of Jas- 
per, Steuben county. New York, and dates his 
liiith the 27th of June, 1836. He received a good 
education and learned the mason's trade, coming 
to Wisconsin in 1854, and locating in Dane 
county, where he was engaged in teaching school 
part of the time. He came to Minnesota in 1859, 
but did not settle until May, of the next year. 
He entered the service in May, 1864, and was as- 
signed to the Sixth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, 
Company I, went soutli and served till the close of 
the war. He was married in 1862, to Miss F. S. 
Patterson, and they have two sons, William E. 
and George C. He came to Northfield in 1873, 
and has a farm of fifty acres in the city limits, 
and has been engaged in teaching most of the 
time since his residence in the State. 

C. H. W.\TSON was born in Canada in 1843, and 
came to Red Wing, Minuesots, in 1855, where ho 
received his education and grew to manhood. Ii' 
August, 1862, he enlisted in the Sixth^ Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, Company F, served tlireo 
y.'ars and was mustered out at Fort Snelling. H.; 
returned to Red Wiug, where he learned the har- 
ness maker's trade, and in 1867, came to Northfield, 



VITY OP j^OUTIIFIELD. 



435 



where he has since been engaged at his trade, with 
the exception of three years, wlien ho was farming. 
He was married in 18C8, to Miss Ella M. Rams- 
dell, a native of Vermont, who has borne him five 
cliildren;Earl H., EUiot C, Clara M., Fred J., and 
Amy F. 

KoBERT Watson was born in Dundee, Scotland, 
in September, 1825. He came with his parents to 
Cleveland, Ohio, when twelve years of age, and 
in April, 1850, in company with his brother Wil- 
liam to Minnesota. They came from Galena, Illi- 
nois, on Capt. Smith's new steamer "Nominee," 
her first trip to St. Paul. The first Territorial 
Legislature had then but recently adjourned, it 
having organized three counties east of the Mis- 
sissippi, all the territory west being in possession 
of the Sioux. In May. 1850, Mr. Watson settled 
in Cottage Grove, Washington eounty, there being 
but three families living in the place at that time- 
viz: J. S. Norris, J. W. Furber, and Theo. Fur- 
ber. He was a member of the Fourth Territorial 
Legislature, in which the since famous Joe Rolette 
represented Pembina and all beyond. In 1851, 
Mr. Watson married Miss Mebetabel W. Furber, a 
sister of those early settlers and a native of Maine. 
They have four children living, the oldest born 
before the admission of Minnesota as a State. 
The subject of this sketch is well acquainted with 
the first settlers on Cannon River and in the 
northern part of Rice county, many of them being 
young men from Cottage Grove and the southern 
part of Washington county. He has pic-niced at 
Vermillion Falls when Hastings was not, all the 
country west being one vast wilderness. His 
mother, one of the oldest settlers of this place, is 
still living in Northfleld, aged eighty-one years. 

Rev. Isaac Waldron was born in Cu.t'>u, 
Canada, on the 20th of Novemlier, 1812, auit grow 
to manhood in his native place. When about 
twenty-eight years old he removed to Derby, Ver- 
mont, and afterward attended the academy at that 
place three years. He was married in 1839, to 
MLss Eliza A. Goodhue, a native of Now Hamp- 
shire, but who afterward lived in Canada. In 
1843, Mr. Waldrcu was ordained as a minister of 
the gospel, and has continued to preach until seven 
or eight years since, when his health tailed. In 
1858, he came to Minnesota in the interest of the 
Baptist Home Mission Society, but in 1874, re- 
tired from the field, and has since lived in North- 
field. He has a family of three children, having 



lost two. Those living are; Lu E., E. P., and 
C. J. 

Richmond L. Wakd, a native of Cayuga 
county. New York, was born oi' the 31st of Jan- 
uary, 1839, and reared on a farm. In 185(5, he 
came to Northfield, remained but one season, then 
went to Wisconsin and engaged in farming. In 
1862, he married Miss Nancy Maganty, the cere- 
mony being performed on the 4th of October. In 
1864, he removed to Illinois, where he farmed 
four years, then returned to this place and learned 
the mason's trade, at which he has since been en- 
gaged. 

Steven V. Ward, one of the first settlers here, 
was also born in Cayuga county. New York, on 
the 17th of October, 1832. When nineteen years 
old he learned the mason trade, worked at it in his 
native place until 1853, when he came to Beloit, 
Wisconsin. In 1855, after working in the latter 
State and Illinois, he came to Northfield and pur- 
chased a town lot, but spent that year in Hast- 
ings working at his trade. He then settled per- 
manently in this place, and was married on the 
7th of July, 1856, to Miss Ellen J. Tague, who 
has borne him two children; Uelass C. and Carrie 
L. Mr. Ward spent sis months in the army in 
in Tennessee. 

Mi'KON Whitaker was born in StalTord, Con- 
necticut, on the 15th of May, 1847. While still a 
child he came with his parents, William and Lunah 
(Cushman) Whitaker, to Dakota county, Minne- 
sota, where they wer; pi^iueers in Greenvale town- 
ship. In eight years our subject came to North- 
field, where he learned the carpenter trade at 
w'lich he has since been en ./iged. and is also a 
mill- Wright. He married IMiss .Tenuis Sidwell on 
the 15th of May, 1870, and tliey have had four 
children, two of whom are living; Hattie B., and 
and Donna M. Mr. Whitaker served eight montlis 
in the First Minnesr •■. Heavy Artillery. He has 
a brother. Frank, u w living in Farmington, and 
a sister, Josej^hiue, now Mrs. Alfred Needham. 

John F. Wvman was born in Roekport, Maine, 
on the 25th of November, 1840, and when seven 
year? old went to Rockland to live with his 
grandfather, who died when our suliject was thir- 
teen years old. He returned to his former home 
in Roekport and lived with an uncle; at the age of 
sixteen years was apprenticed to learn the carpen- 
ter trade, and three years later went to Tiverton, 
Rhode Island, where he clerked till the 22d of 



43fi 



HISTORY OF RICK COUNTY. 



August, 1861, when he enlisted in the Third 
Rliode Island Volunteer Infantry, Company C^ 
which was afterwards converted into Artillery. 
He enlisted as private hut was mustered out as 
First Lieutenant on the 9th of June, 1865. He 
then returned to Maine, worked at his trade a 
few months and went to Massachusetts, where 
he remained n short time and then came to 
Northfield, entering the employ of the Ames' as 
clerk. In 1867, he engaged in a planing mill 
and manufactory of sash, doors, and blinds, in 
company with E. C. Dwinel, but four years 
later their establishment was destr(3yeJ by fire. 
On the 19th of June, 1870, Mr. Wyman married 
Miss Eliza H. Uolby, and they horve three chil- 
dren; Paul, Kate, and Fannie R. He went to 
Iowa, remained one year, then returned to tliis 
jilace and one year later went to Minneapolis, 
where he worked for two years in a sash, door 
and blind factory, and at the end of that time 
came here to settle permanently. He has since 
been with the Ames' as wheat buyer and super- 
intendent of outside work. He was a member 
of the City Council in 1878 and '79. 

Eev. ,Iame.s F. Wilcox was born in Westmin- 
ster, Vermont, on the 29th of Septeml:)er, 1806, 
and was reared on a farm. When eighteen years 
of age, he went to Mason Village, New Hamp- 
shire, where for three years he was teaching school 
and studying at intervals; then removed to New 
York, following the same employment, and in 
ISHO went to Massachusetts and entered the Acad- 
emy at Wakefield. Three years later he studied 
in the Theological Seminary at Newton, from 
which he graduated in 1836. In January, 1837, 
he was ordained as pastor of the Baptist church 
at Amesbury; remained there until 1842, and went 
to Taunton, where he assumed the same duties til] 
1849. when he removed to Springfield as agent for 
the American Baptist Missionary Union, remaining 
a year and a half. He went to Burlington, New 
Jersey, and thence, in 1854, to Trenton, and four 
years later to Northfield, Minnesota, arriving 'on 
the 1st of May. For twelve years he had charge 
of the Baptist church here, and also three other 
churches a portion of the time, located at Owa- 
tonna, Medford, and Castle Kock. Of late years 
he has had no regular charge, but still continues to 
preach: Mr. Wilcox has been twice married, first 
to Mi,ss Louisa Smith, wlio bore him two children; 
Maria L,, wlio died in 1866, au<l Frank J., now 



cashier of the First National Rank at this place. 
His jjresent wife was Miss Irene Colby, who was 
at one time principal of the Normal School at 
Trenton, New Jersey. Our subject has been an 
earnest worker in the schools, and President of the 
Bjard of Education. 

ChaeiiBs Augustus Wheaton, deceased, was 
born on the 1st of July, 1809, in Amenia, Dutch- 
ess county. New York. His parents moved to 
Pompey Hill,Onondaga county, when he was but six 
months old. He received his education at Pompey 
Academy, which was a leading institution of 
learinng in that part of the country. At the age 
of twenty-five years he married Ellen, eldest 
daughter of Victory Birdseye, a prominent lawyer 
and public servant in western New I'ork. After the 
lapse of a year and a half, Mr. Wheaton moved to 
Syracuse, Onondaga county. Early in his career 
he espoused the anti-slavery cause, and was asso- 
ciated familiarly with Gerrit Smith, Beriah Smith, 
William Lloyd GarrLson, and others. "He was 
also active in the temperance reform, and was for 
several years identified with the educational inter- 
ests of Syracuse. When he first went to the latter 
city he became a member of the Presbyterian church 
and was an earnest worker in it for many years, as 
superintendent of the Sunday school, leader of the 
choir, etc., but finally withdrew from the church 
on account of disagreement on the slavery ques- 
tion. He, with others who symj^athized with him, 
organized a First Congregational church, wliich he 
served earnestly in various capacities. 

All these years he carried on successfully an ex- 
tensive business, but finally becime much embar- 
assed. The truths of the New Cliurch came to 
him when adversity hedged him in, and gave him 
much comfort. The loss of his wife, the compli- 
cations relative to a railroad through some of the 
Southern States for which he was heavily respon- 
sible, revolutionized his affairs, and in 1860, 
through the influence of his old and honored 
friend, John W. North, he left his old home and 
sought a new one in the state of Minnesota. In 
1861, he married Martha Wagner, daughter of 
the late Thomas Archibald, of Dundas, Minnesota, 
and settled in the town of Northfield^ where he 
was a resident for nearly twenty -two years. His 
iittention was first turned toward the milling in- 
terests, but of late years he was engaged in edit- 
ing "The Rice County Journal." His love for his 



BRIDGISWATERTOM-SSIIIP. 



437 



country was always a strong passion with him, 
anil has descended through the narrower circles of 
State, county, and town. His funeral ceremonies 
were held at the Congregational chureli of Fiiri- 
liault, on the 17tli of Mareli, ISS'i, and the lianks 



and many of the business houses were closed out 
of respect to the memory of the dcofiasixl. 

C. H. Pierce was associated with him in the 
management of the"Rice County Jourual,"and now 
the firm name is Wlieatou &, Pierce. 



BRIDGEWATER. 



CHAPTER LIV. 

GENEKAL DESCRIPTION EARLY SETTLEMENT — 

POLITICAL EDUCATIONAL — DDNDAS VILLAGE — 

INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISEK CHITKCHES — GRADED 

SCHOOL — BIOGR APHK !AL. 

This is one of the banner subdivisions of Riee 
county, being one of the river and railroad (owns. 
The Chicago, Milwaukee ct St, Paul railroad 
enters on the eastern boundary of section two, and 
crossing in a southwesterly direction leaves 
through section thirty-one and enters Cannon City 
township. The Cannon River divides the town, 
winding its tortuous course almost j^arallel with 
the railroad, running in a northeasterly direction. 
The town is bounded on the north by Dakota 
county, on the south by Cannon City township, on 
the east by Northtield, and on the west by Forest 
and Webster. It embraces 40 sections, in all 
25,()00 acres, and takes in all of township 111, 
range 20, with the exception of the northeast cor- 
ner section, and also includes sections thirty-one 
to thirty -five inclusive, of township 112, same 
range. This makes it the second township in size 
in the county. 

The township is well watered by miraerous 
streams, among them Heath Creek, Spring Creek, 
and others of more or less importance. The Can- 
non River has been mentioned heretofore. Aside 
from these rivers and streams there are several 
small lakes nestling among the hills, among which 
are Macklewain, Spring, Albers, and Hart. The 
surface is rather more broken than that of a ma- 
jority of the towns in the county, and is mostly 
timber land. Along the northern line and in the 
northern part the timber is interspersed with spots 
of prairie, which have been converted into the 
most valuable farming land in the county. In 
the southern part, and in fact in many parts of the 



township, are interspersed pieces of prairie land. 
The prairie in the southern part is called Little 
Prairie and makes the richest farming land in the 
townsliip, containing liOO or 700 acres. Portions 
of it was originally covered with hazel lirush. 
Along the river the surface is usually broken and 
hilly, and there is found an aljundance of limestone 
which is very fine for either lime or building jJur- 
pos(>s, but as you retreat from the stream the sur- 
face is more of a rolling nature. Sjirings are not 
uncommon in the town. 

One peculiar physical feature is what is known 
as "Hogs Back," which is a narrow ridge, com- 
posed of sand and coarse gravel; it is about 20 to 
40 feet high and 100 feet through at the base. This 
commences in section twenty-one, aud extends in 
a southwesterly direction f(U' a mile or mcire. The 
supposition is, and it must, we presume, ever re- 
main a theory, that at some ancient date a flood of 
water piled up the mound and then receded, leav- 
it as an everlasting memento of its prowess. We 
will venture no theory in regard to it — it is tliere 
— and an explanation of it we leave to the archa- 
eologist. 

EARLY .SETTLEMENT. 

The auspicious epoch of the first arrival in this 
townsliip dates back further than most of the sub- 
divisions of Rice county, aud it may be said that 
from the first advent of the "early settler" until its 
fertile farms were all the homes of thrifty farmers, 
the tide of incomers was constant and irrepressible. 
Of course in this sketch it is not possible, nor is it 
the intention, to carry the settlement of the town- 
shij) in detail up to the present day, but we have 
used o\ir utmost endeavors to chronicle the inter- 
esting incidents of early settlement, and the most 
notable arrivals. 
The first exploration of this township, with a 



438 



HISTORY OF BICE COUNTY. 



view to securing homes, occurred in 1852, in the 
fall. Although this is disputed by a few who claim 
there is a mistake in the date, we are led to be- 
lieve, from a personal interview with one of the first 
explorers, that the date is correct, the jiarties con- 
testing not having made their appearance until 
two or more years after the t ne referred to. 

Albon and John Hoyt, two brothers, were the 
first to make their way to the town, and their first 
trip through was in the fall of 1852, although 
they did not take claims until some time later. 
They had been stop,, 'ng on the Mississippi River 
for a short time, and having heard considerable 
about the Cannon River Valley, they decided to 
take their earthly possessions on their backs and 
see what the reports concerning a "land flowing 
with milk and honey" were based on. They 
started with the intention of going as far as Fari- 
bault, and return. Their first night was spent in 
camp on th; A'ormilli.iu River, and the nest night 
at Waterford, from there passing over the terri- 
tority of Bridgewater and reaching Faribault. 
Here they met Alexander Faribault, who told them 
that they had just passed over the finest country 
in the Territory of Minnesota, and they decided 
to look more closely on their return. They re- 
turned by the same route as they came, but failed 
to find claims that suited them. Mr. A. Hoyt 
says that ' 'Although one upon the land at that 
time was 'monarch of all he surveyed,' it was a 
more difficult matter to select farms than would be 
imagined. The country was beautiful and im- 
pressive! I could gaze all about me, on the beauti- 
ful hills covered with a mass of green verdure 
swaying in the gentle breeze, that dipped silently 
down to the level of the many trickling streams, 
and say, here is the place of my choice; but, upon 
gazing to the right or left I saw another that lured 
me on by its fascinating beauty. And I followed! 
The mania had seized me and almost before I knew 
it I had reached my old stamping ground on the 
Mississippi." The brothers remained on the Mis- 
sissippi UDtil the 10th of March, 1853, when they 
again started for the Cannon River valley, this 
time determined to stay. They brought with them 
a couple of barrels of flour, 200 pounds of sugar, 
axes, etc. A man by the name of Irish brought 
them in by team, and the greater portion of the 
distance they were obliged to cut their way 
through the timber. In due time they arrived at 
Faribault and pushed on to Cannon City where 



they camped and began to look for claims in 
earnest. Albon Hoyt finally took a claim on sec- 
tion eleven, in Bridgewater; John, his brother, 
took a place west of him, adjoining the site of 
Dundas village, and Irish made up his mind to 
secure the townsite of Dundas, which he did. 

John and Albon commenced at once the erection 
of a log cabin near where Slee's farm residence 
now is, the size of which was 12x11. They put up 
the sides of poplar logs and then Albon Hoyt and 
Iri.sa left John on the ground with provisions, etc., 
to finish the cabin while they returned to the 
shores of the Mississippi to attend to their im- 
provements there. AVhile they were gone, and 
before John had roofed the cabin, a snow storm 
came up, and John, in laying in the cold and wet 
became very sick with fever and ague; so bad, in- 
deed, that he became delirious and was in a very 
dangerous condition as he had no means of start- 
ing a fire. In this condition he was discovered by 
the Indians, and they, thinking him drunk began 
sporting with him, saying, "Miunewankon seetya 
do," (whisky bad very J, and the band finally went 
into camp near by. It did not take long, how- 
ever, for them to discover that he was not drunk, 
but very sick, and two Indians came to him one 
day saying, "Puck-a-chee Habo tee-pee," which 
meant "go to Faribault's home." After a time he 
was taken to Faribault by the Indians, and there 
staid at Bush's house until he recovered, the 
"medicine man" making him potions which worked 
a speedy cure. 

In a short time a Mr. Closseu came through 
Faribault with five yoke of oxen, and he and 
John move'd together, back to the Hoyt farms in 
Bridgewater. Here they finished the cabin be- 
gun by John and Albon, and broke ten acres on 
John's place, this being the first farrow turned in 
the township. In June, Clossen yoked his oxen 
and took John to the Mississippi, where Albon 
and Irish were, and here he remained until fully 
recovered. In the meantime Irish had taken the 
claim where Dundas now is, with the water power, 
and intended to get a friend from Ohio to go in 
partnership with him in the erection of a saw-mOl. 

In June, Albon Hoyt, Irish, and a man named 
Bliss, came to the farms to make improvements, 
and Albon planted two acres to potatoes, etc., by 
just raising the sod and putting his germ under- 
neath. After planting he did not touch or culti- 
vate them until harvest. When harvest time came 



BllIDGEWATEIl TO WNSlllP. 



439 



the entire force left to attenJ to the crop on the 
Mississippi Eiver, where John still renuiinod vv- 
cuperating his health. 

In Septemher, 1853, Albon and John both re- 
turned to Bridgewiiter, this time with the inten- 
tion of remaining, and found that during their 
short absence another pioneer had made his ar- 
rival. This was Mahlon Lockwood, who had ar- 
rived with his wife and several children, and lo- 
cated jnst south of Dundas near the Archibald 
farm; and, as he brought a cow and a yoke of 
oxen, he was a valuable acquisition to the meagre 
settlement. He had already put up a little board 
shanty-, the material for which he had brought 
with him, but this, it is said, would not keep the 
sun out, so the entire party at once commenced 
work on, and soon finished, a substantial log house 
for the protection of the Lockwood family, and all 
began to make preparations for the winter, which 
they knew would be long and severe. Nor were 
they wrong, as the long, dreary, and bitterly cold 
months that followed proved, and some of the 
settlers say they have hauled rails for fuel when 
their faces were actually coated with a veil of ice 
and their finger frozen stiff. 

The Indians were plenty in the neighborhood! 
and the timber abounded with all kinds of game; 
deer, elk, and bear were the main articles of food, 
and a good hunter in those days could always be 
a high liver. The settlers made many fast and 
useful friends among the Indians, all of them hav- 
ing learned their "lingo" were almost as much at 
home among them as though they were whites. 
They were not troublesome in regard to thieving, 
if treated well, and the following incident will 
serve to show the confidence felt in them. An 
old Indian came one day to Albon Hoyt's cabin 
and wanted to borrow his rifle, saying he could 
not kill deer with his shotgun, and that if tlie 
"white man" would only allow him to take the rifle 
three weeks, he would return it at the end of that 
time in as good order as it was at the time of his 
getting it. Albon allowed him to take it, and the 
Indian disappeared. For three weeks nothing 
was seen of Indian or gun, but on the day that the 
three weeks expired, the Indian and rifle appeared 
at the door, with a handsome present of game 
that compensated him. Many incidents like this 
occurred, and the old settlers came to believe, in 
the words of Mr. Hoyt, that "if treated right 
they are considerable better than the average 
white."' 



This carries the settlers through a hard winter, 
and brings them uito the siiring of 1854, with 
Albon and John Hoyt and the Lockwood family. 
Irish had gone to the Mississippi, intending to re- 
turn during the summer. Hopes jan high among 
them, for they were confident of a good crop, 
and all had succeeded in getting more or less land 
ready for seeding,in fact all the available laud was 
sown until their seed was exhausted. A good 
crop was the result, although the acreage sown 
was comparatively very small. 

In the meantime the settlement had commenced 
in v.-uious parts (jf the county. Northfield and 
vicinity had received a numlter of settlers,"aud the 
entire settlement north of Faribault was known as 
"Alexandria," after Jonathan Alexander, who was 
an early pioneer ncarNorthfleld. Other portions of 
this townhad also begun making evolutions toward 
civilization, as in the same year, (1854) we find 
that Kdmund Larkius, Job Chester, Joseph Drake, 
and Daniel Bundy, all made their appearance and 
began opening farms in the eastern part of the 
town. This settlement, however, properly be- 
loufred to the Northfield section, as they were di- 
vided from Dundas by the heavy timber ridge, 
and it was not until several years after the settle- 
ment began that a road was cut and graded 
through the timber strip. 

C. 0. Stetson, from Philadelphia, came in the 
month of July, 185-t, on his way to California, but 
as he ueared the Cannon Valley he heard so much 
of its beautiful scenery, its excellent farming land, 
and the unsurpassed advantages of the country, 
he determiued to secure a farm, which he did on 
section twenty -four, where he still lives. He came 
in company with Morris B. Stiles, with a team 
they had bought in St. Paul. Stiles took a claim 
adjoining Stetson on section twenty-four, this sec- 
tion being on what was then known as the Indian 
trail, a north and south stage line from Fort Snel- 
ling to Faribault; and a short time after their 
arrival the Hastings stages passed through their 
farms; this being an east and west line. The for- 
mer of these received its name of "Indian Trail" 
from the number of Indians that were constantly 
passing over it to and from the agency at Fort 
Snelliug, and after the agency was removed from 
there, this was the established treadway of the In- 
dians in visiting one another, until the Sioux out- 
break in 1862, since which time they have almost 
entirely disaj)peared from this as well as most of 



440 



ETSTORT OF RIG E COUNTY. ' 



the towns in the eoiiuiy. This road is now the 
coanty road through the eastern part of Bridge- 
water, having been straightened considerably. 

Stetson and Stiles at once put up a log shanty 
and commenced keeping "batch," the former of the 
two earning a wide reputation as a "cookist," as the 
stage drivers called him. They were not troubled 
with Indians, except as beggars, and although 
they would not "steal for the sake of stealing," as 
is claimed by some, victuals and anything like 
licjuor for medicinal purposes had to be carefully 
guarded or locked up. 

C. C. Stetson kept several cows and made excel- 
lent butter which he used to treat his visitors 
with, and on one occasion left the house unlocked, 
with his milk pans arrayed in order about the 
pantry. His pans had been leaking and he had 
driven j)ine ])lugs into the holes to remedy it. 
During his absence .somebody called at the house 
and pulled out all the plugs, and upon his return 
he found his floor bathed in milk and he was so 
much butter behind. Mr. Stetson also started a 
blacksmith shop soon after he got here, which was 
the first shop in this part of the country, and did 
a good business shoeing horses on the stage lines. 
The shop is still in full blast at Mr. Stetson's farm 
on section twenty-four. 

Morris Stiles' place finally went into the hands 
of Mr. P. Oleson, an early settler who still lives 
on the farm. The latter gentleman, in company 
with Captain John Hanson, came in 18.54. 

In June, 1854, the eastern part of the township 
received its first settlers in the persons of the Drake 
brothers, Charles B., J. R., and A. W. Daniel 
Bundy came about the same time, and all located 
in school district number two. Tliey all put up 
log cabins in which they lived for a number of 
years. 

Everything ran along very smoothly during 
the summer and in November, 1854, Mr. H. M. 
Matteson, a New- Yorker, arrived with a livery from 
St. Paul, prospecting for a chance to settle and 
make a speculation. He was favorably imiiressed 
with the location, liut did not settle or take any 
land at the time, driving back to St. Paul and 
returning the following year; arriving in the spring 
of 1855, he jumped the claim that Mr. Irish had 
selected and paid him for improvements. This 
was the claim where Dundas is, including the 
water-power, and he then commenced laying plans 
lor throwing a dam across the river and erecting 



a saw-mill. His next move was to get out timber 
for a mill, but before it was fairly begun he sold 
his entire interest and 740 acres of land to the 
Archibalds, in June, 1857. Mr. Mattesou, after 
selling his property here, removed to Faribault 
where he still lives and is a prominent man. 

This year, 1855, yielded the most bountiful 
harvest to the pioneers of Bridgewater of any 
year before or since. Wheat yielded from 40 to 
45 busiieLs per acre, and the average price received 
was $1.50 per bushel. 

James Babb, of New Hampshire, had become 
one of the settlement in April, 1854, with his wife, 
and was located southwest of Dundas, adjoining 
the place now known as the Archibald farm. He 
afterwards, in company with another early pio- 
neer, commenced the erection of a saw-mill. 

James Smith was another who came this year 
and remained for several years. He was after- 
wards Town Clerk for a number of years in Fari- 
bault, and was finally killed by Indians on his way 
to California. 

In the spring of 1855, Jacob Emery made his 
appearance, and after looking about for a short 
time decided to locate on Little Pi-airie, south of 
Dundas, and he out his way three miles through 
the heavy timber to get to the place that suited him. 
He finally reached it and was so well satisfied 
that he still remains on the farm, in sections 
twenty-one and twenty-eight. 

Then the settlement commenced very rapidly 
and in June and July of that year one could look 
in any direction and see the white-winged prairie 
schooners. Many came and found temporary 
homes, who in the hard times that followed sold 
for little or nothing and left the country. Among 
those who came to stay were the Donaldson 
brothers, James, John, Isaac, and Robert, who 
idl settled in the timber in the southern part of the 
town. Three of these, James, John, and Robert, 
are still in the township, and Isaac is now Regis- 
ter of Deeds of Rice county. 

The Sheppards and Macklewains came and set- 
tled in the southern jjart, the latter naming the 
little lake in section thirty-two, but have since 
quietly folded their tents and departed. 

•T. S. and George Archibald arrived in June, 
1855, and platted Dundas, besides ouilding the 
mills. They are treated more fully elsewhere. 

Others came and settled in early days, many of 
whom are noted under the head of "Biograj)h- 



BUI DUE WAT EH TO ]V:^;<ini'. 



441 



EVENTS AND INCIDENTS. 

'J'hc first religious services in the ti)wu were hold 
in Edmund Larkius' liouse in 1855, I>y Rev. Mr. 
Cressey, of the Baptist faith. The siiiuo rovorcnd 
geutlemau also held services in .T. R. Drake's pri- 
vate house to an audience of about thirty persons, 
in 1856. 

The first death in BriJgewater occurred in the 
fall of 1854. in the departure of Jesse, a child of 
Edmund and .Jane Larkius, who lived in the 
Stetson settlement. A son of tliese parents was 
among the first births, and occured in the spring 
of 1855, with not a physician, nor even a woman 
present to assist the mother. The child was chris- 
tened Bruce, and is now a young man residing in 
the township. 

A. W. Drake deeded a cemetery ground to 
Northfield, and liis father was the first to find his 
last resting place in it. Joseph Drake died in 
April, 1857, at the age of 03 years. Another 
early death was the demise of Mrs. Owen, in Dun- 
das, in 1855, early in the spring. 

The earliest marriage, undoubtedly, in the 
township, was celebrated in 1855, when Miss 
Mary M. Drake and Daniel Bundy were united in 
the bonds of wedlock. 

In 185(5, by mutual consent. Miss Catherine 
Tucker was united to Mr. Smith Alexander. 

In June, 1857, C. C. Stetson and Amelia Howe 
were married. 

The first Post-office established in the town was 
known as the Fountain Grove Post-otEce, and was 
opened in the winter of 1855-56, in the northeast- 
ern part of the town. The olliee was removed to 
Northfield within one year. 

Edmund Larkins was one of the arrivals in 
1854, and he brought a number of head of young 
stock with him, settling in section twenty-four. 
One day in the spring of 1855, a numljer of emi- 
grant wagons passed his house while his stock was 
grazing in the hollow near C. C. Stetson's cabin 
and when Larkins came to look for his cattle they 
were nowhere to be seen. He became frantic and 
rushed down to Stetson's, and without stopping 
to explain or say a word took one of the horsja, 
tbey being the only ones in the neighborhood, and 
started in hot pursuit of the white covered wagons, 
which had about three hours start of him. He 
rushed on, goading the horse almost to death, and 
finally, at night, overtook them, and found they 
had seen nothin" of his cattle. He had been on 



a wild goose chase from his home to near St. Paul, 
and camping out of doors that night, the follow- 
ing day made his a])j)earance at home with his 
arm over the horses withers, limping in a most 
singular and pitiful gait. Here he found his cat- 
tle_ quietly grazing within a few rods of where he 
had got the horse. To pay for his folly he carried a 
pillow to sit on for several weeks, and felt that 
another trip like that would necessitate buckling 
a strap around his waist to keep him from splitting 
in two, as it was said the ride made his legs an 
inch or so longer, but we will not vouch for the 
latter statement. 

A terrible murder was committed in the town of 
Bridgewater on the 30th of June, 1867. The 
criminal was Alfred Hoyt; the victim being Josiah 
Stamford, who had a farm adjoining Hoyt's. 
There had been some trouble about the trespassing 
of the cattle, and the parties met in the woods and 
had some words, when Hoyt felled his neighbor 
to the ground by a blow from an axe and then cut 
oil' his head. He then went to the house and made, 
a murderous assault upon Mrs. Stamford with the 
axe, but she lieing a muscular woman defended 
herself until her daughters and nous coming to the 
rescue, secured him by tying, and then, he an- 
nounced that he had killed the old man, and on 
repairing to the pot it was found to be too true. 
The man was at once placed in the hands of tl e 
officers of the lav/, and upon trial was judged in- 
sane and accordingly committed to the insane 
asylum. 

In .June. 1867, the papers had an article hea<led, 
"Female Monster." The facts of the ease were 
that Mathilda Kergin, living a mile and a half 
from Dundas, was brought before Justice Perkins 
on the 13th of June, 1867, charged with brutal 
jiunishment of a boy that lived in her family by 
the name of Franklin Pierce Adams, a lad of 
eleven years of age. The boy's mother was dead 
and he was l)0und out to the Kergins. He was 
horribly whipped with more than one hundred 
and fifty stripes, many of them cutting through 
the skin. It seems that he had gone some distance 
to do a certain piece of work, which detained him 
longer than this sweet-tempered female thought 
necessary, and she met him and knocked him 
down, and with a cruel switch thrashed him in an 
unmerciful manner, and what is most astonishing, 
two full-grown men sat there and let her do it, 
without remonstrance or interference. She was 



442 



HISTOBT OF RICE COUNTY. 



fined $50 and costs, and in default of payment 
committed to jail. 



POLITICAL.. 

Tlie first town meeting ot Bridgewater, for the 
purpose of organizing the township, was held on 
the 11th of May, 1858, at the house of Fernando 
Thompson in the village of Dundas. The meeting 
was called to order and 0. C. Stetson was chosen 
chairman, pro Urn., and Benjamin Lockerby, mod- 
erator. They next proceeded to ballot for officers, 
which resulted as follows: Supervisors, Benjamin 
Lockerby, Chairman, Jacob Emery, and J. A. Up- 
ham; Clerk. C. C. Stetson; Assessor, Eoyal Ester- 
brook ; Collector, Fernando Thompson ; Overseer of 
the Poor, James Gates; Justices of the P(^ace, Geo. 
Barton, David Hatfield, and W. B. Taylor receiv- 
ing the same number of votes, neither were de- 
clared elected; Constable, Charles B. Drake and 
Fernando Thompson were a tie. The whole num- 
ber of votes cast at tliis election was fifty-nine. 

During the war this township did its part, 
furnishing men as fast almost as they were called 
for. and at the time of the organization of the 
First Minnesota Regiment three men went into it 
from Archibald brother's store. A special town 
meeting was held in 1864, at which the sum of 
$1,500 was voted to pay a bounty to volunteers, 
and bonds were issued at 7 per cent, to pay the 
same. The sum of $25 was paid to each man. The 
judges appointed were J. R. Drake, H. Drought, 
and D. Hatfield. ■ At a session some time afterward 
an additional appropriation of 8900 was made, 
there being at that time four volunteers needed. 

The management of the town has been efficient 
and able, and no events have transjaired to inter- 
rupt tlie usual tranquility of town government; 
the management of the finances of the town have 
alsobeea commendable. 

The officers elected for 1882 are as follows: Su- 
jjervisors, J. W. Huckius, Chairman, J. W. Koss, 
and A. Wescott; Clerk,' J. M. Oliver: Treasurer, 
H. M. Baboock ; Justices of the Peace, William 
Tew and J. W. Ennis; Assessor, W. B.Henderson. 

EDUC'ATION.VL. 

The general history of the rise, progress, and 
present condition of the schools in the town ot 
Bridgewater is almost, in its salient points, a du- 
plicate of tliat of almost every other township in 
the county we might mention; it will, however, be 
of interest to the residents of the various districts. 



The educational interests of the township are di- 
vided into six district schools and one graded. 
The districts are all in good financial condition, 
and the schools well attended. The total amount 
of school property in town is about .'$11),000. 

DisTKiOT No. 2. — This should probably have 
been district No. 1, as the schoolhouse was the first 
put up in the county. In the spring of 1856, it 
was decided to build a schoolhouse, and Charles 
Wheeler and others, during the night, quietly ap- 
propriated timber from section sixteen. In the 
daytime they hauled it away, and put up their 
schoolhouse, the size of which was about 20x.30 
feet, upon the southeast corner of section twelve. 

The first school was called to order soon after by 
Miss Martha Kelley, now Mrs. A. Dodge, of 
Northfield. School was continued in this building 
two terms each year until 1880, when the old 
bouse was burned, and then the present building 
was erected at a cost of $1,700. This is the best 
district schoolhouse in the township, being heated 
with furnace and furnished with the latest im- 
provements. 

District No. 11. — The first school held was in 
a log house, the organization being eflected in the 
latter part of the fifties. The stone schoolhouse 
now in use by the district for school purposes is 
one of the best in the township; it is located in the 
southern part of section thirty-five. The present 
school board consists of Messrs. John Cheney, 
J. J. Chester, and E. McKibbie. The school has 
about twenty-four pupils. 

District No. 13. — The first school was taught 
in the latter part of 1856, or early in 1857, by 
Miss Lockerby, in McKinley"s house, when the 
district may be said to have been organized. The 
first winter school was taught by .James Ecles, 
with about twenty scholars. The present site of 
the schoolliouse is in the southwestern part of sec- 
tion twenty-four. 

District No. 15. — The first school in the dis- 
trict was taught in 1857, when the district 
was organized, in a log building owned by Bmith 
Alexander, and the following year a log school- 
house was put up on the same site. This build- 
ing served the purpose until 1865, when it was 
destroyed by fire, but the following year it was 
replaced by the building now in use. The loca- 
tion of the school is the northwestern corner of 
section twenty-eight. 

District No. 31. — The first school was called 



BRIDGEWArEU Towxsnir. 



443 



to order in 1857, by Peter Scuriugton in a house 
a liouse on section eight. The history of the 
early organiziition and growth of this district 
seems to be iihuost forgotten, ;is tlioso who live in 
the same who have been interviewed, are very 
conllieting in their statements. The location of 
the present schoolhouse is the northern part of 
section six. 

DisTiiTCT No. 01. — The organization of this 
district was effected in 187-1, and it is, therefore, 
the youngest district in the township. The first 
school was held in the present schoollionse in 1874, 
with forty-flve scholars in attendance. Miss Lucy 
Cowan being the teacher. Their neat and sub- 
stantial schoolhouse was erected in 1874, at a cost 
of about $(500: the school board at that time being 
composed of Messrs Tew, Gurran, and Donaldson. 
The present members of the board are William Tew, 
Henry Piatt, and W. S. Partlow. The school is 
located in the southwestern part of section nine. 

DUND.VS. 

This is the only village in the township of 
Bridgewater, and is the third in size and impor- 
tance in the county. It is situated on the Cannon 
River, near the center of tlie town, its village plat 
extending into sections ten, eleven, and fifteen. 
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad con- 
nects the village with the outside world, passing 
through it in a southwesterly direction. 

The location of tliis thriving village is all that 
could be desired. As we contemplate the changes 
of a quarter of a century past we can scarcely com- 
prehend or realize that the results of time's won- 
der-working hand are the achievements of a period 
so brief as to be within the remembrance, almost, 
of the present generation. 

Let us turn back, as it were, the leaves of time's 
great book to but a quarter of a century ago, and 
the stranger would have gazed upon a landscape 
of wondroiis beauty; selected by Dakota as his 
camping ground, with that singular ajipreciation 
of the beautiful which nature made an instinct 
with the savage. These noble forests wei'e as green 
then as now, the prairie flowers blot}med as thickly 
and diffused their fragrance as bountifully. Wo 
are in the haunt of the red man, with scarcely a 
trace of civilization, and literally a wilderness. 
But what a contrast! Then all was as nature had 
formed it, with its variegated hues of vegetation; 
in winter a dreary barren waste, in summer a per- 
fect paradise of tiowers. Now many traces of the 



primitive are obliterated ; in place of the tall prairie 
grass and tangled \mderbrush, we behold the rich 
waving fields of golden grain. In place of the 
dusky warriors' cal)ins are the elegant and sub- 
stantial dwellings, and the ''iron horse," swifter 
than the nimble deer, treads the pathway so rec- 
ently the trail of the red man. 

In point of location, Dundas is all that could be 
desired. The Cannon River at this point furnishes 
one of the most valuable water-powers in the State, 
and with the a.ssi8tauce of relial)le railroad con- 
nection with eastern markets, its future is assured. 
The Minnesota Central railroad has already sur- 
veyed and graded a line through the place and by 
fall the lomotive will be pushing its way through 
the village on this line. 

The immediate surroundings of the village are 
timber lands, but within a mile from the limits 
you emerge from the timber and before you lie the 
richest prairie and farming lands in the State; 
dotted with well built and costly farm houses, in- 
dicating the thrift and prosjjerify of the farmers 
from which the village receives its support. The 
main part of the village, and where most of the 
residences are, is upon the east side of the river, 
up(m the level table land extending from the low 
hills to the river. A majority of the business 
houses iind the Dundas mills are on the west side 
of the river, while the old stone mill and the 
coojjer shops are on the island which separates the 
river at this point, and which is connected to the 
main land by substantial iron liridges sjianning 
the divided river. 

E.^KLY Settlement. — As stated in the article on 
the early settlement of the township, the land 
where the village now stands was pre-empted in 
18.52, by Irish; and he broke a few acres and then 
left, when H. M. Matteson came in the spring of 
18.55, and jumped the claim, paid Irish for his 
improvements, and commenced to get out timber 
for a mill. In June, 1857, J. S. and George N. 
Archibald arrived and purchased of Mr. Matteson 
the town site, and at once laid out the town. They 
threw a stone dam across the river and commenced 
the erection of the old stone mill. 

In the fall of 1856, a saw-mill was erected by a 
Mr. Veeley, about 80 rods above the Archibald 
mill site, on the river, and shortly after the com- 
pletion of it the firm became -Tames Bafib i: Veeley. 
A small dam was thrown across the river, which 
secured a three foot head of water. The mill was 



444 



EISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



equipped with a circular saw, aud was purchased 
by the Archibalds a short time after their arrival, 
aud used to timber the new grist-mill. After this 
was set in motion the work on the stone mill pro- 
gressed rapidly, and in the same year it was com- 
pleted and in motion. The rhill contained four 
run of stones and was at that time considered the 
best mill in the State. It was two stories high 
with a stone basement, and still stands on the 
island opposite the present fine mills. Flonrmade 
by the old mill was taken to St Paul and Minne- 
apolis by team, and won the reputation of being 
the best made in the State. 

The first store started in Dundas was built and 
stocked by J. S. & G. N. Archibald in 1858. The 
store stood one block south of the bridge, and 
was known far and near as the "Dundas Cash 
Store." The first frame residence in town was 
put up by the same gentlemen at the same time 
and is now occupied by the widow of J. S. Archi- 
bald. 

The next store, and really the first substantial 
one, was opened in 1859 by E. G. & J. J. Ault, 
with about a 93,000 stock, in the building now 
occupied as the shoe shop of Mr. Richert. In 
1861, George Kirkpatrick purchased the Archi- 
bald Brothers' store and stocked it up. This occu- 
pied the building now used as a residence by Ed. 
Coppin. The Ault brothers afterward put up a 
substantial stoue building. 

In 1858, the Post-office was established, and 
Herman Jenkins was first ajjpointed to handle the 
mails. He was called the traveling Post-master, 
because he would go to Northfield, get the mail, 
and then deliver it to the few inhabitants in the 
])lace. In 1859, the people of Northfield raised a 
bonus aud secured a daily stage mail on the line 
from Northfield to Faribault. This was continued 
until the railroad was constructed through the 
place in 1804. The Post-office has in the mean- 
time passed into numerous hands, and finally J. 
M. Oliver, the present accommodating and efficient 
Postmaster was appointed, and has since retained 
the office. 

Hotels. — In 1858, the first hotel was put up in 
Dundas by H. Jenldns. It stood where the Arch- 
ibald Company barn now is. It was not a very 
gorgeously furnished establishment, bnt it served 
the purpose until it was burned to the ground 
some years later. 

The next hotel was put up liy H. C. Komoll, and 



is still run and known as the "Komoll House." 
Next was started the "Franklin Hotel," kept by 
that best of hosts, A. Frink. 

A few years ago Mr. Cramer started "Mer- 
chants' Hotel," near the depot. 

In 1870, Dundas had a population of about 
500. In the last ten years it has almost doubled, 
now having about 1,000. 

EVENTS OF INTEBEST. 

The first house or bifilding ever erected on the 
town site of Dundas was put up in the spring and 
summer of 1855, by the owner at that time, H. M. 
Matteson. It stood on the west side of the river 
near the Blerchants" Hotel; built of logs, size 
16x20 feet, and for those days a good and sub- 
stantial house. Mr. Matteson afterward told Mr. 
Archibald, the owner, that he would buy the old 
house and lot back, and board it up so as to "pre- 
serve it for future reference," but Mr. Archibald 
stated that the house was in the center of the 
street and had to be torn down. 

Among the first, and we are inclined to believe 
the first death to occur in Dundas, was a daughter 
of Wm. and Mary B. Taylor, named Calista, aged 
twelve years, of diphtheria. This occurred in Oc- 
tober, 1856. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor 
was born on the 4th of January, 1856, and was 
the first birth. The child was christened 
Clara E., and still lives with her mother in 
Dundas. 

A short time after the occurrence above men- 
tioned, Jacob, a son of Ira Markell, was born. He 
also still lives in Dundas. 

An early death was the child of Mr. H. C. 
Komoll, the hotel keeper. 

William B. Taylor was drowned in April, 1866. 
The bridge over the Cannon River had been 
washed out, and he, as well as other employes in 
the mill, were obliged to go to and from their work 
in boats. One day, as he, in company with the 
miUer, Thomas Handy, and two others were cross- 
ing, the boat was capsized, and they were left 
struggling in the water. Two of the occupants 
were saved, but Taylor and Handy were swallowed 
by the greedy torrent and both met watery graves. 
Wm. B. Taylor left a wife and six children, and 
Thomas Handy a wife and three chil'^ien. 

VILLAGE OKGANIZATION. 

In the spring of 1879, the residents of Dundas 
having come to the conclusion that an organiza- 



inilDGEWATEI! TOWXSllIi: 



415 



tion of the village was necessary, accordingly 
took steps auil had the village chartered. The or- 
gauiziition was effected by the election of the fol- 
lowing officers: Council, E. T. Archibald,Presideut, 
C. W. Brown, R. R. Hutchinson, J. T. Thielbar, 
and F. Shaudort; Recorder, D. W. Markell; Treas- 
uicr, E. G. Ault; Justice of the Peace, J. R. De 
Cousins; Marshal, C. Runnels. 

The bu.siness of the village has been transacted 
in a commendable and economical way. 

The present officers are:' Council, C. Runnels, 
President, P. K. Empey, Henry Carrol, A. Wool- 
ery, and Wm. B. Henderson; Recorder, A. Hed- 
re'n; Treasurer, J. W. Huckins; .Justice of the 
Peace, Edward Strange; Marshal, John C. King. 
The council rent a building east of the iron bridge 
for a Village Hall, and have made an addition to 
the same for a lock-up. 

DU.1DAS GRADED SCHOOLS. 

This organization for educational purposes em- 
braces the village of Dundasand the immediately 
sTirrounding territory, and in its management, both 
financially and educationally, has been one of the 
most prudent and efficient institutions in the 
county. 

The first school in Dundas was taught in 18.58, 
in a building erected for a meat market, standing 
where Hoyuck's bakery now is, and had in atten- 
dance fifteen children. The teacher was Miss 
Mary Hutchison, now Mrs. Drought. It was at 
this time organized as district No. -t, and a house 
erected soon after. The records commence on the 
30th of May, 18f>5, the first record being a letter 
from the Clerk of tlie district to County Superin- 
tendent Buekham, stating that "if a teachi r is not 
secured ft>r the summer term our 80 or 40 childrea 
must run wild until fall." In ISGCi, an appropria- 
tion of S600 was made to furnish an addition to 
the schoolhouse. On the 12th of May, 18(i8, the 
district was organized into a graded school and 
.$4,000 in bonds voted to erect a school buildiug, 
the site selected being Maple Grove. Accord- 
ingly, in 1869, W. C. Cleland took the contract 
and finished one half the present building at a 
cost, when furnished, of about )j!5,0()0. In 18SI, 
the requirements of the school demanded an in- 
crease, and the same contractor finished the othc r 
, half of the building at a cost of 82,000, making 
the total cost about .§7,000. The schools are now 
in good condition, employing three teachers with 
an attendance of about 2.50 jjupjls. 



SECRET SOCIEXr. 

A. O. U. W. -An Ancient Order of United 
Workmen was instituted in Dundas on the 27tlu)f 
February, 1878, with twenty-four charter mem- 
bers. The prime movers in this, or those through 
whose instrumentality it was organized, were H. 
E. Lawrence, E. G. Ault, A. Hedreen, and C. W. 
Brown. 

The first officers elected were: Blaster Workman, 
A. Hedreen; Recorder, H. E. Lawrence; Ti-eas- 
nrer, R. R, Hiitchin.son; Financier, .1. M. Oliver. 
The present officers are as follows : Master Work- 
man, J. P. Hummel; Recorder, C. Runnels; Treas- 
urer, A. F. Thielbar; Financier, J. M. Oliver. The 
order now has twenty-one members in good stand- 
ing, and is in the most prosperous and nourishing 
condition. 

EETjIOIOUS. 

The religious and God-fearing people of Dun- 
das are divided into four denominations, and they 
have already erected three substantial and neat 
buildings, and another is now in process of erection. 
Speaking financially, the churches in this place 
are in as good condition as is usual in a town of 
this size, and one may get an inference from that 
as to their standing. Below we give a condensed 
notice of the organization and principal proceed- 
ings of each. 

Episcopal. — The fii-st service was held in Archi- 
bald's hall in 1864, by Bishop Whipple. Their 
church was erected in 1868, by W. C. Clel.aud, 
contractor, at a cost of ij7,000, and dedicated with 
Bishop Wiiipple officiating. Rev. W. J. Gould 
was the first regular pastor and remained for seven 
years, after which Rev. Humphrey presiiled for 
two years, and since that time they have had no 
regular preacher. As above stated their church 
was built in 1868 at a cost of $7,000, and iu 1874, 
a neat parsonage was erected at a cost of aljout 
iJS.SOO. Tliis was all ])ut up at the expense of, 
and donated to the society by, J. S. Archibald, 
with a very little aid from a few others. Mr. 
.Archibald, at the time of his death, in 1875, 
lieqneathed the sum of S15,000 to the churcli, 
making his total donations foot up to .f 25,000. 

German Lutheran. — The fii-st service held by 
this denomination was in the summer of 1866, in 
the old schoolliouse cm the cast side of the river, 
by Rev. Shultz. Shortly afterward the organiza- 
tion was effected, ha\ing at first about twelve 



446 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



members. Services were held at various places 
until 1881, wheu they commenced the erection of a 
church edifice on Second street, on the east side of 
the river. The building is not completed as yet. 
Among the jjastors to officiate in this denomina- 
tion are Eeverends Shultz and Sipler. The pulpit 
is now supplied by the Lutheran minister of Fari- 
bault. 

Peesbyterian. — This society formally organ- 
ized in the year 1865. with Eev. J. I. Smith 
officiating, and had about twenty members. In 
1867, they commenced the erection of a church 
which was finished the following year at a cost of 
about $1,200, and this is the building now in use 
by the society. The pastors have been : Reverends 
Breck, J. H. Hunter, W. S. Wilson, James IMc- 
Lain, W. E. Donaldson, and J. C. Garver, the latter 
being the present pastor. The church was dedi- 
cated on the 17th of July, 1868. 

Methodist. — There was at one time a strong 
organization of this denomination here, but at 
present there is not much interest felt or shown in 
it. They erected a church and a parsonage. The 
former was finally sold and is now used by Mr. 
Phillip Empey as a livery stable; the parsonage 
was destroyed by fire the 2d of March, 1879. 

INDUSTBIAIj ENTERPRISES. 

As all the industries of this nature in the town- 
ship are centered at Dundas, they will all be 
treated under one head, and a review of the various 
manufacturing establishments of the village and 
township will be appropos to thisoccason, as they 
are the nucleus to the now prosperous village- 
The first we will allude to will be the manufactur- 
ing enterprise known as the 

Dundas ELOtTRiNG Mills, which have ever been 
the magnet around which have clustered the vari- 
ous business interests of wh.ich the town is pos- 
sessed. These mills, in their past years of useful- 
ness, have achieved a reputation perhaps second 
ti) none other .similar institution in the State. Ac- 
cumulation of Imsiness and an increased demand 
for the productionsof the establishment from time 
to time, rendering an increase of capacity necessary, 
have been the means of forcing alti rations which 
have made its capacity without equal in this part 
of the State. 

The mills are located on the west bank of the 
Cannon River, within the limits of the village, and 
consist of the main building, the old stone mill, 
and several warehouses. 



In 1857, J. S. and G N. Archibald, natives of 
Canada, came to Dundas and put up the old stone 
mill upon the island, building a stone dam across 
the river and securing a good water-jjower. Four 
run of stones were placed in the mill and opera- 
tions commenced the same year. The crops fail- 
ing that year and the following one the mill was 
not operated to its full capacity until 1859, when 
a small merchant bolt was jjut in, and in this con- 
dition the mill was run until 1870. Shortly after 
building and commencing operations, the firm was 
dissolved; G. N. going out and J. S. continuing 
until 1870, when it became J. S. & E. T. Archibald; 
and at that time the frame portion of the present 
main building was erected, size 35x70 feet, five 
stories high, with a basement, and to this has been 
added a stone wing 36x80 feet, joining the frame 
on the north. 

In 1866, the original dam, built in 1857, was 
washed away, and the year following rebuilt. In 
1871, the mill was enlarged to an eight run mill, 
and in 1879, it was entirely remodeled and con- 
verted into a roller mill. Thirty-five sets of rollers 
were put in, and two burrs, making a capacity of 
500 barrels per day. 

The power by which the mill is run is both 
steam and water; having nine feet of water fall, 
and a 150 horse-power steam engine — making the 
propelling force of the mill efficient and perma- 
nent. The steam power was added at the recon- 
struction of the mill in 1879, a substantial stone 
engine house being erected at that time. About 
same time a side trai^k was laid from the main line 
of the raih'oad to the mill door. 

The present firm is E. T. Archibald & Co., en 
personnel E. T. and Cyril Archibald. The origin- 
ator and startor of the enterprise, J. S. Archibald, 
died in 1875, leaving many earnest and warm 
friends to moUrn his loss. His widow, Mrs. C. C. 
Archibald, still lives in l^undas, much esteemed 
by all. 

Cooperage. — In connection with the mill is the 
cooper business. The shops are located on the 
island, one on each side of the street. Their ca- 
pacity is only limited by the number of barrels 
in demand per day. and this branch of industry is 
certainly as important a factor and as beneficial 
to Dundas as any it contains. It employs as a . 
rule about thirty men. When started they were 
operated in connection with and under the man- 
agement of the Diuidas mills, but of late years it 



niilDGEWATKIi Towys/iir. 



447 



has been managed by a co-operative CoopGr'a 
Association. 

Star Flodkixg Mills. — To get at the founda- 
tion of this mill's establishment, one must go back 
in date to 1869, when the firm of Drought & Hutch- 
inson purchased the ground north of the bridge, 
on the west side of the river, for a saw-mill. Thoy 
at once put up a steam saw-mill with a perpen- 
dicular, and a circular saw. This was run by them 
four years and then sold to Jacobs & Dittis, who 
run it until it was biirned, two years later. In 
1877, the site was purchased by James Pcppin, 
who commenced the erection of the mill which is 
both a flour and saw-mill. Three run of stones 
were put in and an 80 horse-power steam engine. 
In 1880, the firm became Newell ct Peppin, and 
the mill was remodeled and rollers put in in ad- 
dition to the burrs, making the capacity about 
l.'iO barrels. The saw-mill in connection is 
ecpiipped with a circular saw, and has been piling 
up saw-dust to the present time. The flouring mill 
was only operated for about one year, the proprie- 
tors having become involved in" debt. The mill is 
a large tliree story and abasement building, and 
tba entire outfit is estimated at having cost about 
S30,000. 

Cochran Mill. — A small custom mill was 
erected in 1878 by Robert Cochran, on section 
twenty -two, and was run by steam. For a short 
time it did a good l:)usiness, but was finally, in the 
fall of 1880, destroyed by fire. 

Hoover Saw -Mill. — This enterprise was orig- 
inally established in Cannon City by J. M. Hoover, 
but after running there a short time was moved to 
his farm on section thirty-two. It is run by 
steam, and does good work. Mr. Hoover is still 
proprietor of it. 

The First Saw-Mill.— In the fall of 18,50, a 
saw-mill was erected by a Mr. Veeley, a short dis- 
tance from the present location of the Dundas 
mills. It was run a short time by Babb & Veeley, 
and finally, in 1857, was purcha.sed by J. S. and 
G. N. Archibald. It was run by water-power, atlam 
having been built which gave them tlircc feet fall 
of water. This was the first institution of a man- 
facturing nature started in this entire section of 
country. A description of the mill is given else- 
where. 

Railroad Business. — An idea can be formed 
of the business importance of Dundas from the 
following items obtained through the kindness 



of the affable depot agent Mr. J. W. Cam- 
eron. 'V\io shipments from Dundas in A])ril, 
1882, amounted to '2,230.2:i0 ])()nnds, composed of 
the following items: Flour, 1,. 5.58.780 pounds; 
mill feed, 009,700 pounds; merchandise, 56,770 
pounds; potatoes, 5,270 pounds. The freight re- 
ceived during this month amounted to 2,405,792 
pounds. 

The shipmcuts during May were as follows: 
Fhiur, 1,141,400 pounds; mill feed, 640,100 
pounds; potatoes, 11,860 pounds, and merchan- 
dise, 48,690 pounds. The total shipments for the 
month were 2,642,910 pounds. Received during 
the month, 2,40;J,305 pounds. 

During the mouth of June the shipments were 
as follows: Flour, 2,630,050 pounds: mill feed, 
431,200 pounds; merchandise, 4,320 pounds, and 
two car loads of wood. Total shipments for June, 
2,546,570 pounds Total receipts, 2,563,810 
pounds. The express business amounts to about 
$S0(l per year. 

WOGRAPHIO.AI.. 

Cyhil Aki^hibald was born in Stormont 
county, province of Ontario, Canada, in 1837. 
His father was a merchant and physician, and 
Cyril remained in his native place, engaged in 
farming and mercantile pursuits, in a limited way, 
until Augustjl880, when he removed to this place. 
The following year he became a member of the 
firm of E. T. Archil)ald & Co., proprietors of the 
Dundas Flouring Mills, and is still one of the well 
known firm. He was united in marriage in Jan- 
uary, 1881, to Miss Gertrude, daughter of John R. 
Wood, of Stormout county, Canada, and one child 
has lieen the result of the uni(.)n, a V)oy named 
Heber. 

J. J. Ahlt is a native of Aultsville, Ontario, 
Canada, born in 1834,and came to Dundas in 1859. 
Aftar being engaged in various pursuits, he left 
the place, but returned again in 1874, and has ever 
since been in the employ of E. T. Archibald &Co., 
as cashier and book-keeper. 

Edgar G. .\rLT was born in Canada in 1838. 
.\ultville claimed him as a resident until twenty 
years old. He attended school at Potsdam 
Academy, and finally completed his education at 
Fort Edward, New York. He came to Dundas, 
Minnesota, in 1859, and engaged in mercantile 
pursuits, which business he has followed most of 
the time since. He built a large stone store in 
1868, and in 1881, a large brick and stone store 



us 



HTSTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



which he now occupies, dealing in general mer- 
chandise. Mr. Ault has been one of the active 
men in building up the town and the schools. 

Simon Babrigak was born in Canada in 1822, 
and reared on a farm. In 1S49, he removed to 
New York, where lie engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits until 18G3, then came to Minnesota, located 
in Bridgewater in section nineteen, where he has a 
farm of three hundred acres, most of which is im- 
jjroved. He was married in Canada, and has had 
a family of nine children, eight of whom c^re 
living. 

W. H. Bennett was born in Albany, New 
York, on the 7th of February, 1815, and grew to 
manhood in bis native place. In 1837, he came to 
Wisconsin and settled on a farm near Milwaukee, 
and there married Miss Mary Bunday, on the 13th 
of September, 1849. She was born in Wayne 
county. New York, on the 15th of January, 1829. 
but had lived in Wisconsin many years. In 
March, 1855, he came to Rice county and located 
in Bridgewater, near what was then the village of 
Northfield. He now owns sixty-six acres of land, 
having sold the remainder of bis claim for the 
Northfield Fair Grounds. He has four children, 
two having died; those living are: Elizabeth D., 
Ida M., Ella B., and Sarah S. 

L. R. Babcock was born in New York in 1820, 
and lived there until nine years of age. He then 
removed with bis parents to Indiana, where he 
was engaged as an engineer, and spent his time 
in the manner of a "Wandering Jew." He came to 
Dnndas iu 18(i9, and found employment as a 
cooper, which business he now follows. Mr. 
Babcock was married iu Indiana, and the union 
has been blessed witli eight children. 

F. Creiman was b(U-n in Germany iu 1837, 
where he remained until eighteen years old, then 
emigrated to America. He has been in Dundas 
seven years, engaged in the hotel business. Mr 
Creiman's family consists of a wife and two children, 

G. W. Cameron was liorn iu Canada in 1839, 
where he attended school and was reared on a 
farm. When he was twenty-two yerrs of age he 
came to Vermont, engaged in farming two years, 
tlien removed to Wisconsin, where he learned tele- 
graphy. Iu 18(i5, lie came to Northfield, Minne- 
sota. *wherc he engaged as telegraph operator, 
coming to Dundas in 18(17, and has since been the 
agent of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul rail- 
road. He was married in Northfield iu 18(58, to 



Miss C. P. White, a native of Vermont. They 
have been blessed with three children; Belle, nine 
years of age; Jennie, seven; and Georgia, two. 

Job Chester, a native of England, was born in 
1818, and lived in his native country until four- 
teen years old, then came witli his parents to 
America. They remained in Philadelphia one 
year, then moved to Ohio, where Job finished 
his education. He was employed as porter in a 
wholesale store in Cleveland for five years, then 
removed to St. Louis and engaged in the same 
business two years. While in the latter city he 
married Miss Anne Jeffries, a native of Canada, 
the ceremony taking place in 1844. He came to 
Racine couuty, Wisconsin, engaged in farming 
and remained there eight years, then moved to 
Bridgewater, Rice county, and staked out the first 
claim in this township, locating it on section 
twenty-five. He is the father of five children, one 
of whom is dead, 

William C. Clel.^nd was born iu Ireland in 
1823, and received his education in his native 
country. When twenty-four years of age he 
came to Canada, where he worked at the carpen- 
ter trade, contracting, etc. In 186(5, he returned 
to Ireland, remained eight months, then came to 
Dundas, where he has since been engaged in 
farming, and also works at his trade. He has built 
the greater portion of the best buildings in the 
village. 

Joseph Clute was born iu Germany in 1837, 
and remained there until 1854, when he emigrated 
to America. He was educated in his native 
country and reared to agricultural pursuits. In 
1858, he removed to Minnesota and located in 
Bridgewater, in section six, where he still resides. 
He was married in 1863, to Miss Sophia Grone- 
wald, also a native of Germany. The union has 
been blessed with six children. Mr. Clute was 
drafted into the army in 1805, and served six 
months in the Second Minnesota Infantry. He 
has beeu a member of the Board of Supervisors 
two years, and one of the school l)oard eight 
yuars. 

\V. S. CuRREN was born in Wisconsin in 1842, 
and removed with his parents to Blinnesota when 
fourteen years old, completing his education in this 
State. In 1862, he was married; reuioVed to his 
farm in Bridgewater, section eight, in 1868, and 
has one hundred and seven acres of land, nearly 
all improved. Mr. and Mrs. Curren have had eight 



BUI DUE WATER Tii\V.\S//n>. 



M!) 



childreu, four i)f whom are living; two died of 
diphtlieriii iu cue week, and two in infancy. 

W. H. Emery was born iu New York iu 1841, 
and at the age of fourteen years removed to Min- 
nesota with his pareuts, who settled in Bridge- 
water. W. H. attended school in New York and 
finished his education here, also taught one term 
of school. He was joined in matrimony in 1865, 
with Miss Eunice Bardwell, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, who has borne him three children. He has 
a farm of ninety acres in section twenty-one which 
is well improved. Mr. Emery has been elected to 
the offices of Constable, Supervisor, and Assessor. 
He served through the Indian war of 1862, with 
Gen. Sibley. He and his wife are members of the 
Methodist church. 

Mrs. MAiti.i EjirEY, a daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. Kausey Morgan, was born iu Canada on the 
2ith of June, 1816. She was married to Mr. 
Nicholas W. Em23ey on the 15th of September, 
1834, in the eastern part of Canada. In 1840, 
they moved to Hancock county, IlliuoLs, where 
they remained about eight yeai-s, then returned to 
their former home in Canada and resided on a farm 
nine years. In October, 1856, they made their 
way to Minnesota,and after sojourning in Northfleld 
several weeks located on a pre-emption in Steele 
county, and afterward lived in Goodhue county four 
years. In 1870, their farm in the latter place was 
traded for the one on which Mrs. Empey now re- 
sides. Her husband died on the 17th of Novem- 
ber, 1872, leaving many friends to mourn his loss. 
The marriage was blessed with ten children of 
whom five are now living, Samantha, Alice, Almeda, 
Phillip, and Nellie. Mrs. Empey is a firm be- 
liever and an earnest worker in the church of the 
Latter Da}' Saints, being respected and loved by 
all who know her. 

Philii' K. Empey was born in Canada in 18r)7, 
and removed with his parents to the United States 
when two years of age. Tliey first settled in 
Steele and afterward in Goodhue county engaged 
at farming. .-V few years later he came to Dundas 
with his parents and engaged iu the livery busi- 
ness. He has been a jiromhient man in public 
enterprises and has held several offices, being at 
present a member of the Village Council. He and 
his mother reside together. 

.Jacob Emery was born iu Wayne county. New 
York, in 1810, and was reared to agricultural pur- 
suits, receiving a common school education. He 
29 



was married iu 1830 to Miss Eliza Portman, also a 
native of New York. In 1855, he removed to 
Minnesota, locating in this township, in section 
twenty-eight, whei'e he may still be foiuid. His 
wife died on the 6th of September, 1868, leaving 
nine children, and ho was again married in 1880, 
to Mi.ss Etta Hoover. Mr. Emery was a member 
of the first board of Sujjervisors of the town and 
was very active in organizing schools. He and his 
wife are members of the Methodist church. 

A. Feink is a native of Germany, born in 1826. 
He attended school and lived on a farm. In 1853, 
he emigrated to America, direct to Minnesota, and 
located in St. Paul where he was engaged in lum- 
bering two years, then removed to Dakota county 
and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of 
land. In 1860, he sold his farm and at the first 
call for troops enlisted and served three months, 
then came to Northfield where he engaged in a 
hotel. In 1872, he again went to Dakota county 
where he farmed three years, and in tlie fall of 
1878, came to Dundas where he has since kept a 
hotel. He was married in August, 1866, to Miss 
Augusta Fox, also a native of Germany. They 
have four children, all of whom are girls. 

G. A. Gatzke was born in Prussia iu 1840, and 
received his education there, also learning the mil- 
ler's trade. In 1864, he came to America and di- 
rectly to Wisconsin where, in 1862, he married 
Miss Amelia Johu.sou, also a native of Prussia. 
In 1872, he came to Bridgewater, Rice county, 
and has since beeu foreman in the Dundas mills. 
Mr. and Mrs. Gatzke have had five children, four 
of whom are living. They are members of the 
Lutheran church. 

Alio GiltjAndees was born in New York iu 
1844, where he attonded school and was reared to 
agricultural pursuits. He served in the Army of 
the Potomac one year in the One hundred and 
sixty-ninth New York Volunteer Infantry. In 
1864, he removed to Minnesota and resided for 
four years in Dakota county, then came to this 
township and located in section eighteen. In 
1867, Miss Elizabeth Moore, a native of New York, 
became his wife. They have one child, Jennie, 
eleven years of age. They are members of tlie 
Me'ihodist church. 

Peter Grau is a native of Germany, born in 
1832; was educated and learned the tailors trade 
in his native country. In May, 1851, he emi- 
grated to America and located in New York {'itv 



450 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



where be followed his trade sixteen years. In 
1864, Miss Martha Baker, also a native of Ger- 
many, became his wife. He enlisted in the Seventh 
New York Infantry, served one year, and after re- 
ceiving his discharge came to Minnesota, locating 
in Forest township. Rice county, and two years 
later removed to Dundas where he is at work in the 
Archibald mill. Mr. and Mrs. Grau have had six 
children, tour of whom are living. They are 
members of the Presbyterian church. 

James Garrity was born in Ireland in 1832, 
where he remained until nineteen years old. He 
served one year in the British army and emigrated 
to America in 18.56, coming directly to this place. 
In July, 1859, he was united in marriage and the 
union has been blessed with three children. 

J. G. H.iTFiELD was born in Ohio in 1836, and 
removed with his parents to Indiana when two 
years of age where he was educated. He was 
married in 1859, to Miss Mary H. Donaldson who 
was born in Pennsylvania in 1836. In 1864, they 
came to Minnesota, located on a farm in Bridge- 
water in section twenty-nine, where he still resides, 
the farm containing eighty acres, all well im- 
proved. They have been blessed with five chil- 
dren, four of whom are living. He is a member 
of the .school l)()ard. 

.1. J. Hummel was born in Germany on the 23d 
of July. 1854, lived in his native land with his 
parents until fourteen years of age, when, in the 
fall of 1868, he went to Algiers, Africa, where he 
had relatives, and engaged in the brewing busi- 
ness. Tliis occupation receive his attention until 
July, 1873, when he again removed, this time to 
America. He came directly to where his parents 
resided in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and for a 
little over a year devoted his time to agricultural 
pursuits. His next move was to Faribault, where 
he remained until 1881, witli the exception of one 
year spent at the German-English Normal School 
at Galena, Illinois. In 1881, he made a prospect- 
ing tour to California, and ujion his return to 
Minnesota decided to move his family to the Pa- 
cific coast whicli he did, but soon returned to this 
State and took \i\> his abode in Dundas, and in 
March, 1882, became an active partner in the firm 
of Hummel Bros, of the Dundas meat market. 
His wife was formerly Josephine C. Degen, of 
Faribault, wliom ho married on the 29th of No- 
vember, 1877. One child has blessed the union, a 
boy named Charles 1). 



J. P. Hummel, a brother of the subject of our 
last sketch, is just two years his senior, having 
been born on the 23d of July, 1852. He came to 
America in 1869, with his mother, brothers and 
sisters, his father having died in Germany. They 
settled in Rochester, New York, where J. P. learned 
the butcher trade. In June, 1871, he removed to 
Washington county, Minnesota, and engaged at 
his trade and farming until 1875, when he re- 
moved to Dundas and still follows butchering. 
He was married in Wisconsin in 1876, to Miss 
Elizabeth Hartman, a native of the latter State. 
They have four children. 

J. G. Hergott was born in France in 1848, 
and when twenty years of age went to Africa, serv- 
ing in the French army. He next went to Italy 
and was in the army seven months, then to Ger- 
many, where he served through the Prussian war, 
was taken prisoner at Metz and held for seven 
months, after which he returned to France. Mr. 
Hergott emigrated to America in 1872, and after 
traveling over a large portion of the United States, 
located in Dundas, where he has since been en- 
gaged in the milling business. He was married in 
Chicago in 1876, and the issue of the union is two 
children. 

Andrew J. Hbdrebn was born in Sweden on the 
16th of December, 1846, and came to America 
in 1866, landing in New York on the 
4th of July. The most of his younger 
days were spent in school, completing common 
branches and taking a flve-year collegiate course. 
He cama direct to Otisco, Waseca county, Minne- 
.sota, and taught one term of school, thence to 
Faribault where he was engaged at surveying, 
and subsequently learned the cooper's trade. In 
1872, he came to Dundas and has since been en- 
gaged at his trade, being the first foreman of the 
Co-operative Coopers Association of this place. 
He is also a member of tlie Ancient Order of 
United Workmen. He is now Rec(jrder of the 
village, and has held several other offices of trust. 
Ou the Isfc of August, 1869, he was married to 
Miss Lizzie O. Edsall, of Waseca county, and they 
have four children; Lillie, Charles, Guy, and 
Harry. 

J. W. Hdokins was born in Delaware, Ripley 
county, Indiana, in 1838. When sev'^teen years 
old he removed to Ohio, where he finished his ed- 
ucation, then came to Miunesota, and thence to 
Indiana, where he engaged ia clerking. In 1861, 



Dili DO l<: WATER TOWXSllIl'. 



151 



be returned to Cannon City, Minnesota, where 
mercantile pursuits claimoil his attention until 
18{)2, when be came to Minneapolis anil engaged 
in the same business. Four years later he removed 
to Cannon City, and from tliore to Dnnchis, where 
he deals in general merchandise and lumber. He 
was married in Michigan in 18M1), to Miss Annie 
Graham, a native of Ohio. They were ble.ssed 
with two children. 

K. B. Hutchinson was born in Montreal, Can- 
ada, in 1838. When fourteen years old he removed 
with bis parents to Buffalo, New York, remained 
five years, then went to Ohio, and one year later 
to Minnesota. He received his education in 
Canada and Buff'alo. In 18fi'2, he enlisted in tlie 
Sixth Minnesota Infantry, was with Gen. Sibley in 
the Indian massacre, at first as a private, then 
promoted to the various higher offices and mus- 
tered out as Captain in 18(>5. He returned to 
Minnesota, and in 1877, came to Dundas, where 
he has since been engaged in mercantile business. 
He was married in 1866, to Miss Susan Patterson, 
a native of Canada. They have five childien. 

Albon Hoyt, one of the fii'st settlers of this 
township, is a native of New York, born in Frank- 
lin county in 1824, and remained there until 
twenty-five years old. He then came to St. Paul, 
and in three years to Bridgewater, locating on 
section eleven. He has a fine farm of one hun- 
dred and eighty acres under good cultivation, sit- 
uated between Dundas and Northfleld. 

Is.\.^c Hendeeson was born in Dundas county, 
Ontario, Canada, in 1834, where he received his 
education and was reared as a farmer. In 186.5, 
be came to Bice county and located in Biidge- 
water, in section twenty-two. He was nuirried to 
Miss Mary Hobbs, who was also Ijoru in Canada. 
They have five chaldren and are members of the 
-\dvent church. 

WiLLi.\M Henderson was born in Canada 
in 1842, and reared on a farm, receiving a 
common school education. He was married in 
1864, to Miss Isabell Van Alstine, and the next 
year they came to Wisconsin, where Mr. Hender- 
son engaged on the railr(}ad two years. After re- 
moving to Minnesota he followed (he same em- 
ployment, and afterward engaged in farming. In 
1872, they came to Bridgewater and he has since 
been engaged in farming, owning a house and lot 
ill Dundas, and taking charge of the Archibald 
land. 



Hebman Hoyuck was born in Gernianj- in 
1844, where he received his education and learned 
the baker's trade. In 1870, he emigrated to 
America, worked at his trade two years in New 
York City, then removed to Chicago and followed 
the same business eight years. He was united in 
marriage in 187(i, and his wife is also a native of 
Germany. In 1880, they removed to this county 
and located in l^uudas, where he has a bakery and 
restaurant. Mr. and Mrs. Hoyuck have three 
children. 

Thom.\s Ingram was born in Irel.and in 1830. 
When twenty years old he married Miss Olivia 
Wightman, and the next year they came to Amer- 
ica, remained in Canada one year, then came to 
New York. He was engaged in boating two 
years, and afterward in farming for eleven years. 
In 1866, he removed to his present farm in Bridge- 
water, Kice county. Mr. and Mrs. Ingram have 
had si.x children, five of whom are living. 

H. C. KoMOLL was born in Germany in 1824. 
In 18.55, he was united in marriage with Miss 
Caroline Johnson, and one year later emigrated 
to America, He had previously learned the shoe- 
maker's trade, at which he worked four years in 
Canada, then removed to Dundas, Minnesota, 
where he worked at his trade for several years. 
He then engaged in hotel keeping and also carries 
on a farm Mr. .ind Mrs. KomoU have been 
blessed with three children, two of whom are 
liying. 

S. LucKERT was lioru in Germany in 1843. He 
was educated in his native country and learned 
the shoemaker's trade. In 1858, he emigrated 
with his parents to America, located in Luzerne 
county, Pennsylvania, and worked at his trade. 
In 1865, he was united in marriage with Miss 
Catharine Wagner, also a native of Germany. In 
186li, tliev removed to Minnesota, engaged in 
farming four years, then came to Dundas and was 
in the boot and shoe business several years. In 
1876, he opened a saloon and restaurant, and is 
now erecting a brick building, two stories high 
with a basement, which he intends occupying. He 
is the father of seven children, three boys and 
four girls. 

W. S. Mattison was born in Minnesota in 
1857, and received his education in Dakota county, 
where his father was a farmer. He came to Dun- 
das in 1878, and has since been foreman in the 
cooj)er shop. 



452 



HrSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



J. C. NoTEMAN was born in New York, where he 
remained until sixteen years of age, then came to 
Wisconsin, and in 1861, enlisted in the Eighth 
Wisconsin Infantry, served three years, then, after 
his discharge re-eulisted and served till the close 
of the war. He then removed to Michigan and 
worked in a drug store two years, and in 187G, 
came to Duudas, where he buys wheat for the 
Archibald Mills. He has a wife and one child. 

J. M. Oliver was , Born in Lawrence county, 
Pennsylvania, in 1852, and lived in his native State 
until 1860, when he came to Rice county, Minne- 
sota. He attended school in Pennsylvania and 
finished his education at the Shattuck school in 
Faribault, after which he taught in Dundas. In 
the fall of 1872, engaged in a store and has been 
in that business mo.st of the time since. He was 
ajjpointed Postmaster in 1877, and still holds tliat 
position. He is Town Clerk, elected in 1878, and 
has been re-elected every year since, and in 1876, 
was Chairman of the board of Supervisors. 

Peter H. Olson, one of the first to locate in 
this township, was boru in Norway in 1824, where 
he received his education and lived on a farm. He 
came to America in 1848, located in Wisconsin, 
where he remained until 1853, then came to 
Bridgewater, engaged in farming till 1861, then 
went to California and worked in the mines. He 
returned to Minnesota in eight years and located 
in this township, in section twenty-four. He was 
married in Northfleld in 1870, to Miss Carrie 
Sable, a native of Norway, who has born him five 
children, one of whom, Lewis Henry, died in 1882, 
aged three years. 

H. B. PoE was born in Kentucky in 1882, and 
remained in his native State until 1844, when he 
removed with his parents to Indiana. In 1855, 
Mr. Poo removed to Bridgewater, and located on 
section thirty where he has a farm containing 
eighty acres of improved land. He served one 
year during the war. He has been a member of 
the school hoard several terms and is always an 
active worker in the advancement of education. 
He was married two years after coming to this 
place to Miss Eliza McHee. The result of the 
union is six children. 

Julius Kkvier was born in New York in 1840, 
where he attended school and became skilled in 
agricultural pursuits. He was united in marriage 
with Miss Ann Perry, a native of Canada, and in 
1865. he came to Minnesota, remaining but six 



months. In two years they removed toJ\Iinnesota 
and located on a farm in Bridgewater. He has 
eight brothers all living in this State. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bevier have had twelve children, nine of 
whom are living. He is a member of the board 
of Supervisors. 

J. W. Boss was born in Sussex county. New 
Jersey, in 1836, and at the age of six years re- 
moved with his parents to Luzerne county, Penn- 
sylvania, where he was educated and reared as a 
farmer. In 1856, he came to Minnesota and 
worked as a carpenter in this county for six years, 
then engaged in farming in Northfield township. 
In 1862, Miss Frances E. Durland became his wife, 
and they removed to Bridgewater in 1873, locat- 
ing on secti(m twenty-six. They have a family of 
nine children. Mr. Boss has been Assessor one 
year and a member of the board of Supervisors 
five years. 

Charles Eunnels was born in Vermont in 1846, 
and moved with his parents to Ohio in 1850, re- 
mained there five years then came to Iowa where 
he learned the cooper's trade. In 1867, he came 
to Minnesota, located in Winona, but removed to 
Bridgewater in 1873, where he has since worked 
at his trade. He was married in 1874, to Miss 
Sarah J. McMurtin, a native of Pennsylvania, who 
has borne him three children. Mr. Runnels has 
been Marshal of Dundas one year and is at present 
Chairman of the Village Council. 

■John J. Sc^hultz is a native of Germany born 
in 1848. His native country claimed him as a 
resident until 1864, when he came to America and 
located in Minnesota. He was married in Roches- 
ter in 1872, and the issue of the union is five 
children, four of whom are living. In 1880, Mr. 
Schultz came to Dundas and has since been head 
engineer in Archibald's mill. 

M. H. SouTHWORTH was boru in Eaymondville, 
St. Lawrence county. New York, in 1850, and in 
1862, removed with his parents to Wisconsin where 
he was reared as a farmer. In 1866, he came to 
Dundas and engaged at work in the Archibald 
mill where he still is emjiloyed. 

FivED Shandorf was born in France in 1842, 
and removed with his parents to America whea 
two years old. They located in New York, where 
lie received his education and was raised on a 
farm. He was married in 1868, to Miss Susau 
Deshan, also a native of France. Tlie same year 
they came to Dundas, where Mr. Shandorf nas 



BRIDGE WATER TO WSiilllP. 



453 



engaged in farming until 1875, then engaged as 
a butcher, and iu 1879, commenced to deal in gen- 
eral merchandise, which business he still follows. 
He occupies a double brick store, and is building 
a large frame warehouse. He has been Council- 
man three terms. They were blessed with five 
children, only one of whom is living; three died 
of diphtheria inside of three weeks, and the other 
of the same disease. 

Edw.\rd Stkange was born near Danville, Hen- 
dricks county, Indiana, on the 4th of January, 
1842. In Octoljer, 1855, his parents came to 
Goodhue county, Minnesota, when- Edward at- 
tended school and learned the wagon maker trade of 
his father, with whom he was afterward in part- 
nership for two years in Cannon Falls. In ISlil!, 
the family moved to Millersburg, where the father 
and his son James engaged in business, Ed. work- 
ing at the carpenter trade most of the time. He 
was married in November, 1807, and moved to 
Dundas the following year. He immediately 
opened a wagon shop, the first of the kind in the 
place, and continued in the business until 1881, 
when he was elected village Justice. 

C. C. Stetson was bom in Maine in 1823, 
where he remained until twenty-one years old, 
finished his education and learned the blacksmith 
and machinist trade. He went to Massachusetts 
and worked at his trade one year, then 
to Providence, Rhode Island, where he re- 
mained two years, thence to New Orleans, and 
sis months later to Texas. In the spring of 1850 
Mr. Stetson went to California, remained there 
three years engaged in mining and at his trade, 
then returned to Maine, and in 1854, came to 
Bridgewater. Three years after coming hero be 
married Miss Amelia Howe, a native of Ohio. Of 
five children bom of this union four are living, one 



dying in infancy. Mr. Stetson was the first Town 
Clerk in this place and lias since held many other 
local offices. They are nicmbcrs of the (,'ongre- 
gational church. 

William Tew Wi'.s born in New York in 1841, 
and removed with his parents to Wisconsin two 
years later. In the latter State he was educated 
and reared as a farmer. In 18G4, he was married, 
and the result of the union is two children. Three 
years after they came to Minnesota and pre- 
empted a claim in Bridgewater in section nine, 
where he still resides. He has been a member of 
the board of Supervisors three terms. Mrs. Tew 
died in 1881, at the age of thirty-five years. 

H. F. Thielbar, a native of Germany, was born 
in 1834, reared to farming pursuits, and received his 
education in his native country. In 1853, he emi- 
grated to America, located in New York City, 
where he engaged in the grocery business until 
1857, then came to this county, where he carried 
on a farm. He was married at Dundas in 18()1, 
to Miss Loesia Buckoern, also a native of Ger- 
many. In 1863, he enlisted in the army, served 
one year, then returned to his farm and in 1867, 
came to Dundas, where he engaged in clerking. 
In 1872, he commenced business for himself, and 
has since carried a stock of general merchandise. 
He has been Councilman one term and a member 
of the school board several terms. Mr. and Mrs. 
Thielbar have had eleven children, all of whom 
are living at home. 

A. WooLEET was born in Cani-.da in 1844, came 
to the United States with his parents and located 
in Minnesota, In 18G(>, Mr. Woolery came to 
- Dundas and engaged in the Archibald Mill, where 
he is now foreman. Ho was married since coming 
to this place. 



454 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



WHEELING. 



CHAPTER LV. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION — EARLY SETTLEMENT 

EVENTS OF INTEREST — MANUFACTURING — MEBCAJJ- 
TILE INSURANCE COMPANY RELIGIOUS EDU- 
CATIONAL BIOGEAPHICAL. 

The subdivison of Rice county bearing this re- 
volving appellation is in the eastern tier of towns. 
It is composed, as originally surveyed, of thirty-six 
sections or sqnare miles, in all 23,040 acres. The 
contiguous surroundings are Northfleld on the 
north, Richland on the south, Cannon City town- 
ship on the west, and Goodhue county on the east. 

Wheeling may be called one of the prairie towns 
of the county, as almost all of the area is made 
up of prairie land. The southern portion is quite 
level, but as you approach the north the surface is 
more rolling, and the uorthwe-t corner, hilly. The 
soil is variable, the soutli- part being a rich 
dark loam, while in the north, where the prairie is 
more rolling, the soil is of a lighter color, in some 
places having a clay mixture, and in otliers it is 
of a sandy character. The town is well suited for 
all kinds of agricultural pursuits, and also makes 
excellent grazing land, as the fine natural meadows 
are covered with all species of indigenous grasses. 

There are no large streams and but few small 
ones in the town. Prairie Creek touches the north- 
west quarter section as it passes on its way from 
Cannon City township to Northfleld. A branch of 
Prairie Creek starts from a S])ring on Henry C. 
Kolliug's laud, on section twenty-one, passing 
north to section sixteen, then nortliwest to section 
seventeen, thence north to section eight where it 
takes an easterly course across section nine to sec- 
tion ten; from there it runs in a northerly course 
through section three to the town of Northfleld, 
where it joins Prijirie Creek. This stream passes 
thrugh quite a deep ravine, and on the way is 
joined by several small rivulets. The head waters 
of this stream never fail, but in some places the 



bed is dry at times, and it is probable that there is 
a subterranean passage through which it passes 
in dry seasons. A stream called Little Cannon 
rises on section thirteen, and passes in an easterly 
direction to Goodhue county where it scion be- 
comes (]uite a river and empties into Cannon River 
near the falls. 

There are two limestone quarries in the town, 
from which considerable stone has been taken for 
building purposes. There are two churches and a 
number of private houses that have been built 
from this stone. One of these quarries, located on 
section three, is owned by S. Aslakson. 

The town contains about two thousand acres of 
timber land, the most of which is on sections six- 
teen, nine, and ten, and the nortlieast quarter of 
section six. When it was first settled the timber 
was quite heavy, but the greater jJortion of the 
original stock has been cut, and a flourishing young 
growth taken its place. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

The actual settlement of this town commenced 
iij June, 18D4, when a party of Germau.s, who had 
stopped for a short time in Illinois, made their ap- 
pearance, having come with os teams and 
been four weeks on the road. The j^arty consisted 
of Henry Bultmann and family, Jacob Blank and 
family, Louis Helberg, Frieilerich Hogrefe, and 
John George Veeh. They arrived on the 15th of 
June, 1854. 

Jacob Blank was the first to make a claim, and 
drove his stakes in sections fifteen and twenty- 
two, immediately commencing improvements. He 
had brought with him a pair of steers and two 
cows that he used in the yoke, and he at once put 
up a little hay shanty to live in; in this same little 
hay hut the first child born in the township first 
saw the light. In the fall Blank built a log house 
into which he moved that winter. As be could not 
buy any lumber ha had to manufacture it him- 



WHEELimi TO wysiiip. 



455 



self. With his axe he split shakes from Oak with 
which to cover the roof, and for flooring he split 
the boards from bass wood, making them about 
two im'hes thick. He cut small trees in the woods 
which he converted into latha, nailing them inside 
and then plastering with clay. He lived in this 
house until 1804, when he built another log house. 
Mr. Blank improved his farm and lived there until 
October, 1878, when he sold out and retired to 
Faribault, where he is now enjoying the fruits of 
his labor. 

Mr. Veeh made the second claim on section 
twenty-one. He was a widower with no family, 
and improved a small part of the laud. In about 
three years he sold and made his home with his 
son-in-law, .Jacob Blank, until his death wliich oc- 
curred on the 22d of February, 1873. 

Louis Helberg was the third to select a home, 
which he did on section twenty-one. He was a 
single man but soon found a partner. They were 
the first couple married in the town. He improved 
the land and built a good set of buildings and 
made his home there until the time of his death 
which occurred in August, 1879. His family now 
occupy the homestead. 

Henry Bultmann was the fourth man to make a 
claim which he did on section seventeen. He also 
built a hay shanty in which he lived a short time, 
then built a log house, using fence rails for the 
floor. He lived in that but a few years then built 
a frame house in which he now lives. 

Mr. Hogrefe made the fifth claim, on sections 
seventeen and eight. He was a single man but 
married soon after coming here. He carried on 
his farm a few years then engaged in the ministry, 
and is now a Methodist preacher at Rochester, 
Olmsted county, Minnesota. 

In August these colonists were joined by an- 
other of their countrymen, named Henry C. Rol- 
ling, who also came from Illinois where he had 
been living a few years. He selected land on sec- 
tion twenty-one, then went back to Illinois and re- 
turned witli bis family, living the first winter in 
his brother-in-law's log house, Louis Helberg. In 
the spring of 1855, he built a log house, sawing 
the lumlier with a whip-saw, and lived in that a 
few years; then built the neat frame house in 
which he now lives surrounded by the comforts of 
a pleasant home. 

Henry Grote, another German, came from Illi- 
nois about the same time and settled on section 
seventeen where he now lives. 



About this time the settlement of this town be- 
gan in earnest, and a number of Scandinavian 
families came from Wisconsin where they had 
made a temporary stop when first coming from 
Norway. Those who remained here were Truls 
Earlandson, John Olson, Andrew Olson, Seaver 
Halgrimson, and Elef Trulson. They performed 
the tedious journey with ox teams, bringing their 
families. They at once improvised log residences 
with bark roofs, and split ba.ss wood logs for 
floors. 

Earlandson t(^ok a claim in section six where he 
yet lives. 

Trulson made a claim on section three where he 
opened a blacksmith shop; he remained there until 
1872, when he sold out and moved to Kandiyohi 
county where he may still be found. 

.John Olson planted himself in section six where 
he still is. 

Andrew Olson claimed a place in section five. 
In 1879, he went to Dakota. 

Hans Anderson came from Wiscon.sin where he 
had been sojourning, and settled in section seven. 
His wife was burned to death by a kerosene acci- 
dent. He afterwards married Elling Johnson's 
widow, and now lives in Grant county. 

Seaver Halgrimson, another of the party of 
Norwegians, arrived in July of the same year, and 
after drifting about a short time anchored on sec- 
tion five, where he remained steadfast until the gale 
of death unmoored and carried him off in 1870. 
His widow married again and still lives on the 
original homestead. 

Elling Johnson, of Norway nativity, came from 
Iowa and stationed himself on section eight, where 
he stood guard until that insatiable enemy of im- 
mortality removed him some seven yeais ago. 

In 1855, the arrivals were cpiite numerous, and 
most of them will be mentioned. 

Ever Bonde, of Norway, came here from Iowa, 
where he had been for a year, and settled on sec- 
tion eleven, where he spent the remainder of his 
days. 

Ole Sherven, who first settled in Wisconsin, 
came to this place from Iowa, whore he had lived 
five years, and secured a place in section eighteen, 
where he is yet. 

Adam Knopf, P. Wolf, and Christian Erb. 
natives of Germany, came here from Cook county, 
Illinois. 

Wolf took his claim in section fourteen. He 



•15(3 



HISTORY OF RIGE COUNTY. 



was killed i»y .ui acciileut in the timber on the '21st 
of February, 1857. 

Erb took his farm iu section twenty-three. He 
improved the land and built a house. In 1870, 
he sold out, and now lives in Cannon City. 

Knopf suri'onnded a claim in section twenty- 
two and another iu section twenty-three, which he 
improved, and where he still lives. 

Truls Halgrimson came during this year and set- 
tled in section three. 

Ole Olsou Brodeu was another of the "fifty- 
fivers." 

Another settler about this time w'as Augustxis 
Meyei' with his family,' > ho had been here but about 
two weeks, when one Sunday morning he shaved 
himself, lighted his pipe, and proposed to go to 
the timber to look out a road on which he coiild 
haul some wood to the prairie, but he never re- 
turned. Several days were spent by the whole 
settlement in hunting for him without avail, and 
it was not until eighteen months afterward that 
his bones were found bleaching near his shoes, 
pipe, and other articles, on section sixteen, on the 
land now owned by Henry Bultmann. The man- 
ner of his death is a profound mystery. His 
children still live in the county. 

Ole Benson made a claim in section ten, where 
he is still at work. 

Jacob .T. Bosshart came here from Iowa, 
and his lot fell in section twenty-seven. 

John Hanson found a place that suited him in 
section four, where he died in a few years, but his 
widow yet occupies the homestejid. 

Watts A. Pye, an Englishman, came from Illi- 
nois and took a place in section eighteen, where 
he still remains. 

Hugh McDurland, a native of Pennsylvania, 
canie from there and halted and went to work 
in section thirty, and he is still bustling around 
there. 

The acces.^ions to the town settlement in 1856 
were valualjle, and will be mentioned as far as re- 
membered. 

Ole Fingalsnn at lirst alighted in section two, to 
wiiich he devoted himself up to 1878, when he 
sold his |)lace and moved to Becker county. 

Truls Fingalson was stationed for some years in 
section two. 

Erick Erickson Rood was another comer this 
year. His place was in sections five and six. He 
removed (o Kaudiyolii county in 1866. 



Syver Aslackson came up from Houston county, 
where he first lived a while after crossing the Mis- 
sissippi; his place was in section ten, and there he 
still remains. 

Hans O. Stenbakken, a native of Norway, settled 
in section twelve, where he still has a home. 

Mark Bosshart, of Switzerland, cultivated a 
farm in section twenty-two, but in 1872 he was 
called hence. 

William Frederick came from Illinois and drifted 
into section twenty-eight, where he is still an- 
chored. 

WiUiam Grote took a claim on sections twenty- 
six and twenty-.seven. A house was put up and 
he lived there to the time of his death in 1871. his 
widow lives in a house he was building when over- 
taken by the "grim messenger." 

Frederick Kuaus built his castle iu sectit>n 
twenty-three, which he still holds. 

Osmund Osmundson came here from California, 
and at first built a timber residence in section 
fourteen, but he now has a brick house in section 
eleven. 

John Thompson came here from Eock county, 
Wisconsin, and transplanted himself in section two 
where he is still thriving. 

In 1857, William Boltman, from Germany, came 
and found an unoccupied spot iu section twenty- 
five which he has since (cultivated. 

Christian Deike, also a German, arrived in 1859, 
and his place is in section thirty-two. He is a 
prominent citizen of the county. 

EVENTS on INTEREST. 

The first birth in the township occurred on the 
2d of October, 1854, in a little hay shanty put up 
for temporary shelter by the father. Tlie parents 
were Jacob and Elizabeth Blank, the child being 
christened Caroline. She now lives with her 
parents iu Faribault. 

Another early birth was the bringing into exist- 
ence of Halgrim son of Seaver and Christine Hal- 
grim.sou, on the 20th of January, 1855. 

In the fall of tins year, .Julia, daughter of Truls 
and Annie Earlandson, was born, and now lives in 
Minneapolis. 

The first marriage iu the township, that there is 
any record of, took place on the 5th of November, 
1855, tlie high contracting parties bting Louis 
Helberg and Wilhelmina Meyer. The groom died 
iu 1879. 

The next marriage was Friedrick Hogrefe to 



WHEEL TNG TO Wys Iff P. 



457 



IJis'^ Dorothy Fischer, in December, 18r)5. They 
are now living in Kochester, where Mr. Hogrefo is 
a Methodist minister. 

Jacob .Tohnson and Cecelia Evan.'^on were made 
one by mutual consent in the spring of 185G. 
Tliey are now living on section four in Wheeling, 
and have been blessed with si.\ children. 

The first town meeting was in a schoolhouse in 
district No. 27, on the 11th of May, 18.58. The 
officers elected were : Supervisors, Watts A. Pye, 
Chairman, Christian Erb, and Lewis Everson; 
Clerk, Augustus Sickler; Assessor, 01c Sherven; 
Collector, Lewis Helberg; Justices of the Peace, 
Joseph Covert and Henry C. Kolling; Overseer of 
the Poor, John Bi-own; Constables, George Fogg 
and Jacob J. Bosshart. The town government 
thus started has wended the even tenor of its way 
ever sir.ce. 

The Town Hall was built in 1870. It is a frame 
building costing ijGOO. Its location i.s on the 
northeast quarter of section twenty-one. Before 
its completion meetings were held in private houses 
and in shoolhouses. 

At the spring election in 1882, the following 
officers were elected : Supervisors, Christian Deike, 
Chairman, William L. T. Meyer, and O. H. Steu- 
bakken; Clerk, H. C. Kolling; Assessor, Henry 
Bultmann; Treasurer, Christian Deike; Justices of 
the Peace, Michael Knopf and Tosten E. Bonde; 
Constable. George Knopf. 

The town paid in bounties S7,200. ami sent 
thirty-two men into the army. 

STRTJP MAXUFACTOKT. 

The firm of Roth & Lips erected and commenced 
operating a syrup mill in 1880, on Koth's place, 
on section twenty-two, and during the first year 
manufactured 966 gallons of syrup. In 1881, the 
mill changed hands and became the property of 
tlic Lips Brothers, who at once moved it to their 
farm on section fifteen where it is still located. In 
the fall of 1881, this company manufactured 1.300 
gallons of syruj]. 

Knopf's mild. 

In 1879, Michael Knopf started a like mill at his 
place on section twenty-three, and this is the 
largest mill in the township, having manufactured 
in 1881, 2,100 gallons of syrup. 

STORES IN WHEELING. 

In 1877, Osmund Osmundson put up a store 
building on section fourteen, which he rented to 



Evans Brothers, who at once ])laccd a stuck of 
goods on the shelves and commenced doing busi- 
ness; they, however, only remained four montlis 
when they removed to Owatonna. It was after- 
wards rented to various parties who continued the 
business until it finally became the property of the 
present ]5roprietors, Osmund Osmundson and Mr. 
Hegnes. A large stock of general merchandise is 
kejjt, and the store is of great convenience to the 
surrounding neighborhood, as thev keep good 
articles and sell at reusouablo prices. 

Another store was erected in 1880, on the north- 
east quarter of section twenty-three, by Henry 
Knopf. It was well stocked, and opened on the 
7th of July the saiiie year, being still run liy the 
original pi-oprietor. 

m.ACKSMITHING. 

The first blacksmith shoj) in the town was in' 
1854, on the northeastern part of section three, by 
Eief Trulson, who also carried on a farm in con- 
nection w'ith his shop until 1872, when he sold out 
and moved to Kandiyohi county. 

The town was then without a blacksiiiith until 

1880, when George Knopf erected a shop in sqc- 
tion thirteen and hired a man to run it, but in 

1881, sold to William Friday, who is conducting 
it at the present time. 

WHEELING MUTUAL FIRE INStTRAXCE COMPANY. 

This is a local institution, the membership being 
made up of farmers, that was organized on the 
13th of May, 1876, by the prominent men of the 
town. The following were the initial officers of 
the company : Trustees, Christian Deike, H. H. 
Kvi, M. Knopf, T, E. Bonde, John J. Hamra, G. 
W. Grote, and Henry Bultmann; President, Chris- 
tian Deike; Treasurer, Michael Knopf; Secretary, 
T. E. Bonde. The amount of capital subscribed 
was .'i!32,400. The rate of premium was fixed at 
three mills on a dollar, this, however, was raised in 
1881 to five mills. No losses have yet been met, 
and the funds are drawing interest at six per cent. 

Only farmers' risks are taken, and the territory 
embraced includes Wheeling, Northfield, Rich- 
land, Cannon City, and Holden, in Goodhue 
county. The secretary reports, in 1882, that there 
are sixty-five policies in force, insuring S112,592. 
Tiie officers receive .S1.50 per day for actual work. 
The experiment thus far has been a great suc- 
cess. 



458 



HISTORY OF RICE GOV NT Y. 



POST-OFFICES. 

Wheeling P. O. — This office was establishad 
in ISGU. or '61, aud named Wheeling in honor of 
the town. Rev. Sebastian Wei.ss was first ap- 
pointed Postmaster, and kept the office at the par- 
sonage. Jacob .T. Bosshart was the mail carrier, 
coming once a week from Faribault, and he suc- 
ceeded tlie former Postmaster. J<jhn B. Berges 
is the present mail distributor, with office at the 
parsonage. Mail arrives three times a week, from 
Fariliault. 

Nestr.^nd p. O. — Was established in 1878, and 
Augen S. Brokke appointe<l Postmaster, the office 
being kept at the store on section fourteen. The 
office was namxl bj Osmund Osmundson, in 
honor of his Post-office iu Norway. Henry N. 
Hegnes is the present Postmaster, the office being 
kept at the same place. Mail arrives tliree times 
per week from Faribault. 

EELIGIOUS. 

Below we give a short sketch of the various 
church organizations in Wheeling township, and 
as nothing can be said iu preface to them in re- 
gard to tlieir condition and growth that would not 
be a duplicate of what should be said of all the 
religious departments of the various subdivisions 
of Eice county, it is best it should remain unsaid 
here and the reader allowed to judge for himself 

LfTHEKAN Ev.\NGELIOAL DeNOMIN.\TION. — The 

first services by the followers of this faith were 
held at the residence of John Oleson, on section 
six. the minister being Rev. Nils Brandt, aud he, 
also lield services in various places throughout the 
town. In 1856, a society was organized just over 
the line iu Goodhue county, and. the members in 
Wlieeling attended there. On one occasion, on 
June 18th, 18.58, a meeting was held by the above 
mentioned Reverend in Oaptain John Hanson's 
grove, ou tlie soutliwest quarter of section eight, 
and thirty-three eliildren were baptized. In 1866, 
tliH society ei-eeted a neat and commodious stone 
building on section throe, in Wheeling. Rev. B. 
.F. Muus was tlie first minister, and Rev. N. A. 
(^uammen the present j)astor. 

Geijman Methodist Church. — The first meet- 
ings by this denomination were held in Jacob 
Blank's house ou sectiou twenty-two. Rev. Mr. 
Zollman being the first preacher. They organized 
in 18.56, with F.Orochtenmire as preacher; he also 
organized a Sabbath school at Jacob Blank's house. 



where it was held through the year 1856, and Mr. 
Grochtenmire preached one year. In 1857, he was 
succeeded by G. Siebrasse, and Rev. William 
Pagenhart is the present pastor. They held meet- 
ings in private houses until 1862, when they built 
their church <m the northeast quarter of section 
twenty-five. The congregation is made up partly 
from Goodhue county. There are about fifty 
members and quite a large congregation. 

Germ.\n United Church. — This was organized 
in 1856, as a part of the Northwestern Conference, 
and in the spring of 1857, they erected a small 
log church on the northeastern part of section 
twenty-eight. At the conference held that fall. 
Rev. August Bremer was appointed as pastor. He 
retained the charge for about two years, and then 
for a like period they were without a ministerial 
agent. At this time Rev. Sebastian Weiss took 
the charge and remained about six years when he 
was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Lang, who lield 
until the present pastor. Rev. John D. Berges, took 
the pulpit. When first organized there were about 
eighteen members, which has increased to sixty- 
five. In the fall of 1869, the log church was 
burned, and in 1870, a stone edifice was erected on 
the old site, at a cost of about $5,000. 

Salem Church. — This congregation belongs to 
the Evangelical Association of North America. 
The first services by this society were held in Paul 
Wolf's house on section fourteen, in 1856, with 
Rev. Andreas Turnutzer as the officiating minister. 
The preacher came from St. Paiil on horseback. 
Th,i society continued to hold meetings in private 
houses until 1861, when they erected their neat 
and substantial edifice on section twenty-four. 
Rev. Mr. Hamraetter, was the first preacher to ex- 
pound the sacred word in the church. There are 
now ninety members, many being from the ad- 
joining county of Goodhue, and Rev. Julius J. 
Manthay is the present pastor. 

educational. 

DisTRUvr No. 61. — This district was organized 
in 1860, and a schoolhouse put up the same year 
on section fourteen. This was a frame build- 
ing and served a good purpose until 1876, when a 
brick building was constructed on the old site. 

Di.sTKic'T No. 72. — An organization was effected 
in 1867, and a schoolhouse erectea on section 
thirty -one. This is a union district extending into 
Richlaiul. 

District No. 43. — In 1859, this district was 



WICEKLTNG TO WNSIHP. 



459 



organized, and the first schoolhouse built of logs 
on section eleven. This house was used until 1S71. 
when the present house was built at acostof S800. 
It is a nice frame house, located where the old 
one stood. Miss Fannie Thorpe and llalver Kvi 
were teachers at an early day. 

DisTBicT No. 27. — In 1857, this district oarae to 
existence, the first meeting being at the lionso of 
George Fisher. In the spring of that year a house 
was built on section seventeen, and in the fall of 
1867, a new house was built on the same spot; E. 
S. Sonious was the first teacher in the new house. 

DiSTElCT No. 41. —At an early day this house 
was built in the uewly organized district, and was 
placed on section four where it still stands Imt irr 
long must be replaced by a new one. 

District No. 5. — In 1861, this was called into 
being as a separate district and tlic same year a 
tidy little frame building was constructed ou sec- 
tion twenty-six. The school here is usually in the 
winter, as the residents being Germans send their 
children for six mouths each year to a denomina- 
tional school. 

BIOCJKAPHICAIj. 

Hemry Achterkirch, a native of Germany, was 
horn on the 19th of November, 1837, attended 
school in his native country until sixteen years of 
age, then emigrated to America, remained three 
mouths in New York and came to Cook county, 
Illinois, where he had an aunt. In 1857, after 
farming in the latter county, he went to the 
southern part of the State antl on to Tennessee 
where he visited his uncle, then went to Missouri 
in search of land, but soon returned to Illinois. 
In 1860, he came to Minnesota and secured a farm 
in Wheeling township on section twenty -one, but 
engaged in farming for Henry Grote to obtain 
money to improve his own laud. On the 16th of 
August, 1862, he enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, Company B.; was with Hul- 
ly's expedition up the Yellowstone, then ordered 
south in 1864, and participated in the battle of 
Murfreesborough; was ordered to Washington and 
thence to Goldsboro, where they met Sherm:in, 
going by way of Fort Fisher and Moorhead City. 
He was honorably discharged on the 11th of .July, 
1865, and rotui-ned to his farm. On the 6th of 
May, 1866, Miss Louise Lindermann became his 
wife. The union has been blessed with seven 
children; Charles W., Minnie, Emma, Eddie, who 



died in 1876, three years of age; Benedict, who 
died in infancy; August, and Annie. 

iSyvhr AsIjAKSon, one of the pioneers of Min- 
nesota, was born in Norway in March, 1830, where 
he attended school and worked on a farm. In 
1850, he married Miss Margaret Olson, and the 
same year emigrated to Am<>rica, landed at New- 
York, and went to Kook county, Wiscon.sin, by the 
way of Albany, Butfalo, and the great lakes. In 
1853, he came to Min'nosota, settled in Houston 
county and staked a claim, and three years later 
sold out and came to Rice county, taking a claim 
in Wheeling, section ten. He has a good house 
and numerous outbuildings. Ho is the father of 
.seven children; Aslak, Ole, Kirstiua, Lewis, 
Thomas, Sever, and .John. Aslak was married to 
Miss Ingebor N. O. Stoandi-mo in 1877, and moved 
to Stearns county in the spring of the following 
year, engaged in farming. Kirstiua was married 
to Mr. J. J. Johnson in the spring of 1880; they 
own a farm in this township in section four. 

Rev. John D. Bebges was born in Prussia on 
the 28th of January, 1838, and reared on a farm. 
In 1854, he came to America, landed at New 
Orleans and went directly to Missouri, where he 
was engaged in farming two years, then came to 
Iowa and made his home in Burlington uutil 1860, 
He then returned to Jlissouri and entered the 
Theological Seminary, studied there six years, 
when he was ordained as a minsster at Evansville, 
Indiana. He was immediately sent to Ohio, where 
he had charge of two societies, one in Stark and 
one in Tuscarawas county. In two years he re- 
moved to Washington county, Wisconsin, and three 
years later to Primrose, Lee county, Iowa, where 
he remained four years, then came to Wheeling, 
where he now resides, having charge of the (xer- 
raan United Evangelical church and the school 
connected with it. He married in 1867, Miss Eiise 
Moery, who bore him one child, Lydia, and died 
in 1868. The next year Elizabeth Gutli became 
his wife. She liore him one child, Herman 
Lorenzo, who died on the 14th of September, 1870. 
seven months old, and the mother died the 
same day, aged nineteen years. In 1871, he mar- 
ried Miss Wilhelmina Guth, who has borne him 
five children; Elizal)eth, Lorenz, John, Edward, 
and Annie. 

Mark Bosshakt, deceased, one of tlic pioneers 
of Rice county, was born in Switzerland in 1807. 
He was married in 1832, to Miss Regula Ludwig. 



4r.o 



HISTORY OF RICE GOUNTT. 



He eD,i?ageJ in working in a machine shop until 
18o7, when he purchasod a farm. He emigrated 
to America in 1856, landed at New York, came di- 
rectly to this county and took land in Wheeling 
on section twenty-two, and lived there until 1868, 
then resided with his son until his death. He was 
the father of two children; Elizabeth, born in 
1833, who married Henry Lips and died in 1871; 
and Jacob. Tlie father died in 1872, and the 
mother in 1875. 

Jacob J. Bossuakt, son of Mark Bosshart, was 
also born in Switzerland in 1835, and reared on a 
farm. In 1853, he came to America, landed at 
New York, then went to Philadelphia; remaining 
four weeks, then to I)u Page county, Illinois, and 
two months and a half later to Galena, where he 
engaged as tii-em.m of a steamer on the Missis- 
sippi River. In the fall of 1853, he went to work 
iu the pineries in Wisconsin, and in the spring 
came to Burlington, Iowa, with a raft, and soon 
after removed to Highland, Bladison county, Illi- 
nois, then to Cairo and thence to St. Louis, where 
he remained aliont eight weeks. He then went up 
the Missouri to St. Jo, Kansas City, and Fort 
Atkinson, Iowa. Early in the spring of 1855, he 
set out on foot and came to about eighty miles 
west of Maukato, then returned to Iowa, passing 
Rice county iu June. In July of the same year 
he came again to this county and staked a claim 
in Wheeling cm section twenty-seven, where he 
still resides. The next year he went to New 
York to meet his parents, who returned with him. 
In 1860, he married Miss Sophia Helberg, and 
thev have eight children; Anna, Herman, Mary, 
Sojihia, William, Henry, Frank, and John. He 
first built a log house, which was burned in 1857 
by a prairie fire, then erected another log struc- 
ture, and in 1867 their present frame house. In 
1875, he built a barn, 40x60 feet, with a stone 
basement. 

Ever H. Bondr, deceased, was born in Nor- 
way, in December, 1800, and reared on a farm. 
He was united in marriage in 1835, with Miss 
Berret Bonde. They were blessed with five chil- 
dren, two of whom are living; Tosten and Halver. 
In 1S40, Mr. Bonde emigrated to America, landed 
at Quebec and came directly to Wisconsin, settling 
in Port Washington, where he remained until the 
spring of 1854, then to Winuesheik county, Iowa, 
and from there to Rice county, where he took land. 
He improved the land and built a log house in 



which he lived until his death, which occurred in 
1875. His wife died two years later, seventy- 
five years of age. Their oldest son, Tosten, was 
born in Norway, on the 12th of January, 1843, 
came to America with his parents and made his 
home with them. He was married in April, 18G7, 
to Miss Ingebor Oleson. They have been blessed 
with seven children ; Edward, who died the 5th of 
April, 1882, fourteen years and three months old; 
Thomas, who died in 1870, two years old; 
Thomas, Barnard, Oscar, who died on the 28th of 
March, 1882, five yearsof age; Annie, and Albert, 
who died on the 5th of April, 1882, one year 
old. Mr. Bonde now occupies the old homestead. 
In 1870, he built a barn 35x57 feet, and in 1875, 
he erected the stone house in which they now live. 
He has been elected to offices of trust in the town, 
and is Justice of the Peace at present. His 
brother, Halver, lives in Swift county. 

Christian Deike was bom in Germany on the 
13th of December, 1834. He attended school and 
worked on a farm and when twenty years old en- 
listed in the German army and served three years. 
In 1858, he emigrated to America, landed in New 
York on the 29th of May and came directly to 
Cook county, Illinois, where he engaged in farm- 
ing. In the fall of 1859, he came to Minnesota, 
bought land iu Wheeling, section thirty-two, and 
has since improved it. He married in 1864, Miss 
Friederike Grote. In 1863, he built a frame house, 
and in 1876 built the lirick residence in which he 
now lives. In 1875, he erected a barn 40x60 feet 
with a stone basement. Mr. Deike has been Town 
Treasurer, is Chairman of the board of Super- 
visors and is serving his second term as County 
Commissioner. He is Director and President of 
the Wheeling Mutual Fire Insurance Company 
and Treasurer and Secretary of the German church. 

WiLHELM Friedrioh was born in Germany on 
the 21st of June, 1821, and commenced to learn 
the carpenter trade when sixteen years old. On 
the 19th of January, 1849, he married Miss 
Augusta Grose. In 1854, they emigrated to 
America landed at Quebec, came directly to Chi- 
cago, and in four weeks went west thirty miles, 
where he engaged at his trade until 1856, then 
came to this county and took land in Wheeling, 
section twenty-eight, where they stili Reside. He 
first built a small frame house and in 1875 built 
their ))resent larger one. Mr. and Mrs. Friedrich 
have had ten children; Pauline, Emil, Augusta, 



WHEELING TO I VXSIll I '. 



4fil 



August, Minnie, Bertha, Louise, Emily, William, 
and Gustave. 

Henry Gkote, Sr., was born in Germany on the 
22d of June, 1812, attended seliool and worked on 
a farm. He was united in marriage on the 26th 
of September, 1847, with Miss Frcdrica Abolraan, 
and three years later they emigrated to America, 
landed at New York and came directly to Illinois 
where he had a brother. He made his home there 
until the fall of 1854, then came to Minnesota 
and located a claim in Wheeling, section seventeen. 
He spent the winter with Henry Bultman and in 
the spring built a log house in which they lived 
until 1870, when he erected his present brick house. 
His wife died on the 3d of June, 1880, leaving 
three children; Henry W., Mary, and Caroline. 
Their only son, Henry W., was born in Cook 
county, Illinois, on the 27th of January, 1851. 
He has attended both German and English .schools 
and was confirmed on the 2M of April, 18(55. On 
the 13th of April. 1874, Miss Augusta Budde be- 
came his wife. They had one child, T. C. H. Wil- 
liam. Mrs. Grote died on the 28th of February, 

1875. In 1876, he married Miss Mary E. T. 
Bieman, and tliey have had five children tour of 
whom are living; Minnie, Henry, Annie, and 
Louise. He now owns his father's farm and the 
latter still lives with his son. 

August Hansino, son of Ludwig Hansing, was 
born in Illinois, on the 8th of February, 1855. 
When three years of age he removed with his 
parents to Minnesota where he has been reared to 
agricultural pursuits, meanwhile attending both 
German and English schools. His father died in 

1876, leaving August the farm. In 1879, he mar- 
ried Lizzie Barnstadt, and in 1880, built his preseut 
frame house. 

Henry N. Hegnes was born in Norway on the 
4th of July, 1857, and when sixteen years of age 
commenced to learn the blacksmith trade, at which 
he worked two years, then came to America. He 
landed at Quebec, went to Goodluie county and 
engaged in blacksmithing three years, then clerked 
for a time and afterward purchased a half interest 
in a store with A. H. Brokke in Wheeling. The 
latter sold to Osmund Osraundson and they still 
continue in the business, carrying a large stock of 
general merchandise. Mr. Hegnes is Postmaster 
of Nerstand Post-ofHce. He married in 1878, 
Miss Eliza Eothi, who has borne him three chil- 
dren; Nils, Helmar, and Oscar. 



Lewis Helbeuo, decc^ased, one of the pioneers 
of Bice county, was born in Gerruanv on the lltli 
of February, 1829, and reared on a farm. In 
1847, ho came with his pannits to .\morica, landed 
at (Quebec and came direc^tly to Chicago, working 
on a farm iu that vicinity uniil 1852, wlien ho en- 
gaged in draying two years, then came to Minne- 
sota. He went to Mankato and St. Peter, made a 
claim in that locality, and returned to Clucago for 
a team and two cows; then, in comjiany witli four 
others, came again to Minnesota. On reach- 
ing Wheeling, in this count}, they were unable to 
drive further, the mus(]uitoes were so numerous, 
and consequently settled here. Mr. Helljerg was 
married in 1855, to Miss Wilhelmina Myer, the 
ceremony being the first performed in the town- 
ship. The union was blessed with eight children; 
Caroline, Sojihia, Bertha, John, William, Emma, 
Anna,and Ernestine. He staked out a claim in sec- 
tion twenty-one and erected the first house in the 
jjlace, and in 1863, built a frame residence in 
which he lived until his death in August, 1879. 
Mr. Helberg was an honest and upright citizen, 
and held a nnmlier of town ollices, being the first 
tax collector. 

Friedrrih Helbeuo, a native of Germany, 
was born on the 5th of February, 1824, and in 
1846, emigrated to America. He landed in New 
York and went to Chicago, where he worked on a 
farm, la 1853, he married Miss Caroline Meese, 
and two years later they came to Minnesota and 
settled in Wheeling, taking a claim iu section 
nine, and then bought land in section twenty- 
eight, built a log house in which he lived five 
years, then built a frame house, and in 1877, 
erected their present lirick dwelling. Mi-, and 
Mrs. Helberg were lilessed with eleven children, 
but three of whom are living; Herman, Sophia, and 
Mary. Louise died on the 5th of January, 1861, 
two years old; Franz P. on the 13tli of August, 
1862,-two years old; Henry, on the 30th of No- 
vember, 1864, aged eight years; Frederick F., on 
the 14th of December, 1864, at the age of nine 
yeai's and ten months; Charles, on the 24th of De- 
cember, 1864, four years old; Caroline, on the 7th 
of January, 1865, when twelve years old; Ludwig,on 
the 2lRt of May, 186-(, at the age of two years, 
and Wilhelmina, on the 19th of August, 1870, at 
the -age of eleven months. 

Henrv C. Kollinc, one of the pioneers of 
Bice county, was boi'u iu Germany on the 14th of 



462 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



April, 1821, ami attendecj school in his native 
couutrv'. lu 1845, he emigrated to America, 
Ciime to Illinois and made his home in Cook 
county until tlie fall of 1854, then came to this 
county and staked out a claim in section twenty- 
one, Wheeling township. In 1855,heputin his first 
crop, a few acres of oats and corn, and the next 
year ])ut in ten acres of wheat. He threshed it 
by hand and carried it to market in Hastings, a 
distance of forty miles. In 1855, he built a log 
liouse 16x22, and ten years later built their pres- 
ent frame house. In 1869, he erected a bam 
40x58, with an addition 30x30. Mr. Kolliug has 
been repeatedly elected to local offices, and is the 
present Town Clerk. 

John A. M.\ther, deceased, was born iu Frank- 
lin county, Massachusetts, in July, 1822, reared 
on a farm and learned the carpenters trade. He 
was married iu-1847, to Miss Mary E. Bedient, a 
native of New York. In 1848, he came to Wis- 
consin and took a timber claim in Waushara 
county; soon sold that, however, and purchased on 
Burr Oak Prairie, where he lived until 1857, then 
removed to Minnesota and settled in Richland, 
Bice county, taking land on section twenty-six. 
He improvetl the laud, built a log house and lived 
there until 1865, when he sold, and bought a farm 
on section twenty-seven, in this township. They 
lived in a log house till 1871, when Mr. Mather 
erected a frame house which sheltared him until 
his death on the 7th of March, 1875. He had a 
family of live children, tlu'ec of whom are living. 
He was one of tlie first Board of Sujjervisors. 
His widow now resides with her son, John H. 
The eldest sou, James S., was born in Wisconsin, 
on the 8th of January, 1852, and came to Minne- 
sota with his parents. In 1872, he bought a 
farm in section twenty-two. The following year, 
Miss Emma Fanning became his wife, and has 
biirue him three children. In 1875, he lost his 
house by tire, and immediately built their pres- 
ent residence. He is engaged in stock raising 
and dairying. Mr. Mather has been elected to 
a number of local offices, and is the present town 
Treasurer. 

EnNST Meese, a native of Illinois, was born in 
Cook county, on the 4(h of February, 1846, and 
received his education in the district school. In 
1805, he came to Minnesota, lived two years on a 
farm of Lis brother's, then located on his present 
place. On the 17th of May, 1807, Miss Louise 



Rodewall became his wife. Their children are; 
Mena, Sophia, Caroline, Ida, Lizzie. Margaret- 
George, Annie, and Birdie. In 1876, he built the 
house iu which he now lives, and the next year 
built a barn. 

Peter H. Odegard, generally known as Peter 
H. Halverson, was born in Norway on the 7th of 
May, 1837, and when thirteen years old emigrated 
with his parents to America. They went to Green 
county, Wisconsin by way of Albany, Buffah), 
and the great lakes. Peter remained there but 
a short time, going to Illinois, where he engaged 
in farming one year, then returned to Wisconsin. 
In 1854, he removed with his parents to Minne- 
sota, and four years later settled on school land iu 
section thirty-six in Wheeling. On the Kith of 
July, 1867, he married Miss Guro Allen, who has 
borne him eight children, four of them now living. 
He first built a log house, and in 1876, built their 
present brick house. His farm is supplied with 
good out buildings. 

Hon. Osmund O.smund.son was born in Norway, 
near the city of Stavanger, on the 7th of March, 
182G. He attended school in his younger days, 
afterward engaged at the carpenter trade, then 
was on the sea five years. In 1850, he emigrated 
to America, landing in New York on the 29th of 
June, then went by steamer to Albany, from there 
on the Erie canal to Buffalo, and thence by steamer 
to Milwaukee. He was in Rock county one year, 
then went to Walworth county and from there, in 
1853, to California where be engaged in mining in 
Nevada county three years then returned to Wis- 
consin and thence, in the fall of 1856, to Minne- 
sota. He was married in 1857, to Miss Ann Benson, 
the ceremony taking place in Houston county. 
Mr. Osmundson settled in Wheeling, taking land on 
section fourteen and has since bought two hundred 
' and forty acres iu section eleven. He lived in a 
log cabin until 1861, then built a frame house and 
in 1880, erected his present briitk house. Sir. and 
Mrs. Osmundson have had eight children; Andrew 
Bernhart, Albert Oscar, Samuel Milton, John 
Gabriel, Russell Edward, Esther Hebiue, Ambrosia 
Sophia, and Andrew Bernhart, who was born in 
May, 1858, and died on the 6th of December, 
1874, while attending the Lutheran College at 
Decorah, Iowa. Mrs. Osmundson die3 on the 26th 
of April, 1882. Mr. Osmundson has filled a num- 
ber of local offices, has served as County Conmiis- 
sioner and two terms in the State Legislature. 



WHEELING TO W.XslIIP. 



4r>:5 



Hans H. Kinde, a native of Norway, was born 
on the (Jtli of April, 1829, and attended kcIiooI 
until fifteen years old, then was employed on a 
farm. In 1853, he raarried Miss Kosa Nilson and 
the same year they came to America, landed at 
New York and came directly to Dane county, Wis- 
consin, where they remained until 1855, then, in 
com])anv with four other families, came with an ox 
team to Minnesota. He settled in Wheeling, 
staked out a claim in section two, built a log house 
and in 18()2, erected their present frame house. In 
1864, he enlisted in the Fourth Minnesota Infantry, 
Company H, went south and joined Sherman at 
Atlanta and was with him in his famous march to 
the sea. He was discharged at Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, in July, 1865, and then returned to his 
farm. He has purchased more land and now has a 
fine farm of four hundred acres. Mr. and Mrs. 
Rinde have been blessed with ten children ; Henry, 
Nils, Ole, Theodore, Anna, Ellie, Inger, Helena, 
Johanna, and Genie. 

Ole Shebven was born in Norway on the 2()th 
of July, 1831. He went to school and worked on 
a farm in his niitive country. In 1850, he emi- 
grated to America, landed at New York, then 
went to Albany, thence to Buffalo, and thence 
to Milwaukee by way of the great lakes. He 
remained three weeks in Dane county, Wis- 
consin, then with oxen drove to Winneshiek 
county, Iowa, took land, built a log house 
and remained there five years. He was married in 
1853, to Miss Inger Thoeson. He came to Rice 
county, Minnesota, and settled in Wheeling, sec- 
tion eighteen, where he still resides. He liuilt a 
log house in which he lived seven years then 
erected their present frame house and in 1878, lie 
built a barn 40x64 feet with a stone basement, and 
in 1881, a granary 20x30 with an addition 12x20. 
Mr. and Mrs. Sherven were blessed with eight 
children, five of whom are living; Oliver, Theo- 
dore, Andrew, John, and Edward. Mrs. Sherven 
died in 1870. thirty -eight years of age. In 1876, 
he married Miss Maria Erickson and they have one 
child, Julius. Mr. Sherven has held a number of 
local offices and was the first Assessor of the town. 

Han.s O. Stenbakken, one of the pioneers of 
Rice county, was born in Norway, in June, 1825, 
attended school for a time and subsequently en- 
gaged in herding cattle. In 1846, he married Miss 
Carrie Erickson, who bore him six children, five 
of them now living; Ragnil, Ole, Erick, Thor, and 



Gunnild. In 1854, they came to America, landed 
in Quebec and came directly to Rock county, Wis- 
consin, where he engaged in farming. In the 
spring of 1856, he came to Wheeling and staked 
out a claim in section twelve, built a small log house 
which was plastered with clay, then built a larger 
one, and in 1871, erected a frame house. His wife 
died on the 28th of May, 1862, and two years 
later Miss Mary Ol.son became his wife. His son 
Erick occupies one farm, and his youngest son an- 
other on section four, while Hans expects to spend 
the remainder of his life with his son, Ole, on the 
old homestead. 

Ole H. Stenbakken was born in Norway on the 
17th of December, 1848. When six years old he 
came with his parents to America, landed at (Que- 
bec and came directly to Rock county, Wiscousiui 
where he remeined two years, and came to Rice 
county, Minnesota, settling in Wheeling. His 
father pre-empted land in section twelve at the 
same time. Ole was luiited in marriage on the 
13th of December, 1875, with Miss Berget H. 
Rank. They have been blessed with three chil- 
dren; Kari Maria, Hannah Solihia, and Gena 
Karina. He bought his father's farm upon which 
he now resides. He is serving his third term as a 
member of the board of Supervisors. 

EnicK H. Stenbakken was l)orn in Norway on 
the 16tb of October, 1851, and three years later 
came with his parents to America. They settled 
in Rock county. Wisconsin, and in 1856, came to 
Minnesota and located in Wheeling. Erick at- 
tended the ilistrict school and went one term to 
St. Olafs College in Northfield and has since de- 
voted his hime to farming. In 1880, he married 
Miss Randi Halverson, who has borne him one 
child, Hans Christian. He has a farm in sections 
twelve and thirteen. On the twenty-fourth annivers- 
ary of his birth he met with a sad accident, having 
his right hand crushed in a threshing machine so 
badly as to necessitate amputaticm. 

John Thompson was born in Norway in 1821, 
and reared on a farm. He \vas married in 1846, 
I'.is bride being Miss Julia Benson. In 1848, they 
came to America, landed at New York and went 
to Milwaukee by the way of Albany, Buffalo, and 
the great lakes, from thence to Rock county, Wis- 
consin, and in 1856, removed to Rice county, 
Minnesota, and located in Wheeling, section two. 
He first built a log house and in 1863. erected bis 
present frame house. They were blessed with ten 



464 



UlsrORY OF RIGE COUNTY. 



cliilclreu, only one of whom is living, Julia. Eight 
of the children died in infancy, and Theodore when 
iiboiit seven years of age. 

T. A. Vebles. a native of Norway, was born on 
the 2d of October, 1818. He attended school, 
worked on a farm, and was employed at the car- 
penter trade in his native place. In 1846, he was 
united in marriage with Miss Kari Bundy. In 
1817, they emigrated to America, landed at Que- 
bec, came directly to Port Washington, Wisconsin, 
and remained there one year, then removed to 
Slicb )ygan, and six years later to Mount Vernon. 
In 18(30, he came to Minnesota, located in this 
county and bought land in Wheeling, section 



twelve, erecting the frame house in which they now 
live, the second year. In 1872, he built a' barn 
48x62. Mr. and Mrs. Veblen have been blessed 
with twelve children, nine of whom are living; 
Andrew, Betsey E., Austin A., Tosten, luger, 
Mary. Thomas, Edward, and Hannah. Mr. Veblen 
has always taken a great interest in education. 
Andrew, Tosten, and Inger are graduates of Carle- 
ton College at Northfield. Andrew is now attend- 
ing the University at Baltimore, and Tosten is at 
Yale College in New Haven; Thomas and Austin 
have both attended Carleton College, th<? former 
being obliged to leave on account of poor health, 
while Austin is engaged in mercantile pursuits at 
Blooming Prairie, Steele county. 



RICHLAND. 



CHAPTER LVI. 

GENKKAL DESCRIPTION EARLY SETTLEMENT — 

EVENTS OP INTEREST —POLITICAL — RELIGIOUS — 
SC.HO()L.S — BIOGRAPHICAL. 

In the southeast coriier of Bice county, with 
its tliirty-sis sections as designated by the gov- 
ernment survey, lays the town with the above 
name that so well describes the character of 
its soil. Goodhue county is its neighbor on the 
east. Dodge county touches its southeast corner, 
Steele county is on the south, the town of Walcott 
on the west, and Wheeling on the north. 

It is a prairie town, somewhat rolling, and re- 
markably well watered by small streams which 
coalesce in tlie interior of the town to form the 
north branch of the Zumjjro River. It seems 
(|uite unnecessary to describe the course of these 
rivulets, except, perhaps, to say that they are but 
two or three miles apart at the widest point, and 
this part of the toi)Ography leaves nothing to be 
desired. 

Section twelve, tlirough whicli the river leaves 
the town, was rather of a timber section, having 
more than all the rest of the township, and early 
received tlie name of "Norwegian Grove," as the 
people of tliat nationality secured possession of it 
when first in the market. There were smaller 
groves on sections sixteen and thirty-one. The 
character of the soil is variable, being in places a 



loam with a sand mixture, and in other places what 
may be called black muck. It is everywhere deep 
and very productive. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

The year 1854 was the first to witness the ad- 
vent of the westward bound emigrant. Four 
sturdy Norwegians who had stopjjed long enough 
in Wisconsin to learn the pioneering trade, so to 
speak, came here in the spring of this year with 
ox teams, which, at that time, was by all odds the 
most sensible way to come to this new country. 
Their names were Halver Halverson, Erik Gun- 
derson, Ole Larson, and Osten Oleson. 

Gunderson staked out the first claim on the 
southeast quarter of section twelve, near the Zum- 
bro. He put up a hay shanty and made himself 
comfortable while getting up a log shelter, which 
he lost no time in doing, and he has still a home 
on the same spot. 

Halverson claimed three forties in section eleven 
and one in section twelve. He started life in a 
tent which he improvised, using his wagon cover 
for the top, then cut and cured some hay and soon 
had a, fasliionable residence, and afterwards his 
regular timber abode like a high-toned frontiers- 
man. He may now be found on sectich twelve. 

Olson also secured his acies in section twelve, 
which he cultivated until 1863, when his mortal 
remains were dep.jsited beneath the sod. His 



RICH LAND Tcnrysnrp. 



405 



willow occupies the homestead with her only 
daughter, whose husband carries on the farm. 

Ole Larson went into section ten and succeeded 
in getting up the first house in town, wliich he 
moved into in September, 1854. In 1856, he went 
to Winona on some business with the hind otBce, 
and never returned. What became of him is still 
a mystery most profound. The conjecture at the 
time was tliat he was murdered. His sou, Ever 
Olesou, still lives on the place. 

In the fall of this year there was quite a little 
party came together and selected claims in section 
thirty and the vicinity. Among this number 
were F. W. Frink, J. Kinnison, Ozro Carter and 
Willard Carter, two brothers, whose claims fell in 
the township of Walcott. The.se peojile returned 
to bring their families the following spring. 

Other comers were Edward and Sumner Beach, 
father and son; H. F. Smith; H. M. Beardsley; 
George M. Smitli; and Abner Beardsley; who 
located in that neighborhood. 

In 1855, there was a party who came from Wis- 
consin, some of whom had stopped a while there to 
create homes for themselves.and others came direct- 
ly from the eastern States. Arriving here they were 
so well pleased with the country that some of them 
at once proceeded to locate their claims in this 
town, and brief sketches of these men are here 
given. 

J. M. Strunk was from Chautauqua county, 
New York; he selected a place in section seven and 
lived in his wagon for a while, then in a bark 
shanty until he could get up his log cabin. 

Mr. Barlow settled in section seven, where he 
lived making improvements for several years. At 
present he is keeping a hotel in Medford. 

Edwin Wheeler found a place in section 
eighteen. 

William Close, a native of Ohio, came here 
from Indiana during the summer of 1855, and se- 
cured a foothold in section thirty-one, where he 
remained until 1875, when his place was ex- 
changed for city property and he remove<l to Fari- 
bault where he has since resided. 

F. Herrington, whose birthplace was Delaware, 
put in a personal appearance in the fall of this 
year and boarded with H. M. Beardsley through 
the winter, and in the spring he Ixmght a claim in 
section twenty-nine where he may still be found. 

During the year 185G, the accessions to the 
colony in this township were quite important. 
30 



John Close, from the Buckeye State, came up 
here from Iowa, where he had remained for a year. 
He came across the country with an ox team, a 
distance of more than three hundred miles 
through a trackless, and of cour.se bridgeless 
country, and such a trip, it seems almost needless 
to add, required great good judgement as to the 
direction to take and as to how to compass the 
various difficulties being constantly met. He se- 
cured the northeast quarter of section twenty- 
nine. 

During the tir.st two or three years of the early 
settlement of the township there were quite a 
number of the sons of the "Emerald Isle" who se- 
cured homes here, and some of the original comers 
still remain where they were first plauted. 

John G. Miller, of Germany, came here in 1856, 
and worked a farm on the school section, thirty- 
six, for two years, and then traded some land he 
had acquired in Iowa before coming here for a 
farm in section twenty-nine, where he still resides. 

Nathan S. Wheeler and his son George H. came 
here from Illinois, being natives of the Empire 
State; the father pre-empted a place in section 
one, and the son staked out some laud in section 
thirteen. In the fall they returned to speml the 
winter in Illinois. The young man came back in 
the spring and he now lives in section twenty-one. 
The old gentleman visited the town again in the 
summer of 1858, but returned to remain in Illi- 
nois. 

The year 1857 saw fresh arrivals, among them 
John A. Mather, and his position was in section 
twenty-six. He improved that place for awhile, 
then sold out and bought in section twenty-seven, 
where he lived and wrought until his earthly 
sojourn was ended, in 1875. 

Frank Gowen, of Maine, started a farm in sec- 
tion twenty-six, but after a time moved on to 
Nebraska. 

During this year several Massachusetts men ar- 
rived, among them Andrew and Enoch Story and 
Washington Tarr. 

Mr. Tarr took a claim in sectit)n three; Enoch 
Story took his slice from section two, and in the 
fall they both returned to the old Bay State. 

Andrew Story bought the east half of the south- 
east quarter of section two, but at that time re- 
mained but a few weeks. In 1861, however, he 
returned and permanently located on the claim 



46fi 



HISTORY OF RIGE COUNTY. 



first taken by Washington Tarr, and he may yet 
be found on the claim. 

Harvey Y. Scott, of New Jersey, came to Fari- 
bault in 1854, in the mouth of June, where he 
remained until 1860. In 18(53, he came to Rich- 
land, having secured a place in section four where 
he still abides. 

EVENTS OK INTEREST. 

One of the earliest marriages was Henry M. 
Beardsley and Ariminta Newcomb, by Rev. B. F- 
Haviland in 18.57. Knud Finset was married to 
Bess Berget Halverson about the same time. 

On the 2d of January, 1 8.57, Cajst. John Hanson 
was united to Lena Halverson. They were mar- 
ried in Faribault. 

Earlier than any of the above was the union of 

E. L. Beach and Elizabeth Beardsley, in the year 
1856. They have both passed to the great be- 
yond. 

Columbia Adams, a lady of sixteen years of age, 
was struck by lightning late in June, 1855, and 
instantly killed. Mrs. Tew was injured by the 
same bolt, and never recovered from the shock, but 
passed away a tew years afterwards. This mis- 
fortune made a wonderful impression on the settle- 
ment, and one that will never be forgotten. In 
the absence of anything more suitable, a dry 
goo Is box which had lieen used in bringing 

F. W. Frink's furniture and goods, was split up 
and made into a coffin. One peculiar incident 
connected with the melancholy event was that the 
bolt of lightning entered the victim's head just 
back of the ear, and passing the entire length of 
the body made its exit through a nail hole in the 
toe of the shoe. 

John Wesley, son of .John and Susan Close, was 
born on the -Ith of June, 1857. He now lives at 
Little Falls, Morrison county, where he is engaged 
in business as a druggist. 

Richard, a son of Richard and Bridget Leonard, 
was born on the lOtli of May, 1857. He now re- 
sides with his jiarents. 

Halver Austin, son of Osten Olson, was born on 
the 14th of January, 1856. He was removed to 
his eternal home on the 10th of .^pril, 1876. 

Richland cemetery was laid out in 1873, and the 
mortal remains of Herbert Stickney were the first 
to be deposited there, early in December of that 
year. It embraces one acre of land which was 
I)urchased of Alon/.o Stickney, and is in section 
thirty. 



The Catholic cemetery was platted in 1874, and 
embraces three acres of land donated by S. G. 
Nolan on section sixteen. 

The first Postmaster was T. Larson. The pres- 
ent incumbent is James Nolan, who was commis- 
sioned in August, 1881. 

A store was opened by T. Larson in 1878, in 
1881, he sold to S. G. Nolan, the present pro- 
prietor, who still does business there in section 
twenty-one. 

A store had previously been started on section 
thirty-six in 1875, by Nils N. Kveruoden, which he 
sold to Hagan O. Naeseth in 1879, and be sold to 
Mr. Lund in 1881, who is the present proprietor. 

A Post-office had been established here while 
Kveruoden was proprietor, and he handled the 
mails, but it was discontinued. In June, 1882, are- 
establishment of the office took place, with Peter 
Lund as Postmaster, under the name of Maylaud. 
The mail is delivered twice a week. It formerly 
came from Dodge City once a week. 

POLITICAL. 

The first town meeting was on the 11th of May, 
1858, at the house of R. W. Mathews. John A. 
Mather was the moderator and Samuel Gowen 
was clerk. 

The officers to inaugurate the town government 
were: Supervisors, Lafayette Barlow, Chairman, 
John A. Mather, and E. S. Staiibrd; Town Clerk, 
F. Mathews; Assessor, George W. Fox; Collector, 
William Close; Justices of the Peace, J. M. 
Ktrunk and Josiah H. Gale; Constables, Charles 
Birge and James Stevens. 

Town affairs from that time to this have been in 
good hands, and everything in this line has run on 
in the even tenor of its way. 

Present Town Officers. — At the town meeting 
convened at the schoolhouse in district No. 24, on 
the 14th of March, 1882, the following officers 
were designated lor the ensuing year: Super- 
visors, J. B. Johnson, Chairman, August Weshoe, 
and Charles Egenbrod; Clerk and Assessor, John 
Murphy; Collector, James Mather; Justices of the 
Peace, Albert Zigler and John Close; Constables, 
William Hildebrand and C. E. Engle. 

RELIGIOUS. ■ 

NoRWEGi.^N LuTHBBAN Chubi^h.— As early as 
1855, meetings were held in the house of Halvt r 
Halverson on section thirteen, Rev. Nils Brandt 
was the missionary. Meetings were continued in 



1! I a II LAX D TOWNSHIP. 



467 



private bouses for some time, but tbcy now wor- 
sbij) in a cburob in Goodbue county. 

Norwegian Evangelical Li'theuan Congke- 
OATioN. — Tbe first meetings were at tbe scbool- 
house in district No. .51, in 187S. Kev. Mr. Muua 
was tbe minister. Tbe next year an organization 
was effected witb about two score members. Rev. 
M. O. Bockman was tbe pastor appointed by tbe 
synod, and is tbe present incumbent. Part of 
tbis congregation comes from Steele, Dodge, and 
Goodbue counties, and meetings are beUl cmce in 
four weeks. 

Bethel Methodist Episcopal Chdrcui. — In 
1868, tbis society was establisbed, and tbe meet- 
ings were bskl in tbe scboolbouse in section 
twenty-sis. Rev. Mr. Eicbardson was tbe first 
preacber, and wben tbe Grange Hall was built tbat 
became tbe meeting bouse. Tbe last minister was J. 
Milton Akers. In 1881, tbe meetings were discon- 
tinued. 

Methodist Episcopal Church. — In tbe winter 
of 18.56, Rev. William McKiuley preacbed tbe 
first sermon bere in tbe residence of Jobn Close. 
In tbe spring of 1857, Rev. Aaron Matteson or- 
ganized a society witb Mr. Close as class leader 
and seven members; Jobn Close and wife, William 
Close and wife, Mrs. Paul Williams, and Calvin 
Frink and wife. The membership increased quite 
rapidly until there were about one hundred. 
Meetings were afterwards held in F. W. Frink's 
log bouse, and also in tbe scboolbouse in district 
No. 21. Meetings were kept up here until 1873. 

Soon after the formation of tbe society, a Sun- 
day school was started, and it has since been kept 
up; T. B. Brown is tbe present superintendent. 

Rev. J. Milton Akers is tbe "(>reseut pastor. This 
church is connected witb tbe Minnesota Confer- 
ence, and is a part of the Faribault circuit. 

The Evangelical Association - Ebenezer 
Church. — Tbe first meeting by tbis denomination 
was held in Mr. Jenkins' bouse on section three, in 
1863, Rev. William Stegner officiating, and meet- 
ings continued to be held here tor four years, and 
a year or so in other bouses of tbe members. In 
1870, the congregation succeeded in building a 
cburob, which is situated on section four, where 
H. Y. Scott donated two acres of land. There is 
a cemetery near the church, and tbe first burial 
was in 1870. 

Catholic Church. — Mass was first said in Mr. 
Moore's bouse on section twenty-two, in Decem- 



ber, 1858. Father G. Keller was the officiating 
priest, and services were held in various bouses 
until 1874, when a church was built on section six- 
teen. Father Genis is tbe jiresent pastor. 

SCHOOLS. 

District No. 12. — This was first organized in 
1856, and a school was opened and presided over 
l)y Mrs. Edwin Wheeler at tbe bouse of her hus- 
band. The scboolbouse was built the same year 
on section twelve, where it .still stands and is yet 
used for school purposes; when it was resolved to 
build, the farmers all turned out bringing logs and 
material and soon completed tbe structure. This 
was the first district organized in this part of the 
county. 

District No. 16. — A part of tbis district is in 
the town of Wheeling, and it came iuto existence 
in 1856. The next year tbe shoolbouse was got 
up on section four. Miss Ella Evans bad the honor 
of teaching the first school bere. 

District No. 80. — This was outlined iu 1859, 
and a school started at Roland Fairfield's bouse, 
his wife wielding the rod of authority. Tbis was 
in section twenty-three, and early in 1860, a log 
house was rolled together on .section twenty-four. 
Tbis was used up to the year 1877, when a new 
and better one was prtivided on section twenty- 
three. 

Di.strict No. 51. — In tbe house of Roland Fair- 
field, iu 1859, a school was opened, and in 1861, a 
division was made and No. 80 set oft'. The south 
part kept the old number and built a bouse tbat 
year on section thirty-five, and Miss Nellie White 
took charge of the school. In 1870, tbe bouse now 
existing was constructed ou section twenty -six. 

District No. 88. — The year 1868 saw tbis dis- 
trict formed, and tbe scboolbouse was built that 
same year. Mrs. Jeft'ers was tbe first to attemi)t 
to teach the young idea how to shoot, iu William 
Sawyer's granary. 

District No. 21. — The district with tbis num- 
ber was created in 1857, and the earliest school 
was in F. W. Frink's log bouse in the summer and 
the following winter. In the spring of 1858, the 
district, witb commendal)Ie energy, got up a fraftie 
building for school purposes on section thirty, 
which served until the building of the present 
structure. Sarah Campbell was tbe first teacher 
in the new house, and William Bentley in tbe old. 
The first scboolbouse was put up at the exi:)ense of 
Calvin Frink, father of tbe present County Audi- 



468 



HTSTORT OP RICE COUNTY. 



tor, and he afterward received the tax levied in 
return for his money. 

DiSTEiOT No. 24. — School was first taught in a 
private house on .section sixteen in 3859. The 
schoolhouse is on section twenty-one, and was built 
at an early day. 

District No. 102 was instituted al)out 1875, 
and a schoolhouse put up on the north line o( sec- 
tion sixteen. 

BIDUBAPIIIC.iL. 

William W. Beakd was born in Kennebec 
county, Maine, where he attended school and lived 
on a farm. When twenty years old he went to sea 
and was a sailor five years. He then engaged in 
tanning in bis native State, and in 1854 Miss Betsey 
W. Gowen became bis wife. They came toWaushara 
county, Wisconsin, in 1855, where he staked out a 
claim, improved it, and built a bouse and barn. 
In 1858, Mr. Beard came to Minnesota on a pros- 
pecting tour, and in 1862, sold his farm in Wis- 
consin and came to Richland, where he bought a 
farm on section twenty-six. He improved his 
place and has since purchased one hundred and 
sixty acres adjoining. They lived in a log house 
until 1868, then erected their present frame house. 
He is the father of seven children. Mr. Beard has 
been elected to ofiBces of trust in the town, and is 
a man that is well known in this section of the 
country. 

John Close was bom in Wayne county, Ohio, 
on the 6th of October, 1825, and removed vrith his 
parents to Indiana when seven years of age; first 
settled in Cass county and then assisted his father 
in clearing a claim in Miami county. The latter 
died in September, 1845. On the 8th of .January, 
1846, John married Miss Susan Fickle who bore 
him ten children, six of whom are living. Mrs. 
Close was born in Pennsylvania on the 15th of 
December, 1828, and died the 24th of March, 
1870. The maiden name of bis present wife was 
Miss Martha .7. Ernsj^erger whom he married on 
the 4th of February, 1871. They have one child. 
He purchased a farm in Kosciusko county, In- 
diana, where he lived one year then sold out, in 
1854, .md purchased land in Greene county, Iowa. 
He was sick the first summer there and the next 
year came to Faribault, but returned in about six 
weeks, then worked in a grist-mill. In the spring 
of 1856, he sold his land and came to this county, 
settling in Richland on a claim in section twenty- 
nine. He first built a log caliin and engaged in 



improving his land. He spent one winter in Wal- 
cott, and in 1866, built a barn, 32x42 feet, and 
two years later built their present frame house. 
Mr. Close has been a member of the Methodist 
church since sixteen years of age. 

Leander Eastman, a native of Maine, was born 
on the 11th of March, 1836. He was reared on a 
farm, and when sixteen years old went to the 
pineries, where he was engaged in lumbering for 
twelve years. In 1854, he married Miss P. A. 
Brackett, and they have had six children, four of 
whom are living. Mr. Eastman came to Dakota 
county, Blinnesota, in 1861, and remained there 
until 1863, when he came to Richland and bought 
a farm in section twenty -six, improved it, setting 
out a grove, and in 1863, built a dwelling house. 
In 1865, he enlisted in the first Minnesota Volun- 
teer Infantry, Company H, went south and joined 
Thomas in Alexandria, Virginia, and was honorably 
discharged at the close of the war, on the 14tb of 
July, 1865. He then returned to this place, 
bought a farm in section twenty -seven and built a 
granary, in which they lived until 1869, then ' 
erected their present dwelling. 

Erik G. Giinderson was born in Norway, on 
the 24th of March, 1828. His younger d.iys were 
spent at school, and in 1849, he came to America, 
landed at New York and proceeded directly to 
Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. He 
was joined in matrimony in 1852, with Miss 
Helena Hanson, and two years later, in company 
witli a few others, came to Minnesota. He pre- 
empted land in Richland township, this county, 
and it was the first claim made in the town. He 
first built a hay shanty, then a log house, and in 
two years another one of logs, to which he has 
put an addition. On the 24th of July, 1860, his 
wife died, leaving five children. The maiden name 
of his present wife was Miss Astre Asle, whom he 
married in 1865. They have five children. 

.Iames Greelv, one of the pioneers of Minne- 
sota, was born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, on 
the 2:(d.of February, 1826, and removed with his 
parents when one year old to Maine, and lo- 
cated in Waldo county. When fifteen years old 
he went to sea and was a sailor eleven years on 
merchant vessels between the United States and 
the West Indies. He was married in 1619, to Miss 
Sarah .J. Rand. When twenty-sis yeais old Le 
retired from sea life and bought a farm in Waldo 
county, which he carried on till 1856, then sold 



men LAND To WSSIIIP. 



469 



and removed to Steele countv, Minnesota, took a 
claim and built a house. In February, 1805, he 
enlisted in the Second Minnesota Cavalrj', went to 
Port Wadsworth, then returned to Fort Snclling 
where he ■was hont)rably dischai'ged in November, 
18(55, then returned to his farm. Tu 186(5, he sold 
hi.s farm in Steele county, and bought in Kiuh- 
land in sections thirty-one and thirty-two, having 
since devoted his time to its cultivation, building 
a house, and in 1875, bought laud adjoining his 
first purchase. BJrs. Greeley died in October, 
1868, leaving four children. The maiden name of 
his present wife was Miss Augusta Parshal, whom 
he married in 1869. 

John B. Johxson was born in M<-intgomery 
couuty, New York, on the 23d of June, 1834. and 
obtained an education at the district school, and 
later worked on a farm, (!)n the ith of January, 
1856, Miss Anna E.Schuyler became his wife. In 
1870, they removed to Minnesota and purchased a 
farm in Richland township, in section nineteen, 
where he may still be found. Mrs. Johnson was 
a native of Montgomery county. New York, l)orn 
in May, 1831, and died in 1875, leaving three 
children. In 1875, he was joined in marriage 
with Miss Mahala Swanger, who has borne him 
three children. He has held a number of local 
offices, and is at jsresent Chairman of the Board of 
Supervisors. 

John G. Millek, one of the pioneers of Eich- 
land, was born in Germany in March, 1825. He 
attended school, and when fourteen years old 
learned the shoemaker's trade, .serving an appren- 
ticeship of two -years, besides paying S42 for the 
privilege. In 1845, he emigrated to America, 
landed at New Y'ork, where he worked one month 
at his trade, then in Genesee county two moutlis. 
He found farming more profitable, engaged at it 
two years in the latter county, and removed to 
Rock county, Wisconsin, where, in 1850, he was 
married. Miss Susan Burtman becoming his wife. 
In 1851, he bought a farm in Fayette county, 
Iowa, where he remained until 1856, then located 
in Walcott, Rice county, Minnesota, and lived two 
yt ars on section thirty-six. At the expiration of 
that time he traded his laud in Iowa for a farm in 
section twenty-nine in Richland township, to which 
he moved the same year. He lived in a log house 
until 1868, then built a frame house in which he 
now lives, and in 1880, erectfd a liarn 24x30 feet. 
He is the father cif nine childreii, six of whom are 
living. 



Moses C. Peasley, deceased, one of the pioneers 
of Rice county, was born in New Hampshire in 
1831, and lioth of his parents died when he was 
but eight years old. When a ycnujg man he went 
to California where he sjjent five years in mining, 
then returned to New Hampshire and in a short 
time came to Minnesota. He pre-empted land in 
Richland, in sectiou twenty-six, then sold it and 
bought on section sixteen where he lived a few 
years; disposed of that and purchased three hun- 
dred and twenty acres in sections twenty-two and 
twenty-seven. On the 7th of September, 1859, he 
married Miss Martha C. Finlayson, a native of 
Canada. Mr. Peasley enlisted on the 13th of 
August, 1862, in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer 
Infantry, Company A, served till the close of the 
war and was honorably discharged on the 7th of 
July, 1865, when he returned home and devoted 
his time to the improvement of his farm until his 
death in February, 1879. They had a family of 
six children, four of them now living. Mrs. Peas- 
ley lives on the homestead and carries on the farm. 

Andrew Stoby was born in Hamilton, Essex 
county, Massachusetts, on the 16th of November, 
1812. He acquired an education at the district 
school, and in May, 1829, engaged in the village of 
Essex to learn the trade of shipbuilding, serving 
three years. He worked as a journeyman for a 
time, then started in business for himself, and 
while in the business built as many as thirteen 
schooners in one year. In November, 1838, he 
married Miss Lucy A. Story. In 1857, he came 
west on a prospecting tour with two young men 
who were in his employ. During that summer 
Mr. Story purchased laud in Richland in section 
two, and the other two men made claims in sec- 
tions two and three, which claims he afterwards 
jjurchased. He returned to Massachusetts and in 
May, 1861, launched his last vessel, then, with his 
family removed to a place on section three, this 
township, where he has a farm of four hundred 
acres. In 1869, he Iiuilt a barn and in 1878, an- 
other one, which is connected with the first by a 
shed. Mr. and BIrs. Story have had seven chil- 
dren, six of whom are living. Lucy Ellen, the 
eldest, died on the 7th of September, 1842. 

J. M. Stkunk, one of the pioneers of this county, 
was born in Chautauqua county, New York, on 
the 21st of November, 1829. His younger days 
were spent at school and since that time be has 
been engaged in agricultural pursuits. lu 1854, 



470 



HISTORY OF RICE GOUNTF. 



Lydia Williams became his wife. She was also a 
native of the latter county. In 1855, they started 
west; came to Wisconsin by rail and from thence 
to Rice eonnty with a few others, with ox teams. 
Mr. Strunk staked out a claim in Richland on section 
seven, and now has a farm of three hundred and 
forty acres of prairie land, besides forty acres of 
timber. He first built a bark shanty, then a log 
house, and in 1872, his present frame house, and in 
1874, a barn 45x50 feet. He is the father of five 
children, three of whom are living. 

George H. Wheeler, one of the pioneers of 
Richland, is a native of Orange county, New York, 
boru on the 18th of May, 18.35. He attended 
school at Amity, and when fifteen years old re- 
moved with his parents to Delaware, Ohio, where 



they lived three years, then moved to St. Charles, 
Illinois. In 1856, he and bis father, Nathan S. 
Wheeler, (?ame to Minnesota, Richland township, 
the father taking land in section twelve and the 
son in section thirteen. In the fall they returned 
to Illinois where, in 1857, Celia M. Howard became 
his wife. The following October they removed to 
Minnesota, coming on a boat as far as Red Wing 
tjien drove to their claim. He erected a house 
with the help of a carpenter who came with him, 
but in 1870, sold his farm and purchased in sec- 
tion twenty-one where he still resides. His father 
returned here in 1858, and spent the summer, then 
went back to Illinois where he lives at present. 
Mr. and BIrs. Wheeler have been blessed with nine 
children. 



WALCOTT. 



CHAPTER LVII. 

liOCATION AND DESOEIPTION EARLT SETTLEMENT 

— EVENTS OF INTEKE.ST — MANDFACTCRINti TOWN 

ORGANIZATION — SCHOOLS — BIOOKAPHICAL. 

The location of this town may be thus de- 
scribed. It is the second from the eastern boun- 
dary of the county, on the south tier of townships. 
Its contiguous surroundings are, Richland on the 
east. Cannon City and Faribault on the north, 
Warsaw on the west, and Steele county on the 
south. 

The )]rincipal river is Straight River, which 
flows quite faithfully toward the north, a little 
west of the center. Mud Creek and Rush Creek 
with several other branches join it in its course. 
The river leaves the town from section four, and a 
quarter of a mile west it returns, moving directly 
south to turn west and again get beyond the 
town limits on the line between sections five and 
six, passing through Faribault. A.s a rule, the 
creeks and rivers carry a belt of timber that is 
<iuite heavy for a mile or two wide, making about 
one-third of the town covered with timber. 

On the east side is the noted F.ast Prairie, with 
its black loam from eighteen inches to two feet in 
depth, with a blue clay subsoil, and laying so low 
that artificial drainage has to be resorted to. On 
the west side the soil is sandy, with a gravel sub- 



soil on what is known as the low prairie, which 
extends west three-fourths of a mile, and north 
from the southern line about three and one-half 
jniles. The rest of the town is known as High 
Prairie, which is a sort of table land with a black 
loam and clay subsoil, making the richest kind of 
soil for any crops suitable to this latitude. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

The first actual settler in this town was Edward 
H. Cutts, who came from Vermont, having 
stopped a while at the head of Lake Pepin, in the 
year 1853. His first visit here was in December of 
that year, and he selected a claim in sections 
twenty and twenty-one. Late in February, 1854, 
he returned with Jacob Chesrown, who was a 
young man, and another by the name of Rouse, 
who were hired by Mr. Cutts. They started from 
Hastings with a yoke of oxen, a cow, and a pony, 
with supplies on a sled, and for the first day had a 
good many snowbanks to shovel through. When 
twelve miles out they lost the trail, and while 
looking right and left for it one of the men was 
sent ow ahead to a piece of timber to build a fire 
and pirepare supper. It was getting dark and 
they heard a pack of wolves comiL."^. One of 
them seized the axe and the other got his pistol 
ready, but they crossed 'at a little distance, evi- 
dently on tlie track of a deer. The next day the 



ir. 1 Lcorr to wxsjiip. 



471 



grouDtl got bare and it was literally "hard sled- 
ding." The next night the camp was on the prai- 
rie, and liy picking up every stick they could find 
and usiug what they could spare of the ends of 
the sled stakes, got up quite a good fire. They 
got out of hay, and in the night the cattle took 
the back track and Mr. Cutts had to gallop back 
on the pony after them fur five or six miles. They 
mixed up some meal in a handkerchief and baked 
a cake in the ashes. Before they readied Fa;i- 
bault the sled had to be abandoned and a wagon 
secured, with which he finally got his things on 
his place and began to build. In a few days his 
cow had a calf, and one night a timber wolf un- 
dertook to carry it off, but he drove the brute 
away and took the calf inside. There came up a 
firghtful snow storm, and as he had no shelter, ex- 
cept the lee side of the cabin, he had to take the 
cow in also until the storm had subsided. Mr. Outts 
built the first log cabin in town, and the first frame 
house; the first house was burned in the winter of 
185.5-56. The next winter iie went to get married, 
and brought his wife as far as Illinois aud re- 
turned, having a serious time in getting through. 
Traveling in those days was not the pastime it is 
now. When at last Mrs. Cutts came on he went 
to meet her in an ox cart, and she liad to make a 
part of the journey on foot, stopping at that 
noted sod tavern, wheie they met Dr. Jewett, who 
had also been to meet his family. 

The town received a few settlers in 1S53. 
Nathaniel Meyers, with his family, came and lo- 
cated on section twenty-eight. He was from New 
York, but has passed on to the great majority. 
His son, John M., remains on the old homestead. 

John Luther Cabot, a single man, also from New 
York, came at the same time. He was born in 
1831, and remained here a few years, removing to 
Goodhue county. 

The spring of 1854 brought a few more venture- 
some individuals, among whom should lie noted, 
Richmond Jones, of New York, wliose life has 
been spared to the present time. 

Joseph Richard, also a New Y'orker, came that 
year, but several years ago he was called to the 
great hereafter. 

George W. Marks secured a place in section 
eleven from whence he was transferred to " the 
other shore" on the 27th of November, 1875. His 
widow is still in town. 

George Dorrance, another native of the Empire 



State, is still in section twenty-three, where he 
transplanted himself some time that year. 

In 1855, attention having been called to this 
region, the town was well filled up. Some of the 
claims having been entered the fall bifore. 

The town was named in honor of Samuel Wal- 
cott from Masschusetts, who was a very able, 
energetic, and talented man, making everything 
lively around his vicinity, but after a time his mind 
became distraught, and he found an abiding place 
in an insane retreat in his native State. He was 
public spirited, liberal minded, aud with un- 
bounded enthusiasm, and had he remained, who 
can tell what projects for the improvement of his 
adopted town he might have carried out. 

EVENTS OF INTEREST. 

The first religious exercises were by Elder Crist, 
a Methodist minister, in 1855, in the spring, at a 
private house owned by Mr. Richardson, on section 
thirty-two. 

An early birth was Laura E., daughter of 
George and Hannah M. Dorrauce, on the 3d of 
February, 1855, on section twenty -two in a log 
cabin. She was married on the 14th of December, 
1878, and the following spring removed to Y'ellow 
Medicine eounty. 

The first marriage remembered was on the 25th 
of December, 1856, when Edward Beach and 
Elizabeth Beardsley were united in the bonds of 
wedlock; they have since been united in death. 

The fir.st death was that of Mrs. Axta Jones, 
wife of Richmond Jones, who was struck by light- 
ning on the 4th of July, 1854, while in their tent 
in section twenty-nine, in the presence of her hus- 
band, two children, her brother, aud John Luther 
Cabot. It was most remarkable that she alone of 
the whole number should have been stricken down. 

The following paragraph appeared in the local 
papers in November, 1878: "Intelligence has just 
reached here that a farmer, whose name could not 
be learned, residing near Walcott, a little station 
situated between Faribault and Medford, on the 
Iowa division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul railroad, had administered a lesson to two 
tramps, that by reason of its severity will never 
be appreciated by them in this world, but will 
have a wholesome effect in deterring others from 
attempting similar crimes. The two tramps above 
mentioned, under cover of the darkness, entered a 
wheat field where a self-binding harvester had 



472 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



been at work during the day, and deliberately 
piling the newly cut grain about the machine pre- 
pared to cremate both grain and harvester. Un- 
fortunately for the success of tbeir plans, the 
owner, whose suspicions had been aroused during 
the day, happened with a douljle-barreled shot- 
gun just as they applied the torch, and with an 
impartiality which did him credit, gave each the 
contents of a barrel. Result, two dead tramps 
and a little damage to the grain. The farmer hur- 
ried to Faribault after the dee 1 and gave himself 
up to the authorities, but instead of being detained 
was told to go back to his farm, and if another 
such attempt to destroy his property was made to 
serve the perpetrators in a like manner." 

The first railroad survey was made through the 
town iu 18.58, and grading began in 1850, but it 
was not until 18(i8, that the rumbling of the cars was 
first heard. The road runs through the southwest 
quarter of the town between the middle of the 
southern boundary of section thirty-two and the 
middle of the western boundary of section eigh- 
teen. In 1877, a preliminary survey was made 
through the northern part uf the town for an east 
and west line. 

The first blacksmith shop was erected in 1860, 
on section thirty-six, by Mr. McLaughlin, who 
wrought the plastic iron and steel for two years, 
when he packed up his ''kit" and went "West." 
From the time when that fire went out. the town 
had no sou of Vulcan within its borders until 
1881, when Hans Floom, a Norsk, started a forge 
in section twenty-four, and he is still making the 
sparks fly. 

Samuel Livingston, from 1860 to 1867, was 
known as the "VValcott Lime Burner." He se- 
cured his rock from the very bed of the Straight 
River. E. S. Lord succeeded him, and he took 
the stone from the bank of the river. 

There are a few farmers^on the east side, where 
the nature of the ground makes it impossible for a 
threshing machine to visit them, and they get out 
their grain with a flail, the good old fashioned 
way; of course this farming is not on a large 
BCide. 

Some excitement was once created by the mys- 
terious disappearance on one occasion of Jack 
Williams. Blood was found near the wood pile, 
and murder most foul wss suspected. In a few 
days he returned, still in the flesh. 

A cheese factory was established in 1878 in 



section one. The establishment was procured in 
Richland and moved here by William Mathers and 
worked by his son. It is now owned and operated 
by Clifton Tucker. 

This town has no public building of its own, 
and town meetings are held under a tent, in a 
barn, or under the lee side of a wood pile, as may 
be most convenient, somewhere on section six- 
teen. 

Agricultural productions of the town for the 
year 1881, as returned to the County Auditor: 

Aerex. Bushels- 

Wheat 3,800 57,,'513 

Oats 803 31,180 

Corn 699 26,785 

Barley 62 1,790 

Buckwheat: 6 110 

Potatoes 47 4,941 

Beans 2 32 

Sugar Cane 9 gals. 1,332 

Cultivated hay 778 tons 1,128 

Wild hay " 1,382 

Timotiiy seed bush. 60 

Clover " " 299 

Apples " 255 

Sheep, 910 lbs. wool 5,632 

Milch cows, 304 lbs. butter 24,950 

Cheese lbs. 5,600 

Honey " 881 

Straight River Grange. — This was organized 
on the 5th of September, 1872, with seventy char- 
ter members. Its meetings were on Saturday 
evenings in sehoolhouse No. 50, and the organiza- 
tion kept up until 1881, when it was finally dis- 
banded. 

The Hunters of the Prairie. — In 1800, a 
society with this romantic name was organized, 
and it was kept up for ten years. The first meet- 
ing was in the sehoolhouse, when an organization 
was effected and officers chosen to lead in a war of 
extermination against the predatory animals in the 
vicinity, and a hunt was promptly instituted. 

Two captains chose their respective follow^ers, 
and tlie whole community was thus divided into 
two clans. Everything was game, from the tail 
of a mouse up to the fiercest denizen of the forest. 
The troi^hies of the chase were the caudle appen- 
dages, and each had a value accordiuj to a pre- 
established scale, and the losing party had to pay 
certain prizes. In July, a regular picnic, which 
went by the name of a "Gopher Picnic" in honor 



WALCOTT Ti> WSSIIIP. 



473 



of the rodent that was most numerous here, was 
lield, where men, women, and children gathered to 
participate in the sport, and after tlie contest was 
dei'ided bj counting the game, a dinner and other 
festivities were enjoyed. The number of animals 
takeu would run up into the thousands, and these 
hunts were of gi'eat value in ridding the country 
of the swarming pests. 

Redfield Old Settlehs' Assoc.i.vnoN. — This 
society was organized in the schoolhouse of dis- 
trict No. .50, in 1858, meetings being held 
annually. All were admitted, men, women, and 
children, regardless of age, that had corae fmni 
the township of Eedfleld in New York State, and 
members were eligible from any (lortion of Rice 
county. In 1868, the last meeting of the society 
was held, the membership having dwindled down 
to ten. During their time of jjrosperity, meetings 
were held at the residence of M. S. Seymour, on 
section twenty-two, the fleeting hours being occu- 
pied in having a general good time. 

Post-Office. — The first and only Post-ofBce in 
town was established in 185.5. It was on the 
northwest quarter of section thirty-three, with M. 
Richardson as Postmaster. In 1858, William 
Babcock was appointed. The mail was brought 
by a stage which run between Faribault and 
Owatonna. In 18B2, the office was discontinued. 

In 1856, Samuel Walcott, having contracted the 
prevailing epidemic which inspired so many to lay 
out villages and cities, proceded to plat a village 
which was given the name of Walcott. The loca- 
tion involved parts of sections twenty, twenty-one, 
twenty-eight, and twenty-nine. There was noth- 
ing small aliout the plan, the proportions of which 
were magnificent, but it did not progress far 
enough to be recorded. But a single house was 
built, and that was for a hotel by Charles Smith. 
There was a steam saw-mill with a twenty-live 
horse-power engine ready to cut lumber to build 
the prospective city. This was owned by E. H. 
Auldou and run for a while, but was subsequently 
taken down and carried to Shicldsville where it 
still is. 

A golden wedding, one of the rare occasions 
that so few may expect to experieuci' in their own 
persons, took place in Walcott on the 19th of 
March, 1881. The groom and bride of half a 
hundred years were Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Sexton, Mr. 
Sexton being 76 years of age and Mrs. Sexton 74. 
They were married in central New York (ju tlie 



r.ithof March, 18H1. Six persons who were then 
])resent assembled at the golden wedding. Their 
names were Mr. and Mrs. Baker, of Tomah, Wis- 
consin, Mr. John Castle, Mrs. Nesbitt, the mother 
of Mrs. T. B. Spencer, and the bride and groom. 
Mrs. Anna, wife of Gaylord Sexton, made the 
bridal cake tor her own wedding, for the weddings 
of each of her three sisters, and now for the semi- 
centennial of her father and mother's wedding. 
This notable gathering was one long to be re- 
memliered by tliosi- who were fortunate enou; h to 
be present. 

On the 21st of November, 1861, Judge Isaac 
Woodman had a burial ground surveyed on section 
eight, a single acre, and divided up into forty lots, 
seventeen of which have been taken. The first 
burial here was Helena, a daughter of Mr. J. S. 
and Mrs. S. A. House, who died on the 2d of 
March, 1860, at the age of two years and three 
months, a shocking and most horrible death. It 
seems that her mother was called out for a few 
moments in the performance of her domestic duties, 
leaving the little girl tied into a high chair, which 
slie upset directly upon the stove and was 
liurued in such a terrible way that she survived 
but a few hours. 

Walcott, in the war of the rebellion, was well 
represented, tliere being twenty-four men who vol- 
unteered and who, strange to say, returned without 
a missing man. No draft in town was had, but 
the citizens voted at different times recruit boun- 
ties amounting in the aggregate to !J4,800. 

In 1872, the town voted bonds to the amount of 
•52,000 to build a bridge across the Straight River 
at the Walcott mills. A bridge bad existed at the 
mills partly constructed by the proprietors and 
partly by the town, but it washed away and the 
mill owners being disinclined to repair the damage 
so as to make it available for a road the town had 
to rebuild it, which was done about twenty rods 
north of its' old position at the mUl. 

SIANUFACTUHING. 

Walcott Mills. — Early in the seventies this 
mill was constructed by Grant k La May as a feed 
and flouring mill. It embraced two stories and a 
basement and was 3()X46 feet. Its situation is on 
Straight River, on section sixteen. At first there 
was ten feet fall, Imt it was afterwards increased 
to twelve. In 1874, it was bought by M.B. Shef- 
lield, George E. Skinner, and Henry ChalTee, un- 



474 



BISTORT OF BICE COUyTY. 



der the finn name of Walcott Mill Companv. and 
a ninetT horse-povrer steam engine was put in and 
great improvements made, to the extent of 824,000. 
In 1S51. Mr. Sheffield became sole proprietor, and 
since that time the mill has gone throngh a trans- 
fonaation. It is now. after an additional expense 
of s27,00l'. a lirst-elass roller mill with five floors 
and a daily capacitr of 2-50 barrels. It hHS been 
a merchant mill since 1S74, and has a wide repu- 
tation as a Minnesota patent process milL 

EiCEKios i Compaxy"s Mux. — In 18-56. this 
firm e:>mmenced the erection of a saw-mill on the 
straight Kirer in Walcott_ township, on section 
three. It was completed and commenced nmning 
in the fall of 18-57. with a Parker reaction water 
wheel, and an upright saw. with a capacity of 
ab-out 3.i>Xl feet of lumber per daj. The com- 
panv became insolrent. the mill continued to run, 
howerer. until the dam joined arms with a freshet 
and went careering down the stream in the spring 
of 1858. A dam was again erected, but after the 
debts began to push in a short time, the boss of 
the company, in a colloquial phrase, '^ook his 
iooi in his hand and crossed the river to Charlie," 
disappearing for good, and the mill from that day 
to this has been sQent. The bmlding was finallv 
removed to East Prairieville for a barD. 

A steam mill had been started before this one, 
bv Samuel Walcott on section thirtj-three. It 
was of twenty-five horse-power, and cotild cut 
4,000 feet a day. It was on the land of Lewis 
Howard, but in about a year it went to Owatonna. 

Thomas Harlow built a saw-mill on section four. 
on Straight Biver. This was a good mill, run by 
an overshot wheel and could rip out 8,000 feet a 
dav. It 18-57. it was burned and again built up, 
but at the end of a year the dam accepted the 
urgent invitation of a flood to join its mad career 
down stream. The dam was reconstructed and 
the mill started, only to be again abruptly closed 
bv tlie emigration of the fJa"! at the end of another 
year. 

TOWX OEGAXIZATIOS. 

Pursuant to notice, the first town meeting for 
the election of officers and organization of the 
town was held at the house of .Jacob Chesrown.on 
the 11th of May. 18-58. The moderator was Isaac 
Woodmaji. and the clerk was Isaac E. Pentz. An 
assessment of S200 was made for town expenses; 
what should cocstitnte a lawful fence was agreed 



upon. It was voted that horses and cattle could 
ran at large from November to the first of April, 
and that sheep and hogs be prohibited from being 
at large. 

The second town meeting was held at the house 
of -James Williams, and was an adjourned meeting 
to elect officers, which was not accomplished at the 
first meeting on account of the other business 
upon which so manv had to ventilate their ideas. 

The town officers elected at this meeting were: 
Supervisors. Isaac Woodman, Chairman. E. P. 
Jones, and D. C. Hunkins: Assessor. James Den- 
ison: Collector, Elijah Austin; Clerk. Isaac B. 
Pentz: .Justices of the Peace, William Hester and 
George Dorrance; Overseer of the Poor, Isaac 
Woodman: Constables, Jacob Chesrown and 
Charles B. Kingsbury. 

The first meeting of the Supervisors was on the 
22d of May, at the house of the clerk, where the 
first division of load districts was made. The 
salary of the first clerk was S1.30 for the first 
year. At the first State election, in the fall of 
18-58, there were twenty-eight votes cast. 

Town affairs have been managed in an honest 
and economical way. 

The officers of the town for 1882, are : Super- 
visors. James Denison. Chairman. A. L. Austin, 
and A- M. Harris; Clerk and A^«ssor. J. H. Pet- 
teys; Treasurer, -John D. Beardsley: Justices of 
the Peace. T. C. Adams and M. S. Seymour; Con- 
stables, T. J. Neil and John McNasney. 

SHOOLS. 

The following school districts are in the town of 
Walcott, and a few items in relation to each will be 
presented. 

DiSTBicT No. 3.5. — The first school here was in 
the summer of 1857, in a blacksmith shop on sec- 
tion thirty -two. The district was organized in the 
spring of 18.57, in the house of Jacob Chesrown 
on section twenty-nine. In 18-58, Miss Francis 
taught in a house owned by Mr. Bird on stction 
thirty-three. The same year a log house was hired 
on section twenty-one. The schoolhouse was built 
in 1875, Miss Emma Cabot being the first teacher. 

District No. 50. — In 1858, a part of the fore- 
going district was set off and anew one formed. A 
frame dwelling house was bought in Medford and 
moved to where the schoolhouse now ^stands, on 
section thirty -two, Miss S. Francis being the- first 
teacher, with twenty scholars. The present house 
was built in 1876. 



WALCOTT Towysaip. 



475 



District 2so. 12 was _"rgaiiized at the house of 
EJwarJ Jones in 1856, in section twenty-fonr, and 
in the spring of lf*57. a log house was got np on 
the same section, with two half windows for light: 
and Miss Ajminta Newcomb called about twenty 
pupils to order. In 1S72. a frame honse was con- 
structed in section thirteen, near the town line and 
so it is a union district. 

DisTKicT Xo. 38 came into existence on the 25th 
of June. 1858, in section nineteen. A tax of .?1.50 
was raised to build a log house, which was lSs20 
feet with six windows, one door, and a cottage 
roof, located on section eighteen. James Denison 
was the first, instructor. lu 1862, the honse was 
moved to section twenty. The schoolhouse now 
stan'ding was constructed in 1878. Miss Mary 
Auldon had the honor of wieldirg the rod of au- 
thoritv. The school now has twenty-five scholars. 

It is quite likely that a new district wiU be 
formed from the eastern part of No. 50. as it is so 
inconvenient for many to get across the river to 
school. In 1882. a private school with fourteen 
pupils was taught on this side in a granary owned 
by Bartlett Smith; Miss Maggie Foster was the 
teacher. 

District Xo. 17. — This district was organized 
in 1856. in the house of Isaac Woodman. The 
house was built the same year, of logs or slabs, 
and was 16s2J: feet and had four windows and one 
door and it was got ready for school purposes the 
next vear when Susie Frisbegwith taught the first 
school. This building served until 1875, when the 
district constructed a rrame edifice, 18x28 feet, in 
section eight, at a cost of S500. Miss Hattie 
Howard inaugurated the first classes in the new 
house. 

BIOGE.VPHICAI,. 

liAUKiTS A^rDESSEX. a native of Denmark, was 
born on the 22d of October, ISio. He emigrated 
to Wisconsin in 1868, and one year later married 
Miss Anna C. Johnson, the ceremony taking place 
on the 9th of April. They have one child. In 
1871, they removed to Steele county. Minnesota, 
and four years later to Rice county, where, in 
1880, he purchased his present farm of one huj- 
dred acres in Walcott, in sections eight and nine:- 

Jesse C. Castle was bom in Rome. Oneida 
county. New York, on the 21st of .July. 18.58. and 
removed to Minnesota in 1879. In ISSl, he pur- 
chased his present farm of one hundred and twenty 
acres in Walcott, sections tweatv and twentv-one. 



He was married on the 24th of April. ]R=»2. t.) 
Minina L. Keed. a native of Minnesota. 

Chaxdleb O. Castle was also bom in Uueida 
county. New Tork, on the .3d of -June, 1826. He 
was married in 1851. to Miss Elmira Knotgrass, 
the ceremony taking place on the 20ih of Novem- 
ber. In 1878, he removed to this county where 
he has two hundred acres of land in Walcott, sec- 
tions twenty and twenty-one. Mr. and Mrs. C^tstle 
have had four children, three of whom are living. 
JiiiEi^ Dexison was bom in New York, ou the 
3d ui May. 1820, and while young removed with 
his parents to Ohio. In 1840. he was united in 
matrimony with Miss Mary McC<^cliran. the cere- 
mouv takinff place on the 13th of March. They 
removed to Indiana in 1842, and in 1855, came to 
Minnesota and located in Walcott. v%-here he pre- 
empted one hundred and sixty acres of land to 
which he has since added one hundred and forty 
acres. He has had a family of nine children, but 
live of them are now dead. Mr. Denison was 
Treasurer of the town in 1856. and Assessor and 
Collector in 1859. and is the present Chairman of 
the board of Supervisors. 

E. O. Destsox. a son of -James and Mary Den- 
ison. was bom in Indiana, his birth dating the 1st 
of ApriL 1850. He came with his parents to this 
township in 1855. He was joined in marriage 
with Miis Barbara McEachran. on the 30th of 
ApnL 1874. They moved to Redwood cotmty, 
but soon returned, and in the spring of 1881, pur- 
chased eighty acres of land on section eighteen 
adjoining his father" s. His house was burned the 
same spring, in April. Mr. and Mrs. Denison 
have a family of three children. 

Fbaxk Deckeb was bom in Tompkins county. 
New Tork, on the 15th of Jtdy, 1S4S, and in 1864, 
came to Minnes^^ita, where he purchased land in 
Walcott in section seventeen. His farm was 
rented until three years ago. previous to which 
time he was engaged in a feed store in Faribault. 
His mother and sister reside with him on the 
farm. 

H. E. RASTLTsa was bom in Canada on the 1st 
of Janoary, 18 — and removed to Michigan in 
18i32. and one year later -to Rice cotmty, Minne- 
sota, where he pttrchased eighty acres of land in 
Walcott. section twenty-nine. He was married in 
-June, 1865. to Miss EUen Jane Kenslow. who has 
borne him seventeen children, but eight of whom 
are living, three girls, triplets, and five boys. 



476 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Cathaeixb Gkant was born in Canada on the 
5tli of May, 1812. She was married to William 
(}rant in 1829, and removed to Ohio in 1861. Her 
hu.sband died in 186.5, and the following year she 
removed to Minnesota with her six children, three 
of whom are now married. She resides with her 
son, D. W. (Jrant. 

A. M. Hakkis, a native of Lawrence county, 
Pennsylvania, was born on the 1st of February, 
1839. He was married on the 24th of February 
18116. In 1868, they removed to Minnesota and 
purcha.sed eighty-eight acres of prairie land in 
Walcott, section two, and Mr. Harris has since de- 
voted his time in improving the same. 

J. N. HoWLAND was born in Barnstable, Mas- 
sachusetts, on the lOth of May, 1838, where he 
resided until 18.52, then went to sea, was on the 
water six years, and on his return engaged at the 
blacksmith trade. In 1862, he enlisted in the 
Fortieth Massachusetts Infantry, Company E, 
served fourteen months, then went to Boston, 
where he engaged in gas fitting. Fe married 
Miss Jane H. Mayhew, who died on the 27th of 
February, 1862, and in 1868, he was again mar- 
ried, his bride being Miss Ellen P. Weeks, the 
ceremony taking place on the 20th of January. 
In 1869, Mr. Howland came to Iowa, and in the 
spring of 1872, returned to Boston, and two years 
later came to Minneapolis. In 1878, he purchased 
his jjresent farm in Walcott, section thirty-two. 
Of a family of five children, only two are living. 
He was Assessor in 1879. 

W. J. Johnstone was born in northern Ireland 
on the 20th of June, 1830, and there prepared for 
college, and in 1842, emigrated to New York, 
where he finished his education at Union College. 
In August, 1852, he married Miss Jessie Mills, 
and the same year went to Freeport, Illinois, 
where he taught a district school, Luther W. 
(iuiteau being one of the trustees, and his son 
Charles J., then eleven years old, one of bis 
pupils. In 1851, Mr. Johnstone turned his at- 
tention to theology, and in October, 1855. was or- 
dained as a Presbyterian minister at Rock Eiver, 
having charge of two parishes for ten years, then 
changed his views and became an Episcopal cler- 
gyman. He came to Faribault, assisted Dr. 
Breck in the schools, and was the first to propose 
the graded system in that place. In 1866, he was 
rector of the parish, the next year went to Roch- 
ester and assumed the same duties, then returned 



to Freeport, Illinois, and in 1871, went to Chi- 
cago. After the great fire which destroyed his 
parish there, he came, in July, 1872, to Stillwater 
on account of failing healtli, and in 1874, to St. 
Paul. He returned once more to Freeport, 
and in 1876, came to his present place, where he 
has since been engaged in farming. He has one 
son now living in St. Paul. 

George W. Marks, deceased, was born in New 
York on the 3d of May, 1819. He was married 
in 1842, to Miss Phebe Jane Smith, the ceremony 
taking place on the 4th of July. In 1854, they 
came to Minnesota and pre-empted land in Wal- 
cott, in section eleven. They had two children, 
one of whom is living. The father died on the 
29th of November, 1875. His widow and only 
child, Charles W., are living on the old homestead. 
Charles was born on the 22d of March, 1846, in 
New York and came to Minnesota with his parents 
in 1854. In 1863, he enlisted in the First Minne- 
sota Mounted Rangers, Company H, and in 1864, 
re-enlisted in the Third Minnesota Volunteer In- 
fantry, Company H, and was discharged in Sep- 
tember, 1865. On the 23d of October, 1875, he 
married Miss Phoebe Jane Fish, who has borne 
him one child. 

John E. McLean was born in Quebec, Canada, 
on the 27th of October, 1833, and when ten years 
old moved to Upper Canada. In 1845, he re- 
moved to Illinois and in 1850, to Faribault, 
where he remained until 1864, then came to his 
present farm in Walcott. In 1866, he lost his 
house by fire, then returned to Faribault, and in 
1868, came again to this place. He married Miss 
Catharine Faribault, who was born at the old 
trading post of Meiidota, and is a daughter of 
Alexander Faribault, the first settler in this 
county. 

F. MandeijTj was born in Hardwick, Massa- 
chusetts, on the 4th of April, 1852, and remained 
there until 1874, when he came to Minnesota and 
loc^.ted in Walcott in section twenty-nine. On the 
30th of October, 1879, he was married to Miss 
Lenora Nichols, who has bjrne him two children. 

John M. Myers is a son of Nathaniel Myers, a 
native of Washington county, Penn.sylvania. The 
former was born in Ohio on the 8th of January, 
1828. On the 4th of July, 1854, he l-wjded on his 
present place in section twenty-eight. Mrs. Myers 
was formerly Miss Hannah Dring. Of twelve 
children born of this union, nine are living. 



wALCorr Towxsiiii'. 



477 



T. J. NEAt; was born in St. Joseph county, 
Miohigiiu, on the ICth of September, 1840. In 
18(;4, he came to tbis county, and 1868, bought 
his present farm of eighty acres in soctiou thirty- 
two, Walcott, moving on it in 1874. Twenty-one 
acres were covered with heavy timber. th(> balance 
was grub laud, and he now has Hiirty-two acres 
under cultivation. When he first came to the 
State he worked in a saw-mill for Charles Wood. 

HrLLi.\KD Nichols was lioru in Maine on the 
29th of June, 1809. He was united in marriage 
in 1834, ta Miss Abbie Copp, tlie ceremony taking 
place on the 1st of April. In 18.5:i, he went to 
Massachusetts and run the express line in to Bos- 
ton twelve years, then engaged in a grocery store. 
They were blessed with one child, Aseneth, and 
the mother died in December, 185.5. In 18(58, he 
removed to Minnesota, and two years after located 
on his present place in Walcott, on .section twenty- 
five. On the 20th of March, 1872, Mr. Nichols 
was married to Blrs. Rebecca Boyington, whose 
maiden name was Williams. She was born in the 
city of New York on the 2d of May, 1812, re- 
moved with her parents to Ohio in 1824, and in 
1830, to Indiana, wiiere one year after she married 
Gilbert Vail whom she bore eight children, six of 
whom are living. She came to Minnesota in 1855, 
and after her husband's death she married David 
Boyington who died soon after the marriage, and 
in 1872, she was united in matrimony with the 
subject of our sketch. 

Is.i.w'R. Pentz, a native of Pennsylvania, was 
born on the 12th of Octolier, 1813, and removed 
to Indiana in 1837. Miss Elizabeth Hall became 
bis wife on the 24th of August, 1846, and in Oc- 
tober, 1854, they removed to Iowa. In May, 
1855, Mr. Pentz visited Minnesota and the follow- 
ing May brought his family and purchased one 
hundred and sixty acres of land in Walcott, sec- 
tion twenty-seven, and also oui^huudrel and sixty 
acres in section twenty, all of which he has now 
nnder cultivation and well improved. Mr. and 
Mrs. Pentz have been blessed with nine children, 
six of whom are living, four boys and two girls. 
Mr. Pentz served as Town Clerk in 1858, and was 
Justice of the Peace a number of years. 

A. B. Sexton was born in Oneida county, New 
York, on the 15th of December, 1805. He was 
married in 1831, to Miss Eliza Castle who has 
borne him five children, four of whom are living. 
In 1859, they came to Minnesota and purchased 



their present farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
in section eight and he has since devoted his time 
to its imi)rovenient. He was a member of the 
board of Supervisors in 1862, and again in 1866; 
Assessor in 1865 and 1868. His daughter, Ann 
Eliza Sexton, married Gaylord Sexton, who was 
born in New York on the 29tli of October, 1830, 
and in 18(!7, came to this section of the country. 
The marriage ceremony took place on the 12tli of 
January, 18."i8. 

E. F. Smallidoe was born in Massachusetts on 
the 2d of March, 1841. In 1855, he removed to 
\\'alcott. Rice county, Minnesota, where he re- 
mained three years then went to Faribault. In 
1862, he was married to Miss Nellie Townseud, the 
ceremon_y taking place ou the 11th of March. 
They have two children. In 1864, he removed to 
Illinois but returned in two years to Walcott, 
where he has eighty acres of laud in section seven. 

S. Baxter Thompson, a native of New York, 
dates his birth tlie 18th of July, 1830. In 1848, 
he came to Wisconsin, fnun whence he went to 
California in 1852, and in the fall of 1855, re- 
turned to the former State. In 1856, he removed 
to Warsaw, this county, and in 1862, jjurchased 
his farm in Walcott, section eighteen, to which he 
has added one hundred and sixty acres. He was 
married on the 10th of December, 1862, to Miss 
Harriet Woods, who bore him one child, who soon 
died. Mrs. Thompson died on the 3dth of May, 
1867. The maiden name of his present wife was 
Miss Emma Lewis, whom be married in 1876. 
They have a family of two children, both boys. 

OijE ToRGtisoN, a native of Norway, was born on 
the 15th of February, 1825. He emigrated to 
-America in 1851, and worked in Iowa until 185fi, 
when he came to Minnesota and purchased land in 
Walcott, in section sixteen, to which he has added, 
making an aggregate of one hundred and thirty- 
five acres. He has a timber farm about half of 
which is under cultivation. On the 15th of March, 
1860, Miss Martha Madelia Gabrielson became his 
wife. The result of the union is ten children, 
eight of whom are living. 

D. C. Wi«)D was born in Canada East ou the 
1st of .\pril, 1850. In 1873, he removed to Rice 
county, Minnesota, and in 1880, purchased a farm 
in this township of hisbnither, .1. W. It contains 
three hundred and forty acres and is located in 
sections seven, eight, and eighteen. 



478 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



FOREST. 



CHAPTER LVIII. 

GEMERAIi DESt^RIPTION — EAELT SETTLEMENT RE- 
LIGIOUS — EDUCATIONAL — MILLERSBURG — BIO- 
GRAPHICAL. 

The township bearing this suggestive appella- 
tiou is in the northwestern part of Kice county, 
anil comprises the thirty-six sections of the con- 
gressional township. It would be known in legal 
and technical parlance as township HI, range 21 
west, containing 23,040 acres. The contiguous 
surroundings are Webster on the north. Wells on 
the south, Bridgewater on the east, and Erin on 
the west. The town is made up of rolling, and 
in some places hilly, timber land, interspersed with 
spots of prairie and natural meadow. There are 
no bluffs, and few hills that are too abrupt for 
agricultural purposes. When the township was 
originally settled the prairie spots were, as a rule, 
covered with patches of hazel brush, and here and 
there lay acres of natural meadow, seemingly pre- 
pared and waiting for the plow. This, however, 
has all been trautormed into the richest and most 
fertile farms in the county. 

The soil is mostly a blank loam with a clay sub- 
soil; there is hardly any sand or lime stone in the 
town. (Tood clear water can be obtained easily 
within from twelve to fifteen feet. 

There are a number of beautiful lakes nestling 
among the hills, which all abound with fish of 
various varieties, and beeau.se of the abundance 
of the finny species this locality was a favorite 
resort for the Indians in an early day, many hun- 
dreds of pick(!rel, ])ike, bass, etc., being secured 
each season by th;' rod-skius. Circle Lake is the 
l)ri!icipal and the largest one in the town. It is 
situated in the geographical center of the town, 
and takes its name from the fact that it makes a 
complete circle, leaving an island in the center, of 
97 acres. Just south of this is Fox Lake embrac- 
ing about 200 acres. "ITnion Lake extends into 



the town in the northeast corner, and infringes on 
section two. Lake Mazaska floods about one-half 
of section thirty-one; and a little lake with the 
cognomen of "Mud" nestles in section eleven. 
There are also numerous small streams in the 
town. In an early day the Indians, in camping 
in the vicinity of these lakes, made their perma- 
nent camping ground upon land now owned by J. 
W. Thompson, and they had opened and under a 
fair state of cultivation a five-acre Indian corn 
field. This was used to advantage by the present 
owner, Mr. Thompson. Originally, in sections six 
and seven, wild cranberries abounded, and many of 
the early pioneers availed themselves of this 
luxury, but of late years not much attention has 
been paid to them and they have now become com- 
paratively scarce. In 1856, from the northeast 
quarter of section seven, John W. and Joseph 
Thompson, and Albert Fillmore took .$780 worth 
of the berries. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

When the first explorers of this township made 
their appearance, they found the hills and inter- 
S|iersed jjrairie spots covered with wild game and 
the wild aborigines. The timber hind was a forest 
in the strictest sense of the word, and was almost 
impenetrable, making the progress of the intro- 
ducers of civilization very tedious and even 
dangerous. Too much cannot be said in com- 
mendation of the heroic manner in which the hills 
and prairies were transformed into the beautiful 
and fertile farms which now make up the territory 
of '-Circle Lake district." 

The actual seftleiueut in the locality commenced 
in 18.54, the honor of the "first settlership" being 
due to William Henderson, who arrived in October 
of that year, originally from Maine. He made his 
way on foot from St. P;iul, and when he came to 
consider that he "was monarch of all he surveyed," 
he made u]) his mind to avail himself of the op- 



FOREST TOWNSHIP. 



479 



portunity and take bis "pick" of the fine farms in 
the township. Tliis he did by locating in the 
northeastern ])art of the town on section two, at 
the ontlet of Union Lake. He at once pnt up the 
fr.ame of a small log shanty, and without com- 
pleting it, remained to hunt and trap until he was 
froze out when he "pulled up stakes" and went to 
St. Paul to winter. The liabitation lie put up i.s 
hardly deserving of the name of shanty, bi>ing 
moi-e after the fashion of a " pen ;" but this served 
as shelter so long as the elements confined them- 
selves to "horizontal" work as he was i^rotected 
by the sides of the pen, — which had three or four 
logs for sides but no roof — when the elements re- 
sorted to "perpendicular" measures, Henderson 
had to make for the woods or get wet. As before 
stated, after spending a few months on the ground 
-he went to St. Paul and spent the winter, in the 
following spring again making his appearance, 
this time bringing with him a small load of furni- 
ture, his wife and her sister, au ancient maiden 
lady. He took the claim ihat he had .sele<'ted, 
and on which Dr. Swain now lives, ami commenced 
opening a farm. Here he remained for about five 
years when he left for parts unknown. 

The next to cast his lot among the lakes and 
timber land of Forest was George Eaton, a young 
man of grit and enterprise, who arrived a couple 
of months later than Henderson and began call- 
ing the southwest quarter of section eleven, 
" home." He put up a small hewn log hut and 
commenced trying to farm, but succeeded better 
at trapping. This, it will be seen, commenced a 
settlement; Henderson on section two. at the out- 
let of Lake Union, and Eaton on section eleven, 
one mile soutli, made a neighborhood, if two 
neighbors will comprise one, and relived the niouD- 
tony of the solitude and comparative heriiiitage. 

The next acquisition to the settlement was made 
early in 18.'j5, in the persons of Mr. Hill, John 
Parker, and William Palmer, who all located on or 
near section nine, one mile west of the places set- 
tled bv Eaton and Henderson. Parker and Hill 
had brought their famihes with them, and they at 
once put up hewn log shanties. Hill brought in 
with him one horse, and the other two, Parker 
and Palmer, brought what they called "a team on 
snooks," or in other words, an ox team in which each 
owned an interest. Then began a happy time in 
the history of the early settlement, there being 
just enough to have the entire party united with- 



out bickering or hard feeling, and many social 
gatherings were held tliat were enjoyed by all. 

And now, these pioneers being all safely housed 
in their hewn log huts, we will take the reader 
back one year while we bring the next comer across 
Wisconsin and into Minnesota, with some of his 
experience on the way to the Cannon River Valley. 
John W. Thompson arrived in Hastings on the 
15th of June, 1854, on the famous old steam tug 
"Galena," and found only one little log hut 12x14 
there. He at once took a claim within two miles 
of the present city of Hastings, and in comi)auy 
with his brother Joseph, who had also made his 
appearance', began making plans for erecting a log 
cabin. John had liought an old horse of the In- 
dians for S52, and lie decided to haul logs for his 
residence, but there appeared two difficulties to be 
overcome, the logs which he had to build with 
were across the Vermillion River, he had no axe to 
cut them with, and lastly, if they had their logs 
cut, they had no harness with which the horse 
could draw them. After considerable trouble they 
managed to buy au axe of their only neighbor for 
.f5, and thus remedy that difficulty. Next came 
the <iuestion of harness, and John W. Thompson 
bethought a jjrimitive way with which he con- 
quered this. He went to the only hous' in Has- 
tings and succeeded in getting them to let him 
have their "bed cord" and use boards in its stead, 
whUe he took the heavy cord, and after doubling it 
several times made a noose large enough for the 
horse's neck, and slipping it over the head, and 
extending the one tug between the legs of the 
animal, his harness was complete, and he felt as 
jubilant over it as if it were a gold-mounted, silver- 
plated, four-in-hand outfit. The next proceeding 
was to commence operations, and John "harnessed" 
his horse, crossed the river, and hitched on to a 
log; this was on the opposite side of the river to 
that on which he wanted to build, and he stationed 
his brother on the side where the horse would 
land. Then he started the horse into the river and 
had him, by swimming, tow the log to the oppo- 
site shore where Joseph was waiting to catch him. 
In this way they succeeded in getting over a num- 
ber of logs, but before they had got enough to 
build, the Vermillion River rose suddenly and be- 
came so much uf a torrent that they were obliged 
to give it up for fear of drowning their horse, so 
they abandoned the log idea entirely and resorted 
to a shanty built of sods. 



■180 



HISTOliY OF IIICB COUNTY. 



They remained iu Hastings for some time. Ijiit 
finally the Indians became so troublesome, and 
both the brothers being taken badly with the a^ne, 
they decided to leave and look for "pastures 
fresh." This they did, John W. naaking his way 
eventually to his jiresent home in Forest townshij), 
and his brother Joseph going back to his former 
place of residence in New York. The former ar- 
rived and permanently located in May, 1856, hav- 
ing been through the township twice previous to 
this. He brought with him some furniture and 
at once put up a small log shanty and commenced 
opening the farm he now lives on. His farm near 
Hastings he sold for .'!f283, and a few years later it 
was sold for $12,000. 

We will now carry the reader back to the time 
of our digression, when we left a little settlement 
of pioneers in the northeastern part of Forest, in 
the Union Lake region. In the meantime the set- 
tlers had made themselves very comfortable, con- 
sidering their circumstances, and all were living 
principally on deer meat and other wild game. In 
this manner they spent the summer, a few of them 
having pnt in a few ])otatoes, rutabagoes, etc., and 
a rich harvest rewarded them; there were none, 
however, but opened and prepared some land for 
crop the following year. 

In the fall of that year ( 185.5) a number of ar- 
rivals were marked ou the corner stakes of claims. 
Leonard and Jacob Balyet, Joseph and Elijah 
Houck, and John Craven, came together, and all 
took claims near Millersburg, a little south of the 
settlement mentioned above. Of this party only 
two now remain in the town, they are Leonard 
and Jacob Balyet who are still on their original 
claims. 

Zebulon Sargent and .John .Jones came shortly 
afterward and located in section twenty-seven, and 
lioth with their families remain on their original 
claims. They, in common with the rest of the 
hardy pioneers, commenced Minnesota life in log 
huts. 

A few days after the arrival of the above par- 
ties, there appeared three Norwegian families on 
the scene, fresh from tlie pioneer life in Wisconsin, 
and in covered wagons. As the. season was getting 
late and they had their stock with them, they con- 
cluded to put u|) hay to last through winter lie- 
fore they erected cabins. This they did, and while 
they were at work iu the hay field the wife of one 
of the emigrants was taken sick, and there, iu the 



covered wagon, was delivered of a girl baby. Both 
mother and child lived, and the girl grew to 
womanhood, was married, and now lives with her 
husband and a large family of children on the 
identical spot where the wagon stood when the 
birth occurred. This was the first birth in the 
township. 

This occurred in the fall of 1855, and brings 
the settlement up to Christmas of that year, which 
was oliserved in a limited way by most of the set- 
tlers. 

Early in 1856, Albert Fillmore and family, and 
the following week, H. A. White, arrived and lo- 
cated near Millersburg; and crowding after them 
came James Fitzimmons and commenced layiifg 
plans for the village of Millersburg. At the 
same time should be chronicled the arrival of 
George and Milo J. Sellon, John Wood, and E. F. 
Taylor, who were brought in by ,T. W. Thompson, 
and all took claims, most of them in the neighbor- 
hood of Millersburg. 

August and William Demann took places on 
section twenty, where August still remains. In 
the fall their brother Christian made his appear- 
ance and still lives there, all of the brothers being 
well-to-do farmers. When Christian first arrived 
he purchased a fifteen-acre corner of his brother's 
farm for $25 per acre, this being before the land 
came into market; he could have secured a whole 
ipiarter for the same amount of money, but not 
knowing it he paid the money for fifteen acres. 
This amount of laud being gone from the corner 
of his brother's farm "spoiled the sale of the 
quarter," and Christian refused to sell the fifteen- 
acre comer at any jjrice, saying that if he was 
cheated at first he would come out ahead at last. 
The farm his fifteen acres infringes on is now 
without tenants. 

This brings us to a period when the rush to this 
country became a sort of stampede, and as it will 
be impossible to trace them in regular order, we 
will only mention the arrival of a few notable 
personages. 

The richest man that ever lived in the town 
made his appearance in the latter part of 1856, in 
the person of Frederick Fisher, from Milwaukee. 
He brought with him forty -one head of stock, and 
two large wagon loads of furniture '«nd goods. 
It being late in the season he decided to follow the 
example of the Norwegians in the fall before, and 
put u]> hay for his stock before he erected a cabin, 



FOIlEsr TOWXSIIIP. 



48] 



and afterward put up a substantial log bouse. 
Here be lived for a uumber of years, but was very 
unfortunate iu almost all bis undertakings. His 
wife was burned to deatb a few years after bis ar- 
rival, by tbe explosion of a kerosene lamp — sucb a 
thing as a lava]) being at that time a novelty and a 
curiosity. He expended all of his means in a few 
years and removed to parts unknown. One inci 
dent connected with his early pioneering may 
prove of interest. He brought in with him a very 
large and fierce dog which it was said coidd 
"down" an ox, and intended it for protection 
against the wild beasts. One noon, at the time 
when Fisher and his family were living iu wagons 
and making hay, immediately after their arrival, 
they left the bay field, and while gone to dinner 
the large dog went down to the field where a pack 
of wolves were heard bowling and barking, and 
from tbe high point where the wagons were, over- 
looking the meadow, they saw a fierce fight going 
on between wolves and dog, and liy the time they 
got upon tbe ground all that was left of the dog 
was tbe shining skeleton which had been jiicked 
clean by the voracious pack. 

The first deatb in the townsbijj was John Parker 
who died in the fall of 1855. He was buried in 
solitude under an oak tree near tlie cabin where he 
lived in section ten, and now, tlieroad having been 
changed, passes immediately over his grave. 

Antoine Mosher. — -Although this personage 
was not, properly speakinar. an early settler in 
Forest, be was a very early picjueer in Minnesota, 
and was undoubtedly among tbe first to explore, 
trap, anil hunt through this region. As he sub- 
sequently settled in Forest, and ^ as for a uumber 
of years identified with Rice county, be deserves 
mora than a passing notice. A ntoiui- Mosher came 
from Canada in 1829, to Wisconsin and Minnesota, 
when these now wealthy States were without even 
a na.ue, and commenced to work for th-^ Hudson 
Bay Fur Comjiany lor §20 per month and '-fouu '' 
this was the contract, but Mosher said years . i- 
ward that he went to one of the jiroprieto.j not 
long after commencing work, and told him that 
he bad not received anything to eat, and that ac- 
'ordiug to tbe contract the company had to "find" 
him. The proprietor took him in at a glance and 
said sarcastically, "If you get li/nt we'll gr.arautee 
to titid you, but if you want any meat you had 
better find it or sta-ve." 

After this he wandered aliout through the \orth- 
31 



west, hunting and trajjping for a number of years, 
and was finally married to a Winnebago squaw at 
tbe wild spot where Hastings now is, and several 
children were the result of this union, all of whom 
disappeared except one son, Edward. The old 
man began to get rich, the squaw being a thrifty 
wife and a scheming money maker, and by making 
lucky bits be became tiwner of a portion of the 
town sites of Prescott, Minneapolis, and Red 
Wing, and was for years considered the richest 
man west of the Mississippi River, it being frankly 
stati>d by him that he did not know how much he 
was worth. 

In 1862, Mosher's son, Edward, who had mar- 
ried a beautiful but extravagent half-breed, enlisted 
in Company F, of the Seventh Minnesota Volun- 
teer Infantry, and went into tbe Indian war leav- 
ing bis wife at home with his father. He was in 
active service all through the Indian war, after 
which he was sent south, and in tlie fall of 1864, 
returned home sick and in a short time died, leav- 
ing his wife iu the care of his father. Tbe follow- 
ing year, 1865, the father's wife, the Winnebago 
woman, died, and he married the iviihm of his de- 
reijKed mm. In 1868, he came to Forest, and of all 
bis enormous fortune which be had accumulated 
through tbe carefulness and thrift of bis former 
wife, through the extravagance of his last wi^e 
only $600 remained. In a few years tins and his 
farm bad been sijuandered by tbe cruel woman, 
and his credit so low that be could not get tobacco. 
His little farm was finally taken on a mortgage 
and be moved to Lac Qu arle w- '.re be died a 
few 3'ear.-; since, his wife having ruined and de- 
serted him. 

POLITUAT.,. 

The town of Fi.Te^ t was not behind the m igh- 
boring towns iu organizing and starting the local 
goverumental wheels. The first meeting was held 
on that inevitable 11th of M-iy, 1858, at the resi- 
dence of James Fitzimmons, now tlie Millersburg 
Hotel, and alter organization the following 
officiiils were elected : Su]>ervisor.s, Elias F. Taylor, 
Zebulou Sargent, and Charles I5rand; Clerk, Alex- 
ander Smith; Assess •■ Joseph L. Houck ; Justices 
of the Peace, (leorg. Miller and John R. Bartlett; 
Constables, Milo T. Sellon and John W. Sargent; 
Overseer of the Poor, John .Tones. The clerk of 
this meeting was J. F. Donaldson, and S. A. Hen 
derson, moderator. Three of the first officers are 
still residents of the township. 



482 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNT )'. 



In 1881, a neat and substantial Town Hall was 
erected in Millersburg, which is used for town 
meetings, etc. 

LESTEK POST-OFFinE. 

Tin's convenient office was established in 1871, 
at the instigation of J. W. Thompson, and is 
situated on the southwest quarter of section eight, 
in the northwestern part of the town. The office 
is very useful to- the settlers in this vicinity and 
undoubtedly supplies the largest numlier of in- 
habitants of any country oflBce in the county. J. 
W. Thompson was appointed first Postmaster, and 
still retains the office to the satisfaction of his con- 
stituents. The business of the office amounts to 
about 3100 per annum. It is on mail route No. 
26,148, extending from Northliekl to Lester tin 
Union Lake, once a week. 

KELIGIOCS. 

Forest townshi]) is well represented as to religious 
creed.s. and the way the professors' zeal is exhiliited 
is truly commendable. Service is scarcely ever 
held in the town without a fair attendance, and 
there are a couple of very good churches which 
are the outgrowth of this interest. Wlien 
the settlement of Germans first commenced there 
was a large majority of them who belonged to the 
Evangelical faith, but, strange to say, the feeling 
has insidiously changed, and to-day there is only 
one of this belief in the township. 

Methodist. — This denomination organized in 
Forest as early as 18-57, when religious service was 
held by a pioneer minister from Faribault. Thev 
soon after erected a hewn log house of worshi]> on 
the south shore of Circle Lake, in section twenty- 
seven. This log house was sold in 1877, up to 
which time they had service in it. Since then 
they have had no regular place of worship, hold- 
ing service in the various sehoolhouses in the town- 
ship. The pulpit is now supplied irregularly by 
the minister of the Dundas charge. 

Baptist. — Services were held among the Ger- 
mans of this society as early as 18.')8, in the school- 
house of district No. 66 by Rev. August Stegner, 
with an average attendance of forty during the 
first year. Tlie denomination organized in 18.59, 
and had the most flourishing society of any simi- 
lar organization in the county. In 1866, they had 
an average attendance of eighty. A Sunday 
school was also organized, wdnch has now a strong 
membership, there being alxmt seventy-five pupils. 



The pulpit of the church is supjjlied by the Rev- 
erends August Biechel and Carl Hirdler. 

Tliere is also an organization of Americans of 
the same faith, which was started in 1860. They 
hold service m the schoolhouse of district No. 19 
and other parts of the town, now having a mem- 
bership of about thirty. 

Swedish Luther.\n. — The organization of a re- 
ligious sect by this name was effected in 1877, and 
in 1878 they erected a neat church, size 34x60 feet, 
at a cost of about $1,000, on section nine. The 
first .service was held in the hiiuse of Christian 
Lundstrom by Rev. Mr. Anderson, of St. Paul, to 
an audience of about seven. Next came Rev. Mr. 
Vallien, and the present minister Rev. Mr. Ander- 
son succeeded him. They have seventy members, 
and an average attendance of 170. Services are 
held every third Sunday. 

MiLLEKiTEs.^In 1856, George- '^l. Miller, a 
lirother of the man who, early in the forties, 
seriously agitated the Christian world by announc- 
ing that he had unraveled the intricacies of proph- 
ecy and made the startling discovery that the lit- 
eral world would come to an end in 1843, on the 
'• tenth day of the seventh month," which would 
be in September, came to town and began to 
propogate these doctrines. Of course he preached 
as a •' dying man to dying men," extending his 
circuit throughout the greater part of the State, 
proclaiming that he " preached without monpy and 
without price." Several of the brothers moved in 
and about Millersburg and .succeeded in increasing 
their force to about ten, but here it remained for a 
time and finally began to droop. They have at 
last disappeared almost entirely, there not being 
at the present time more than two in the town. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

Tlie first move made in the town towards 
educating the young, took place in the spring of 
1857, in a log house near the residence of Zebulon 
Sargent, in what is now district No. 19, with six 
youngsters on the benches. This was the first dis- 
trict organized. 

The schools in the town are all in good financial 
condition, and thriving with a good attendance of 
scholars. There are six frame and one brick 
schoolhouse, employing one teacher iiTeach. The 
sjiiools average about forty-five scholars, making 
about 315 in the town. The total value of school 
property is about S5,000. In 1881, the township 



FOniiST TO WXSIHP. 



483 



received $1,065 from the school ajiportionment 
fund. 

IJelow is given a lirief skoloh of the various 
districts, so far as tlie memories of old settlers cau 
furnish. 

District No. 19. — The first school in this edu- 
cational division was called to order by Eli.sha 
Houcks in the spring of 1857, with six scliolars 
present, in the residence of Zebnlon Sargent. 
The first school board was composed of Zebulon 
Sargent, John Bartlett, and Hugh Smith. A 
schoolhouse was erected soon after, and was the 
first school building in tiie township. The pres- 
ent building is located m the northern j)art of 
section twenty-six. 

District No. 20. — This is the district embrac- 
ing the village of Millersburg and surrounding 
territory. The first school was taught by Ellen 
CresR. in a log house on section eleven, belonging 
to Mr. Eaton; this took place in 1857, and there 
were ten scholar.^ in attendance. The first school 
officers were Messrs. Taylor, Dunham, and Geo. 
W. Miller. A schoolhouse was erected the year 
after organizing, 1858, which lasted for a number 
of years when they erected their present house in 
the western part of the village. 

District No. 29. — Tliis district embraces ter- 
ritory in the towns of both Forest and Bridge- 
water, and the first scoool was held in the latter 
town by Mrs. Crosby in the winter of '57, with an 
attendance of nine pupils. The district was organ- 
ized soon after, and in 1859, a log schoolhouse 
was put up at a cost of about S150, on section 
twenty-four. This served the purj^ose until 1870, 
when it was dispensed with and the present cosy 
frame house erected in the northeastern part of 
section twenty-five. There are now about thirty- 
five scholars who receive instruction here. 

District No. 56. — This subdivision effected au 
organization in 1864, and embraces the territory 
in the northeastern part of the town. The first 
officers were: N. H. Swain, Clerk; B. Burton, 
Treasurer, and H. M. Humphrey, Director. The 
district has a neat frame building in the northeast 
corner of section two. The present school board is 
made up of: N. H. Swain, Clerk; Alex. Walters, 
Treasurer: and Benedict Wyman, Director. The 
school has an attendance of about sixteen pupils. 

District No. 65. — The organization of this 
district was effected in tlie early part of 1862, the 
first meeting being held in .Alexander Smith's 



liouse on the 2d of April in that year, electing the 
following as the first ollicers: Director, Olo Han- 
son; Treasurer, .John .Tones; Clerk, .John K. Bart- 
lett. The first school comme'ic(>d on the 27th of 
.July, 1862, and was taught liy Miss Oeorgiana 
Stevens, with twelve scholars registered, being 
held in a house rented for the i)urpose. In 1863, 
a house was erected at a cost of about .'ii!200, in the 
northern part of section thirty-four. The present 
officers are Ole Ellingson, Hans Hanson, and A. 
Frederickson ; the school enrolls thirty-seven 
scholars at the present time. 

District No. ()6. — Was organized in March, 
1857, J. W. Tohmpson being the main factor in its 
institution. The first meeting was held at the 
residence of -James Craven, on the date above men- 
tioned, and .Jo!?eph Thompson w.is made Treasurer; 
J. W. Thompson, Clerk, and James Craven, Direc- 
tor. The clerk, .J. W. Thompson, has held the 
office up to the present day, being the oldest con- 
tinuous school officer in the county. The first 
school was held in the summer of 1858, in J. W. 
Thompson's new frame house, by Miss Murdock, 
with twelve pupils in attendance; the following 
few years until 1861, school was lield in various 
places, but in this year the inhabitants of the dis- 
trict agreed and "voted" that each should furnish 
their share of material and build a schoolhouse by 
subscription. They then all turned out and se- 
lected a site, and while the excitement was high, J. 
W. Thompson mounted a log and put it to them 
how much each would furnish. Promi.ses were 
made recklessly, and when Mr. Thom2:)son said to 
William Demanu, "How much will you give ?" he 
received the reply, 'Twill give 20U feet of lumber." 
A brother of this liberal speaking gentleman, 
August, was next a.sked, and he yelled, "If he 'gives 
2U0 I will rjiee bOOfert!'^ Next came another 
brother. Christian Demann, who said, "If he gives 
500 / iPill yhi' 100(),/'((/.'" Others chipped in and 
told what they would give, but as usual in such 
cases the matter dropped and nothing was got 
toward a schoolhouse, so the matter stood al this 
point until after tlie war terminated, in 1865, when 
the school clerk, J. W. Thompson, got back from 
the war a cripj^le. He made out ]iapers for a 
meeting, while in bed, and the meeting thus 
called voted $150 to put up a log schoolhou,se, 
12x24 feet. This lasted until 1879, when it was 
sold at auction for •'56.25, iind the present neat brick 
house erected in section seventeen, size, 18x26 feet. 



484 



ITTSTOnr OF RICE COUNTY. 



at a cost of i^r,'25, being the best bouse in the 
townslii]) for school purposes. The present school 
board is composed of J. W. Thompson, John 
Evert, and Frederick Priuzing. 

District No. 97. — This district was formed by 
the County Commissioners in March, 1869, and 
the first meeting was lield at tlie h(msc of Robert 
N. Smith, on the 27th of INIareh of that year, the 
district being substantially organized by the 
election of A. Gillander, director; Robert N. 
Smith, treasurer; and Simon Taylor, clerk. A 
schoolhouse was put up in 1870, at a cost of 
.S385, the size of which is 20x20 feet and twelve 
foot posts, in the southeastern part of section 
twelve. Miss Belle Van Emmons was the first 
teacher, with ten scholars in attendance. The at- 
tendance is now fil'teen pupils. The present 
school board is A. Gillander, director; J. E. 
Crosby, treasurer; and Gilbert Fish, clerk. 

District No. 105. — This is the youngest dis- 
trict in the township. It was set off and made a 
sepai'ate organization on the 7th of September, 
1878, having formerly been connected witli No. 
fi6. The first board was made up of H. C. Oleson, 
director; August Riechel, trea.surer; and J. W. 
Thompson, clerk. In 1879, the boai'd voted an 
appropriation of $350 for a school building, 16x24 
feet. This house was finished in May, 1880, at a 
cost af .S416, and is the one now in use on the 
noi'theasteru part of section seven. The first 
school taught in this district was in C O. Persons' 
old log house, witli fourteen scholars present, the 
teacher being Catherine Deming. The district 
paid Mr. Persons $15 for the rent of the shanty 
for three months, the owner's valuation of the 
same being 810. The present school officeis are: 
Nels Larson, director; August Riechel, tre;.surer; 
and J. W. Thomj)sou, clerk. 

MiT.i.ERsnuno village. 

This is t)ie only village in the town of Forest, 
and in it at one time laid ail the hopes and aspira- 
tians, in this line, of the entire country surround- 
ing it; but this, like many other similar enter- 
prises shattered the fond hopes and anticipations, 
after a brief struggle, and was laid on tlie sli(!lf as 
a thing of yore. It started with fair prosjiccts, 
advantages of a good location, etc., but the non- 
arrival I'l a hoped for railway, with its accompa- 
nying !ienefits, coujiled with the op])osition of 
1-u-gcr and surmunding towns, finally used the 



•as declared mori- 



struggling village uj). and it 
hiuid. 

Tlie first settlement on the village site com- 
menced in 1855, when James Fitzimmons came 
and pre-emijted 160 acres where the village is, and 
opened it as a farm. In the spring following he 
sold to George W. Miller, who also took some 
other land. 

Mr. Miller soon afterward platted the village 
and recorded it as Millersburg. He also put up a 
mill and a hotel. Next a store was started by 
Albert Fillmore just out of the village limits. 
He made uj) his mind to start an establishment, 
and went to the cranberry marsh on stctions six 
and seven and gatliered a load of berries. These 
he marketed, and with the proceeds thereof started 
the first store in MillersbiU'g. He ran this store 
one year and a half, when the calamity of bank- 
ruptcy overtook him, and he went to Minne- 
apolis, but has since died. 

The next store was started by Thomas Adams in 
the lall of 1858, who opened a building opposite 
the hotel and put in a stock of groceries and gen- 
eral merchandise. He succeeded in withstanding 
the pressure for about one year, when the fate of 
the former merchant overtook him and he removed 
to Dundas. 

In 1857, the fii-st blacksmith shop was started 
by Mr. Sellon in the same building that was af- 
terwards converted into Adams' store. It was 
oi.!erated as a "bellows and anvil" establishment 
for about one year, when Mr. Sellon retired. There 
have been a number of blacksmith shops started, 
and now there are three in operation : Elof John- 
son's, James Strange' s, and Mr. Anderson's. The 
latter son of Vulcan still retains the good old 
fashioned way of shoeing horses in which each 
man that wants a horse shod must hold its foot up 
while the manipulator drives the nails. 

Millersburg Hotel was originally started when 
the town was platted by the proprietor, George 
W. Miller, in 1857. 

MiLLEESBCRG PoST-OFFICE.-^This Post-oiBce 

was established in 1859, and was located in the 
village bearing the same name. Geo. W. Miller 
was the first appointed to handle the mail. He held 
tl;e office for a number of years, and his sou, 
George A. IMiller, is the present Pos'-master. 

MANrFACTniiiNG. — The only saw-mill ever oper- 
ated in the town of Forest was started at Millers- 
burg in 1856, by James Fitzimmons. It was run 



FoUKsr ToWSslil r. 



485 



by steam with a fifteen horse-power engine, ami 
was e(]uip|jed with a perpendicular saw, the 
eapaeitv being about -i.OOO leet per day- Tlie 
mill was run in this shape until 18G2, when a eir- 
eular saw was substituted tor tlie perpendicular, 
and the mill becanie the ijropcrly ol' Ueorge W. 
Miller. He ran the mill ami placed one run of 
feed stones in it, continuing until 1S76, when it 
was sold to Mr. Kobbins, and in 1880 moved to 
Montgomery, Le Sueur county, where the latter 
gentleman still resides. He also owns most of tlie 
Millersburg village property. 

The village now contains the hotel, in which is 
kept the Post-oflice, and the blacksmith shops. 
Through some illegality in recording the village 
plat, or some non-concurrence with some techni- 
cal form, the lots and blocks of the village have 
reverted to, and for the last few years have l)e; n 
assessed as farm propeety. 

BIOGHAPIIICAL. 

WiLLi.VM An Dyke was born in Huntingdon 
county, Pennsylvania, in 1829, was reared as a 
farmer and learned the blacksmith trade. In 
18.50, he removed to Dixon, Lee county, Illinois, 
where he engaged at his trade and farming. In 
1854, he was married to Mary Jane Robinson, of 
Pennsylvania. They came to Minnesota the fol- 
lowing year aud located a farm iu Cann(m City, 
and in 1864, removed to Forest in section twenty- 
six, and followed his trade and farming until 1877, 
since which time farming has lieen his occupation. 
Mr. and Mrs. ku Dyke have had eight children, 
four of whom are living, four having died in in- 
fancy. 

R. M. B.\RNETT was born in Hamilton county, 
Ohio, in 1828, aud at the age of two and a half 
years removed with his parents to Michigan; four 
years later to Wisconsin, and thence, in two years, 
to Linn county, Iowa, where they were the first 
settlers of tlie county. Our subject lived in Iowa 
seventeen years ;.nd there received his education 
being reared as a farmer. In 1852, he married 
Miss Margaret Wolmering, tlie ceremony being 
performed in Dnbucpie. In 1855, he removed to 
Cannon City, Rice county, but pre-emjjted laud in 
Goodhue county and imjiroved ten acres; six 
mouths later he came again to Cannon City, built 
the second frame house in the place and worked at 
blau'ksmithing. He remained there three years, 
then removed to Faribault aud engaged at the 
same employment two years, at the end of which 



time he came to Forest and bought his present 
farm of eighty acres, most of which is improved. 
He has three children; John W., twenty-nine years 
old; Francis B., twenty-six, and Ida May, twenty- 
four years old. The latter is married and lives in 
Douglas county. iMr. Rarnett has been a mem- 
ber of the school boanl several times. His father 
died in Nebraska and his mother in Iowa. 

J. W. B.^HNETT was born iu Clayton county, 
Iowa, in 1853. He received a good education in 
the college of Faribault and graduated at Shay- 
lor's Commercial College in Michigan. In 1861, 
his parents came to Rice county and located f)n a 
farm. In 1873, J. W. made a trip through Michi- 
gan and the eastern States returning to this county 
and buying land in Forest township in 1875. His 
par. nts and one brother live in this township and 
a sister lives in Alexandria in this State. 

Jacxjh B.\i,i<tet was born iu Ohio in 1835, and 
reared on a farm, receiving a common school 
education. In 1854, he removed to Wisconsin and 
one year later came to Rice county and located in 
Foiest on section fourteen, where he has since been 
engaged in farming. In 1861, he enlisted in the 
Third Minnesota Regiment; was taken prisoner at 
Murfreesborough, Tenne.=see, and paroled, then re- 
turned home and served three months under Gen. 
Sibley against the Indians. He again went south; 
was at the siege of Vicksburg and mustered out of 
service in 1864. Mr. Ballyet has been Town 
Treasurer ten years and one of the board of Super- 
visors one year. 

John W. Beckley was born in Clay county, 
Indiana, in 1849, and at the age of seven years, re- 
moved with his parents to Minnesota. The latter 
now live in Holden, Goodhue county. John re- 
ceived his education in this State and grew to mau- 
hood on a farm. He taught school four years aud 
worked at the mason trade. He was married in 
Holden in 1876, to Miss Adelia Engel, a native of 
Wisconsin, aud the same year they came to Rice 
county, settling in this townsliip, section tn-elve, 
where he has since been engaged in farming. He 
has eighty acres of land, all of which is well im- 
proved and supplied with good buildings. Mr. 
and Mrs. Beckley have three children; Elmer J., 
fwe years of age; Wesley B., three years old, and 
Alfred, one year old. They arc members of the 
Methodist church. 

8. W. CusuMAN is a native of Connecticut, bom 
in 1824, received an education in his native State 



486 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



and studied medicine lor a time. When twenty 
years of age he went to Massaclmsetts and clerked 
for two years in a hotel and one year in a dry 
goods store. He then went to buying and selling 
horses and studied for a yeterinary surgeon which 
employment he followed till 1853, when he re- 
moyed to Wisconsin and engaged in butchering 
one year, then went to Michigan and engaged in 
mercantile jjursuits for the same length of time. 
In the fall of 1856, he came to Minnesota, located 
at Northfield and started a restaurant and was 
also dealing in horses for four years. He then re- 
moved to losva and engaged in buying and 
shipping .stock; returning to this State, he settled 
in Waseca and followed the same employment. In 
1873, he came to Millersburg, locating on section 
fourteen where he has since kept a hotel and car- 
ried on a farm. Mr. Cushman has been twice 
married, his first wife being Miss Mary Parr, a 
native of Vermont, whom he married in New Hamp- 
shire in 1846. They have one child, a son, now 
living in the northern part of the State. His pres- 
ent wife was formerly Miss Luciuda Gilbert, a 
native of Bochester, New York. They have one 
child, Charlie F., fifteen years of age. 

August Demann was born in Germany and came 
to America in 1855. He located in this township 
in section twenty-one, where he has a farm of two 
hundred acres of improved land with a brick 
house, barns, etc. He enlisted in tlie army in 
1864, and served eight months. Mr. Demann has 
a wife and nine children, all of whom are living at 
home. 

John L. Dunham was born in New Jersey in 
December, 1822, was educated and lived on a farm 
in his native State. In April, 1856, he came to 
Forest, and pre-empted land in section thirty. He 
helped to organize a colony to emigrate, in Brook- 
lyn, New York, and is the only one of the colony 
now living in Minnesota. In 1858, Mr. Dunham 
purchased a fariu in irection fifteen where he still 
resides. He was married in May, 1862, to Mi.ss 
Sarah M. An Dyke, a native of Pennsylvania. 
She died at the age of fifty-one years; was a mem- 
ber of the Baptist church and is buried on his 
farm. Mr. Dunham has again married. ' He has 
held town ollices every year since the organiza- 
tion of this towns! lip, and has always taken an ac- 
tive part in maintaining schools. sal)bath schools, 
and churches. 

Gilbert Flsh was born in Ohio in 1838, and 



when nine years of age removed with his parents to 
Wisconsin, where he received his education and 
was reared on a farm. He was married in 1860, 
to Miss Cornelia A. Dumond, a native of New 
Y'ork. In 1862, he enlisted in the Eighteenth 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, serving till the 
close of the war, a perit)d of three years and three 
months; was taken prisoner twice, once at Shiloh 
on the 6th of April, 1862, and again at Atlanta, 
Georgia. He was mustered out at Milwaukee and 
soon removed to Bice county, locating in Forest in 
section twelve, where he has since been engaged in 
farming. Mr. Fish has been a membei- of the 
board of Supervisors two years, being Chairman 
one year and a member of the school board for 
several terms, being very active in all school 
matters. He has a family of five children ; Elmer, 
twenty years of age; Addie seventeen; Bertha, 
fourteen; George twelve, and Ida, ten. 

John D. Gilbert, a native of New I'ork, was 
born in 1840, and came with his parents to Mich- 
igan in 1847, remaining, however, but two years, 
when they moved to Ohio, where J. D. grew to 
manhood and received a common school educa- 
tion. In 1859, he removed to Forest, Bice county, 
located in section two and has since been engaged 
in farming. In 1861, be enlisted at Cleveland, 
Ohio, in the United States Fourth Artillery, Com- 
pany I, serving three years and receiving his dis- 
charge at Nashville, Tennessee. He was married 
in 1866, his bride being Miss Martha Craven, a 
native of Pennsylvania. They have six children, 
all living at home. Mr. Gilbert's father died in 
Millersburg at the ;ige of eighty-six years and his 
mother at the age of eighty-two. His only broth- 
er died in the army. 

Samuel Hallcock was born in England in 1841, 
and came with his parents to America at the age 
of four years. They first located in Rhode Island, 
and also lived in New Hampsliire, Connecticut, 
and Massachusetts, but in ten years came to Illin- 
ois, where Samuel attended school and engaged 
in farming. In 1865 he enlisted in the One Hun- 
dred and Fifty- fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
and served till the close of the war. He was mar- 
ried in Illinois, in 1867, to Miss Hannah J. Hatch, 
of New Y'ork. They have had eight children, 
seven of whom are living. In June, 1876, they 
came to Forest, and engaged in farming, which is 
still his employment, Mr. Hallcock has been 
school Treasurer five years. 



FOREST roWXsIUP. 



487 



William Hamill was born in England iu 1812, 

received bis education in liis uutive country and 
learned the trade of a cotton spinner. Ho oni- 
grated to America in 1830, locating in Michigan^ 
and was engaged in farming in that State five 
years, then removed to Massachusetts and was 
employed as a spinner in a cotton factory, hut re- 
turned to Michigan in 1837, and engaged with 
Judge Sibblay one year. In 1838, he enlisled in 
the Fourth Artillery, served five years and then 
went to Detroit, ami from there to .Tackson, where 
he was watchman iu the depot. In 1854, Miss 
Phoebe Wooley became liis wife, and two years 
later they came to Eice county and located in 
Forest in section one. In 1862, Mr. Hamill went 
to Idaho and was gone eighteen months, then re- 
turned home aud has since devoted his time to 
agricultural pursuits. He has had tliree children, 
two of whom are living; William H., twenty-six 
years old, aud Mary K., twenty years of age. 
Moses died at the age of six years. 

Cakl B. Hirdleu, a native of Geriuauy, was 
born in 1S28, aud grew to manhood in his native 
country. He learned the shoemaker's trade. In 
1851, Miss Mary Mism became his wife, and in 
18(i0, they emigrated to America, located in New 
York City aU'l engaged at his trade for a time; 
then moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and thence 
to Michigan, where he farmed twelve years. In 
1875, he removed to .Jackson county. Minnesota, 
and in August, 187(5, came to Rice county, locat- 
ing on a farm in Forest, section nine, where he 
still resides. He has one hundred aud nineteen 
acres of land, neai'ly all of which is improved with 
good buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Hirdler have had 
ten children, seven of whom are living, five in this 
county and two in St. Louis, Missouri. One child 
died on the ocean and two in Michigan. Mr. 
Hirdler has devoted some time to the practice of 
medicine. He has been Town Clerk aud was Justice 
of the Peace in Jackson county. He and his 
wife aud four children are members of the Second 
Advent Cliurch, and he is Superintendent of the 
Sabbath school. 

Nils Larson was born in Sweden in 1834, re- 
ceived a common school education and was reared 
on a farm. He was married in 18G0 toMissMarma 
Andrias. In 1869, he came to America and located 
in Michigan, remained there part of one year, then 
removed to Wisconsin aud one year later to Minne- 
sota. He engaged iu a mill in Wells, Kice coun- 



ty, and in 1871 purchased one hundred and sixty 
acres of land in Forest, section seven, wliere he is 
still conducting a farm. His family came from 
the "old country" in 1871. There are four chil- 
dren, all living in this State. Mr. Larson is Con- 
stable and also school director. Mr. and Mrs. 
Larson are members of the Lutheran churcli in 
ChristJala, where he is a deacon. 

John Major was born in Canada in 1S2!), and 
his native place claimed him as a resident until 
the age of manhood, being educated there and 
reared as a farmer. In 1849, he came to Jefferson 
county. New York, and engaged in Watertown as 
a carpenter and joiner. He was married on the 
3d of July, 1853, to Miss Lenora A. Lyman, and 
in four years they came to Forest and located on 
a farm in section fourteen, wliere he has one hun- 
dred and forty-five acres, nearly all improved. He 
has been a member of the town and school boards 
several terms. He had one ado2:)ted child, George 
E., who was drowned in Wolf Creek on the 16th of 
June, 1881, at the age of twenty-four years. Mr. 
Major is a member of the Second Advent church. 

Jacob Meyer was born iu Germany in 1827, 
reared on a farm and received a common school 
education in his native place. He served in the 
German army for three years and five months. In 
1853, Miss Marylina Cenen became his wife. They 
came to America the following year and settled on 
a farm in Wisconsin, remaining twelve years. 
Since 1869 Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have been resi- 
dents of this place engaged in farming. They 
have had seven children, six of whom are living. 

C. F. Miller was boi-n in 1831, in New York, 
which was his home until the age of twenty-seveu 
years, graduating from the Cortland Academy. 
He was married in 1856 to Miss Louisa Wright, a 
native of Massachu.setts. Mr. Miller was engaged 
iu wagon making in Waterloo, Iowa, for two aud 
a half years, then in farming three years. He came 
to this place in a '-prairie schooner" and locat- 
ed iu section twenty-five, where he now lives. In 
1871, he rented his place and went to St. Jo, Michi- 
gan, where he engaged in fruit culture, but re- 
urned to his farm after one year's al)sence. 
When there, his son, Orlaud D., aged twelve years, 
was drowned while bathing in the river, on the 
5th of August, 1872. He has six children living, 
and all but one at home; Clarence E. is in Wash- 
ington, Dakota. Mr. Miller, in company with 
Mr. Kinney, introduced sugar cane growing and 



488 



HISTOnr OP BIGE GOUNTT. 



manufactnre in this county. He is a member of 
the school board, and he and uis wife are members 
of the ConRregatidnal church. 

G. A. MiLLEK is a son of O. W. Miller, who was 
born in New York in 1818, and lived in his native 
State until 1857, wlien he came to Forest and 
purchased land where Millersburg now stands, 
giving the place liis name. He l)uilt and rim the 
first saw-mill in tlie county, and was an energetic 
man in all improvements. He died in 1876, at 
the age of fifty-eight years. His wife died in New 
York, and is buried there. Our subject, G. A., was 
boin in New York in 184G, and came with his 
father to thip f^Late. 'le was married ia 1871 to 
Miss Amanda Buss, and they have a family of 
three children. He has been Town Clerk, and a 
memTier of the school board. 

James O'Gkady, deceased, one of the pioneers 
of Forest, was born in Ireland in 1800. In 1838, 
he brought his family to America, located first in 
Oswego county and then in Steuben county. New 
Y'ork, remained until 1851, and removed to Mc- 
Henry county, Illinois, where he engaged in farm- 
ing four years. He then came to Minnesota and 
located in this township, on section twenty, giving 
his whole time to his farm until his death in 1875. 
He had a family of (^leven children. His son 
Timothy O'Grady was born on the 15th of June, 
1837, and made his home with his father until his 
death. lu 1855, he came to this county and 
staked out a claim in section one ih Wells, then 
reurued to Illinois, and in 185(5, came to Forest, 
where he pre-empted land in section twenty-two. 
He afterward gave the farm to his father, and 
after his death rt became Timothy's. In 1860, he 
purchased more land in the township and carries 
that on in connection with the old homestead. 
Mr. 0'(rrady is a member of the County Board of 
Commissioners, and has been Chairman of the 
Board of Supervisors five or six years and Asses- 
sor one year. In 1881, he married Miss Mary 
Jane Shield, and they have one child, Mary Ann. 

C. O. Peksons was born in Sweden in 1846, 
and his native country claimed him as a resident 
until he reached the age of twenty-three. He at- 
tended Common schools and was reared on a farm. 
Ho came to America, remaining only three years, 
then returned to Sweden, and in April, 1873, was 
married, returning to this country the following 
month. He located in Meeker county, Minnesota, 
and engaged in farming. Wliile there he was a 



member of the Board of Supervisors and of the 
School Board. In 1876, they removed' to North- 
field township, and two years later to Forest, set- 
tling on section eight, where he still resides, hav- 
ir ae hundred and sixty acres of land, ninety- 
;l^ of which is improved. He is Assessor at pres- 
ent, and has held the office four years, and was 
census enumerator in 1880. Mr. Persons and wife 
are members of the Swedish Lutlieran Church, 
and he is Secretary aud Treasurer of the same. 
They have liad five children, four of whom are 
living. 

August Eibceel, a native of Germa: y, was 
born in 1819, and there grew to manhood; re- 
ceived an education in the common schools and 
learned the blacksmith trade. He was married in 
1855, to Miss Christine Luckert, and two years 
later they emigrated to America; remained a short 
time in New York City, then went to Newark, 
New Jersey, where Mr. Riechel engaged at his 
trade part of one year. He removed from thereto 
Port Amboy, and one year and a halt later to Wil- 
liamsburgh, working in a cork factory in both 
places. In 1861, he came to Forest, and located 
on section eighteen, where he built a log house 
and remained till 1875, then removed to section 
seven, where they still reside, having two hundred 
and fifty acres of land. He has been a member of 
the school board, and is at present treasurer of the 
same. Mr. and Mrs. Riechel have had ten chil- 
dren, six of whom are living; Adolpb, twenty-six 
years of age; Annie Rachel, twenty-two years; 
August, twenty years; Henry, eighteen years; 
Willie, sixteen years; and Martha, eight years 
of age. Those dead are Hannah, who died in 
New Jersey, in infancy; Edward, who was acci- 
dentally shot in his father's house in Forest, and 
Albert and Emma, who died in infancy. 

Z. L. Saugent was born in Maine in 1818, and 
grew t'l manhood on a farm. In May, 1839, he 
removed to Illinois, where he married his wife, 
also a native of Maine, and in 1844, came to Wis- 
consin territory and engaged in farming. In 
1854, Mr. Sargent came to Cannon Falls and pre- 
empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, then 
returned for his family, and during his absence 
his claim was taken. He then located in Forest, 
in section twenty-seven, which is still' his home. 
He is the father of twelve children, ten of whom 
are living. He was in the Indian massacre, and 
was at Mankato when some of them were hung. 



FORKHT TOWS Sin I'. 



189 



and afterwards enlisted in tliearmy. Three of his 
sous woro in tlie United States service, and tlio 
oldest one died in tbe army- Our subject wastlin 
first road supervisor in tlie towuslii|>, oi)euing the 
first road. At the organization of the town he was 
a 'aember of the Board of Sni)ervisors, an 1 has 
held some otlice most of the time since, being a 
member of the board at present. 

J.iMES Str.\ngk is a native cf Kentucky, born in 
182P, aud removed with his parents, at the age of 
one year, to Indiana, where lie lived imtil twenty- 
one years old. He tlien came to Goodhue county, 
Minnesota, and in 1861, enlisted in the army, 
served two years aud received an liouorable dis- 
charge, after which became to Forest and estab- 
lished the first blacksmith shop in town aud is still 
engaged at the business. He owns forty acres of 
land and a good h<iuse and shop. 

Simon Taylor was born in the province of 
Quebec, Canada, in 1830, reared on a farm and re- 
ceived a common school education. In 1848, he 
went to Massachusetts and worked ou a farm in 
the summer aud in the Bay State Mill in Law- 
rence during the winter. In 1849, he moved to 
grand River, Michigan, but being taken with the 
ague in a few days, as soon as he was able started 
for a healthier country, and after a slow and weari- 
some journey arrived in Appleton, Wisconsin. A 
year later he went south aud spent a year rambliug 
along and near the Mississippi river. In Decem- 
ber, 1852r he landed in Mobile, Alab.jma, where 
he remained until June, 18.5.5, engaged in lumber- 
ing. He then made a short visit to Canada, and 
the 26th of July, 1855, found him near St. Paul, 
and in November following he pre-empted the 
quarter section ou which he now lives, the first 
land taken iu this township. From that time until 
1805, he speut his time farming aud teaching 
school in Minnesota, lumbering in Alabama, teach- 
ing school in Canada, and building railroad 
l)ridges for Uncle Sam in Virginia aud Georgia. 
He was married in Canada in 1863, to Miss 
Maggie Sauuders. who has borne him seven chil- 
dren, five of whom are living ; two died in infancy. 
In 1865, he cams with his wife aud one child to 
his farm on which he has since resided. Mr. Tay- 
lor has. at different times, held the offices of .lus- 
tice of the Peace, Supervisor, Assessor, and Treas- 
urer. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church. 

Eli.\s F. Taylor is a native of Rhode Island, 



born in 1825, and lived in his native State uutil 
eighteen years old, learning the trade of u spiiuier. 
He then removed to Illinois aud made that State 
his home tliirteeu years, engaged in farming most 
of the time, and there married, iu 1852, Melissa 
Sloan, of New York. In 1856, they came to Forest 
and pre-empted a cjuiu'ter in section ten wliere he 
is still following fanning. He was supervisor of 
roads, apjjointed by the Commissiouer.s before the 
orgauizatiou of the town aud was made Chairman 
of the first board of Supervisors. He has been 
Assessor for five years, one of the Supervisors 
several terms and was census enumerator of the 
county in 1875. He is the father of two children, 
one living in Minneapolis and one in Northfleld. 
Mr. aud Mrs. Taylor are members of the Methodist 
church. 

Hon. John William Thompson was boru iu 
Attleliorough, near Nottingham, England, on the 
27th of July, 1827. He received a common school 
education, aud while young his pocket money was 
spent for books and mechanical tools. He served 
an apprenticeship as engineer in his native coun- 
try and one year after was appointed foreman of 
the locomotive and maoliiue works of the Shrews- 
burg and Birmingham railway. In 1852, he came 
to America and for two years engaged as engineer 
ou the New York Central and the Rome and 
Waterlowu railroads. In the spring of 1854, he 
removed to Minnesota, locating near the mounds, 
two aud a half miles scratli of Hastings, Dakota 
couuty; the city of to-day, then contained only one 
log shanty owned by a Mr. Felton. In Feljruary, 
1855, when the land office was located at Red 
Wiug, our subject pre-empted his claim. His 
nearest neighbor to the south was a Canadian, who 
had married a Winnebago S(|uaw and had a large 
family, liaviug been a trapper iu the territory for 
twenty years. The Winnebago and.other bauds 
of Indians made their rendezvous near his place 
and at times were very troublesome to those who 
could not speak their language. His neighbors to 
the westward were two families twelve miles dis- 
taut. Iu the summer of 1855, Mr. Tlmmpson was 
Justice of the Peace in Dakota couuty and the 
same year made several trips prosjjectiug through 
Goodhue, Dodge, Waseca, and Rice counties, aud 
finally sold his former farm aud settled in this 
county in the township of Forest, which has since 
been his home, lieing one of the earliest settlers 
iu the town. He worked ou his timber farm, 



490 



HTSTOBT OF RICE COUNTr. 



improving it, etc., until 1858. After tlae panic of 
1857, farm products brought very low prices and 
after selling potatoes for fourteen cents per bushel, 
and wheat, after threshipg it with a flail, for forty- 
six cents, he collected what money he could, cash 
sales not being frequent, and went to St. Louis 
College. After two years attendance he graduated 
with honors, then returned to Minnesota, remain- 
ing,however,but a few weeks, then went to Napoleon, 
Desha county, Arkansas, and formed a partner- 
ship with Chas. Merckle, a watchmaker and manu- 
facturing jeweler. After the presidential election 
of 1860 took jjlace, and as soon as it was known 
that Lincoln was elected, the people of that county 
expressed freely their sentiments for war, and held 
a mass meeting at the court house in Napoleon, 
the county seat, and then and there voted two 
hundred thousand dollars in bonds to buy fire 
arms and ammunition to carry on war against the 
Northern States. During the following winter, 
companies and regiments were raised and drilled, 
and in March, 18G1, to avoid being drafted into 
the southern army he went to Vicksburg, Missis- 
sippi, but here he was liable to be drafted, and in a 
few days returned to Napoleon to dispose of some 
private property. When the news of the fall of 
Fort Sumter arrived all men wpre immediately 
drafted into the confederate army, and Mr. 
Thompson among the rest. He and live other 
men were determined not to serve with the South 
and found a liidiug place until they made their 
escape. Although the Mississippi and other rivers 
had overllowed their banks, they crossed at some 
places on logs and in other places in skiffs, and by 
traveling at night and after being chased by blood 
hounds, four of the six men arrived at St. Louis, 
Missouri, the other two having been shot while 
on the way. The same day of their arrival the 
tight at the court house took place between the 
United States troops and the btate malitia, and 
our subject with two of his companions, the other 
one remaining in St. Louis, took the steamljoat tor 
Minnesota. He again commenced to clear his 



land and in a few weeks his health was restored 
after his many hardships. On the 18th of August, 
1862, he enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volun- 
teer Infantry, Company A, was ordered to Fort 
Eidgely instead of South as the massacre was just 
beginning. He took jjart in the battles of Birch 
Cooley, Wood Lake, Big Stone Hills, etc., and was 
in all the Indian expeditions of 1862, and '63, and 
in the latter part of October, 1863, was sent with 
his regiment to the South, and at the expiration of 
three years they were discharged. Mr. Thompson 
was Chairman of the board of Supervisors at the 
time of his entering the army and has held other 
town offices since the war. In 1871, he was ap- 
pointed Notary Public and the same year Post- 
master of Lester Post-office, still retaining both 
positions, and at present is Justice of the Peace, 
having held that office several years. He was mar 
ried on the 17th of March, 1873, to Charlotte 
Luudberg, who has borne him two children; John, 
who was born in June, 1878, and died in infancy, 
and Mary C, born the 27th of September, 1881, is 
still living. In the fall of 1877, our subject was 
nominated at the republican convention, and was 
elected by a large majority to the State Legisla- 
ture, and at the county convention in 1879, was 
defeated by only one vote in receiving the nomina- 
tion for re-election. 

Benedict Wtm.\n was born iu New York in 
1635, and he was a resident of that State until 
1852, then came to Wisconsin and engaged iu 
farming. In 1862, he enlisted in the Eighteenth 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry ; was taken prisoner 
at Altooua, Georgia, and confined fifty-two days 
in the prison at Millen, in the same State. At the 
close of the war he was mustered out at Milwaukee; 
returned to Winnecoune, Wisconsin, and iu 1866, 
came to this township; bought one hundred and 
sixty acres of laud in section twelve and still 
makes that his home. He was married in Forest 
to Miss Margaret Jane Taylor, a native of Canada, 
and they have four children, two sons and two 
daughters, all living at home. 



WKfJ.s TOW'XSIII r. 



491 



WELLS 



CHAPTER LIX. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION EARLY SETTLEMENT 

BOLLT WELLS— EARLY NOTES OF INTEREST 

POLITICAL INDUSTRI.U, ENTERPRISES EDUCA- 
TIONAL — SOCIETIES — BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Wells townshi]) is one of the ceutral townships 
of Rice county, and is next to the smallest in size. 
It contains the full congressional township, with 
the exception of two hucI one-half sections in the 
southeastern part, that have of late years been an- 
nexed to the city of Faribault. This leaves the 
town an area of 22,440 acres, of which a consider- 
able portion is covered with water. It is bounded 
on the north by Forest; east l)y Cannon City 
township and city of Faribault; south by Warsaw; 
and west by Shieldsvillc. 

It is amply supplied with water by lakes, 
ponds, rivers, and brooks, and if any town in Rice 
county can bo said to be noted for its beautiful 
lakes and streams this is the one. French Lake 
covers more land than any other, embracing 1,0(14 
acres in sections seven, eight, seventeen, and 
eighteen, in the western part of the town, and ex- 
tending a short distance into the town of Shields- 
ville. Roberds' Lake is the next in size; a beau- 
tiful sbeet of water, and is connected to French 
Lake by a stream called the '-lulet;" from the 
southeastern shore also Hows a smaU stream con- 
necting it to the Cannon River. This, it will be 
seen, makes the two lakes a "chain." Roberds' 
Lake covers an area of about 700 acres, in sections 
fifteen, sixteen, twenty -one, and twenty-two, in the 
exact geograpliical center of the towuslii]). The 
tloor of the lake is made up of a sand bed, making 
the limpid water pure and clear as crystal, while 
the shore is formed of Ijold promontories and 
rocks, broken here and there with level stretches 
of pebbly beach. The lake is well stocked with 
tish, and is much frequented by pleasure seekers 



from near and far, while a daily "bus" connects it 
to the busy little metropolis of Faribault. It re- 
ceived its name in honor of William Roberds. 

The township contains several other lakes of less 
importance. Mazaska Lake enters the town from 
the northwe-st (juarter and covers about one-third 
of section six. Dudley's Lake is a small body of 
water in the northwestern part of the town, lying 
mostly in section eight. Wells Lake is formed 
by the Cannon River in sections thirty-three and 
thirty-four, and was named in honor of James 
Wells, after whom the town was also named- 
Peterson's Lake is located in sections thirty and 
thirty-one. There are a number of other small 
bodies of water in various parts of the town, some- 
times called lakes, but more properly known as 
ponds. Cannon River enters Wells from the south, 
traversing section thirty-three, forming Wells 
Lake, and after passing through thirty-four and 
thirty-five, leaves the township and enters the city 
of Faribault. Several small streams flow into 
this as it makes its way through, and help to swell 
the torrent. The streams at many points furnish 
unexcelled water power, and this is made use of to 
a limited extent. 

Originally this township was a timber territory, 
and covered with a heavy growth of the most 
sturdy varieties. Secti(ms thirty-five and thirty- 
six were the only jjortions of it that could, strictly 
speaking, bo called prairie laud; here and there, 
however, throughout the town, might be found 
small natural meadows and partial •'clearings" 
covered with brush and hazel. For the greater 
part, the timlier has now been cut down, and many 
tine fields and farms mark what was but a quarter 
of a century ago, a trackless wilderness. The soD 
is variable, in some places a tendency to clayey- 
ness being visible, and in others a rich dark loam. 
The whole is very productive, and it is doubtful if 
there is another locality in the State where the 



492 



nrsTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



farmers are moro uuiversally prosperous and suc- 
ci'sslul thau iu this town. 

Fruit, in connection with other agricultural 
products, has also received considerable attention, 
and ifc has not been without success. Mr. Asa 
Bell. '6 is one who has proven iu a practical way 
that the theory of the impossibility of successful 
fruit culture in this country is a fallacy, and he 
has as abundant te.stimony a fine orchard of .500 
thrifty apple trees, — undoubtedly as flue as any 
in the State, and of which the far-famed New 
York apple growers might well be proud. 

A sketch of this township, published iu 1871. 
states that it had 19,829 acres of taxable lands, 
80 acres of unsiild University land, a little over 
320 acres of unsold school land, about 200 acres 
of government laud, and 160 acres of railroad 
laud. A majority of the population are of foreign 
origin, and consists of Canadian, Belgian, French, 
and Irish, although the American element is 
stronger than either of these, and nearly equal 
to them all. The population in 1860 was 461 ; iu 
1865, 624, and at the last census, in 1880, 1,100. 
The unsold land mentioned is now about all in the 
hands of actual settlers. 

In ] 870, the amount of real and personal prop- 
erty as given to the census-taker was as follows: 
Beal estate, .$268,1.50; personal personal $108,485; 
total, 8370,635. The total assessed value of Wells 
for the same year, real and personal, was $164,- 
343. For the year 1882, the total assessed valua- 
tion amounted to §220,414, of which .'J42,626 rep- 
resented the personal, and $177,788, the real 
property ; showing an increase of valuation in the 
last ten years of $156,071. In the last report, 
above mentioned, it states that iu the township 
there are 389 horses and colts over one year old; 
742 cattle over oue year; 357 sheep, and 416 
hogs. 

EARDT .SBTTIjEMENT. 

As we contemplate the changes of but a little 
more than a quarter of a century, noting the pres- 
ent condition and ])rosi)erity, in comparison with 
the trackless and apparently impenetrable wilder- 
ness of those days, we can scarcely realiz-^or com- 
prehend how it was possible to make the transfor- 
mation which we now behold. Insidiously, al- 
most imperc('])libly, has the change been wrought, 
yet, since tlit^ lirst forward step was taken, has the 
onward march of progress continued its untiring 
tread until we find ourselves in the midst of a fer- 



tile, civilized, well settled and cultivated land, from 
which almost all traces of the jjriraitive, which in 
early days proved so glaring and painful, have 
vanished. 

To get at the original and very first settlement 
of this town, we must take the reader and retrace 
the steps of time twenty-nine years, to 1853, when 
we find Wells without a single inhabitant, escejjt 
natives of the forest; not a shanty, not a furrow 
turned, nor a sign of civilization. It was iu this 
shape the first settlers found it, and the' quietude 
was scarcely disturbed by the arrivals of that year, 
there being very few and easily noted. 

Mark Wells is probably the oldest living settler, 
he being one of the party who first arrived. He 
is a native of Massachusetts, and made his way 
to Minnesota as best he could. He selected a claim 
on section thirty-five, and put up a small log cab- 
in, plastering it with mud and clay. In this he 
made himself at home, and being a single man, in 
company with several others kept bachelor's hall 
until 1858, when he was married and moved to 
Faribault, where he now lives. 

About the same time that Mark arrived, a man 
named Standish, of the same State, became his 
neighbor, and took a claim adjoining him in sec- 
tion thirty-five. He remained until 1856, when 
he returned to his native State. 

"Bully" Wells had also made his appearance, 
and was making a claim in section thirty-four his 
home. 

This, it will be remembered, all occurred in 
1853, and the three settlers mentioned secured 
places adjoining each other in the south-eastern 
part of the township, this being the most inviting, 
because it was prairie laud, and almost the only 
locality that was prairie in the township. With 
these few the settlement of the township "stood at 
a standstill" until 1855, and probably the fact that 
the remainder of the town was timber land, had 
some intluence in keeping the influx at bay for the 
year 1854. In 1855, the settlement began to 
spread, and other parts of the town received the 
initiatory member of society. 

William Eoberds, a native of North Carolina, 
came in from Indiana and commenced a settle- 
ment near the center of the town, taking a claim 
in section twenty-two, on the banks u? the lake 
which now bears his name. He put up a small 
log shanty the same year, erected a saw-mill, and 
became a very prominent man. He made this his 



WELLS TOWNSHIP. 



493 



home until he piiid the debt of lUDrtality iu 1869. 

John Wesley Cowiiii, auutiveof Kcutncky, liav- 
iug sto])peil fcira time in Indiuna, soon swelled the 
Roberds' settlement by taking a claim in section 
twenty-two. He cleared some land and erected a 
log hut, and remains in the same section yet. 

Thomas B. Owings al.so helped iill the s<'ttl(>- 
meut, and took a claim north of Ivoberds" Lake. 
He has since moved to the Koberds' settlement, 
and taken a claim in section twenty-two. 

In the meantime a settlement had been com- 
menced north of Roberds' Lake. John H. Pas- 
son, a native of the Buckeye State, made his ap- 
pearance and settled (m section ten. He was a 
millwright by trade, and erected a uumlier of mills 
in Rice county; he is now living in section fif- 
teen. 

The same year we find the following natives of 
the Emerald Isle crowding into the northern part 
to make a neighhorho. d near the Oliioan. This 
party consisted of James Byrnes, Michael Brazil, 
Thomas and Timothy Casey, and Patrick O'Brien. 

James Byrnes, who had stopped awhile in Ver- 
mont, took a claim in section four where he 
still resides. 

Timothy Casey made himself at home in section 
six, and remained there until his death, in 1869. 
His widow died in 1876. 

Thomas Casey surrounded a claim iu section 
five, where his lamp still holds out to burn. 

Michael Brazil secured a tract of land in section 
nine, where he still lives. 

James O'Brien made a habitation in section nine, 
and still oecripies the log house he erected at the 
time of his settlement. 

John L. Squier, of the Empire State, swelled 
the settlement in the southi'rn part of the town by 
taking a farm from the prairie land of section 
thirty-four, where he may still be found. 

Thomas Kirk had taken land on sections four- 
teen and twenty-three, where he made his home 
until the grim messenger called him hence in Oc- 
tober, 1868. The deceased was father of the first 
child born in the town. 

Samuel J. Keller, a native of the good old Buck- 
eye State, having stojjjjed for a time in In- 
diana, drifted in and dropped anchor on the only 
quarter left in section twenty-two, in the Roberds' 
settlement. He remained a few years and then 
retraced his steps to Indiana. 

Section thirty-four received another settler tliis 



year in th(^ person of William McCalla, a native of 
Ireland, who, after remaining a few years remov(>d 
to California, where he still remains. 

Tsaac Anderson, from Ohio, madi' his apjiear- 
ance and proceeded to enlarge the settlement in 
the northern part of the town by taking a farm 
from section nine, which had already rceived 
one settler. 

John Manahan did his part also, securing a 
home in section one, in .Tune, 18.")."), where he still 
remains. 

Two brothers, .John and Thomas Johnson, ar- 
rived in the summer of this year and both took 
farms in the northern settlement; John on section 
three, where he died in 1863; and his brother on 
section eleven where he remained until 1861, when 
he went to Vermont. 

This is about the list of arrivals for the year 
18-i5, and it will be seen that from the three settle- 
ments started in the township, one in the south, 
one in the center, and one in the north, the in- 
comers had branched in every direction until ev.-ry 
portion of the townshij) had received one or more 
settlers, who had gone directly to work, putting 
up shanties and opening land for cultivation. The 
following year the immigration commenced and 
continued with a rush until all tlie government 
land within the borders had been secured. We 
sliall endeavor to give most of these arrivals, al- 
though to give them all would be almost imjjos- 
sible. 

S. P. Case, originally, from Ohio, but directly 
from Grant county, Indiana, arrived in 18.56, and 
planted his stakes in .section three. He has since 
changed his location, now living on section twenty- 
seven. 

Peter Dunn drifted in and anchored near Mr. 
Case, in section four, where his moorings are 
still intact. He was a native of the land of the 
Shamrock, having stopped for a time in Ver- 
mont. 

Robert Dudley, of the same nationality, 
marched iu and stationed himself over the farm 
lying south of the one secured by Peter Duun, in 
the same section, and here he still stands guard. 

Andrew Eredrickson came about the same time 
and declared himself at home on a farm iu section 
three, in the same neighborhood, where he still 
lives. 

Many others came in iu 1856, many of whom 
have again pulled U]) stakes and started on with 



494 



HISTORY OF III CE COUNTY. 



their faces still turned to an ever promising 
"West." 

In 1857, John Murray, a native of the Emerald 
Isle put in an aijpearanee and secured a tract of 
laud. He is now in section one, and is a promi- 
nent man in tlie township. 

Barnard Mehagnoui, a native of Belgium, also 
arrived aljout tlie same time and pre-empted a 
farm m section twenty-uine where he may yet be 
found. The following year, 1858, he was joined 
liy a number of his countrymen, named Duch- 
ennes, who settled a short distance north of him, 
and about these have gathered quite a Belgian! 
settlement. 

In 1859, we note the arrivals of many others, 
among whom may be mentioned John and Owen 
Varley, who took claims in section eleven, where 
the former still remains. The latter, Owen Varley, 
paid the debt of mortality in July, 1877. 

Joseph Milliron, arrived and secured a habita- 
tion in section sixteen where he still lives. 

W. H. Pease was a pioneer in Minnesota, ar- 
riving from New York State in 1855. He finally 
secured the place he now occupies in section 
twenty-one. 

A. C. Judd, another promiiieut man in Wells, 
and a native of the Empire State, arrived in 1860, 
and located on his present place in section thirty- 
three. 

E. A. Orne, of Boston; Joseph Sescoult, of 
Canada; and C. Mcillier, of Wisconsin, have since 
arrived at various times and settled in the town- 
ship, where they are now influential men. 

Joseph Ducreyi, a Frenchman, was another 
early settler in the county, and a prominent man. 
He originally took a claim in Wheatland in 
1856, but finally found his way to the shores of 
the lake bearing the memorial name in honor of 
bis nativity, in section seventeen, where he now 
lives. 

Charles T. Wiuans, a native of New York State, 
came to Minnesota in 185(5, and located in War- 
saw. In 1860, after having been engaged for 
several years in mercantile bu.siness in Faribault, 
he moved to section fifteen in Wells. 

Asa Bebee, a native of Monroe county, New 
York, having stopped for a time in Illinois, was an- 
other early settler in this vicinity. He first locat- 
ed in Warsaw, Init now lives in section twenty-six 
in Wells township. His original slab shanty which 
li'> first erected, 16x16 feet, makes quite a contrast 



to his present elegant residence, which is among 
the finest in the county. He is a prominent and 
influential man in the county, as well as in the 
townshiji. 

Tames G. Scott, another prominent man, came 
til this county in 1854, and settled first in Fari- 
bault, where he was engaged in various pursuits. 
He is now a resident of Wells township. 

Many others might be mentioned here, but our 
space forbids, and most of them are noted under 
the head of biographies. 

James Wells, or, as he was always known, 
"Bully" Wells, having been a prominent and con- 
spicuous figure in the settlement of Wells, which 
town received its name in honor of him, a few 
words as to a sketch of his life will not only be 
interesting to the residents of Wells but to the 
entire county. James Wells was the true name of 
the subject of this sketch, but he won the nick- 
name of Bully Wells, and insisted on being known 
by it. He was born in New Jersey in 1804, and 
when a boy ran away from home, going to sea on 
an American war vessel, serving as a cabin boy. 
He finally enlisted in the U. S. army, and served 
for fifteen years, coming to Fort Snelling in 1819 
with Col. Leavenworth. When his time as a sol- 
dier e spired he started a little trading post at Lit- 
tle Kapids, or whatisuowChaska, and remained at 
this point for some time. On the 12th of Septem- 
ber, 1836, he was married to Jane, a sister of the 
wife of Alexander Faribault, and a daughter of 
Duncan Graham. The marriage took place at the 
house of Oliver Cratte, at Fort Snelling, the cere- 
mony being performed by the Indian Agent at the 
fort, Taliaferro. The same year he came south- 
west and started a small trading post at the point 
where Okaman, Waseca county, now is, and re- 
mained here for about one year, when he again 
removed, this time to locate at the foot of Lake 
Pepin, on the Mississippi River, where he carried 
on a trading business until he came to Wells town- 
ship. Having made up his mind while passing 
through to take land in the vicinity of the Cannon 
Lake, as soon as it came into market, in 1853, he 
made his way to the lake and started a trading 
post on section thirly-foui-, at the foot of Cannon 
Lake, in Wells township. Here he di;^ a profita- 
ble business for a short time, but gradually turned 
his attention to farming, and continued in it until 
the close of the Sioux war in 1863, when he was 



WELLS TOWNSnir 



495 



murdered mysteriously, the supposition being that 
it was the work of the treacherous Indians. 

Bully Wells was a man of good impulses, rough 
spoken, Imt with a heart that always l)eat for dis- 
tress and a hand that never failed to offer relief. A 
frieuil iu the truest sense of tlie word to a friend, 
and a bitter enemy to a foe. liniuii scd in. pm-r. 

BAULT NOTES OP INTEEl':sT. 

The first blacksmith shop o]jened in tlie tnwn- 
ship was erected in IS.'SS by William Roberds, in 
section twenty-two, on the shore of Roberds' Lake. 
The shop was operated liy his nephew. Freeman 
Koberds, for about three years, when it was dis- 
continued, the manipulator moving to Faribault, 
where he now carries on a like business. 

E.\RLY Births. — The first birth iu the township 
ot Wells took place on section twenty- three, in 
October, 1855, and ushered into existence Eliza- 
beth, daughter of Thomas and May Kirk. The 
father of the child died iu October, 18()8, and the 
girl is now a teacher in the |iublic schools of War- 
saw. 

The ue-tt event of this kind brought into the 
light John, a son of T. B. and Elizabeth Owens, 
on the 22d of May, 1856. This child, however, 
died on the 11 li of December, 186-1. 

On the 1th of February, 1857, a son was born to 
Isaac and Lydia Anderson, who was christened 
Elias, and who now lives in Faribault a grown 
man. 

Four days later, on tlie 8th of February, John 
C, a son of Peter and Margaret O'Brien was born. 
He is now teaching school in Pope county, Minne- 
sota. 

Within a month after the arrival above men- 
tioned, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter 
Dunn. The child was named Maria, and is now 
married and living in the township of Shields- 
ville. 

Leonora, a daughter of John H. and Minerva 
Passon, was born on the 19th of May. 1857. In 
1877, she married Mr. Julius Ripley, and now 
makes her home with her parents. 

Marri.ages in an Early Day.— -One of the ear- 
liest marriages to occur in the township of Wells 
was the union of Martha Roberds and J. S. Mc- 
Cartney, by E. J. Crump, Esq., at the residence of 
the bride's father, William Robei'ds, iu section 
twenty-two. The happy couple now reside iu 
Liucoln county, having been blessed with an even 



dozen of children, of whom ten are still in the land 
of the living. 

In October, 1856, Joseph Byrne anil Alice 
O'Brien were made one in the bonds of matrimony 
and commenced housekeeping in his log house on 
his farm in section four. The l)ride was called 
away by the grim voice of death in December, 
186-1. and the husband still occupies the old home- 
stead. 

POLITICAL. 

Pursuant to notice the first township meeting 
was held on the 11th of May, 1858, in the log 
schoolhou.so in section fourteen, and organized 
the township by the election of the following 
oilicers: Supervisors, Thomas Kirk, Chairman, 
William McCalla, and Patrick O'Brien: Collector, 
J. W. Cowan; Clerk, S. P. Case; Assessor, T. B. 
Owens; Ctmstables, William Kolierds and Timothy 
Casey; Overseer of the Poor, S. C. Duuham. 

At the twenty-fourth annual meeting of the 
town, on the 1-lth of March, 1882, the following 
officers were placed in charge of town afl'airs: 
Supervisors, Heniy Greenwood, Chairman; Philip 
McKenna, and Jacob Gutzler; Clerk, A. J. Swan- 
son; Treasurer, A. B. Cowan; Assessor, William 
Hassinger; Justice of the Peace, O. P. Burgess. 

The government of the town has been tranquil 
and even. The funds and expenditures have been 
managed in a frugal but efficient manner, and on 
a whole, the interests of the public in town mat- 
ters have been taken care of in a way that is ctim- 
mendable. 

In 1878, the township purchased a building, the 
original cost of which was $500, of school dis- 
trict No. 18, to be used for a town hall. It is lo- 
cated on section twenty-two. 

INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES. 

Roberds' Lake Mills. — Thes? mills were orig- 
inally started in 1855. by William Roberds, who 
erected a saw-mill at the outlet of the lake bear- 
ing his name, on section twenty-two. It was run 
by water power, and was equipped with an old- 
fashioned perpendicular saw. In 1856, a run of 
stones for feed was placed in the mill, and in 1858, 
the firm became Roberds & Spear. A circular saw 
was put in and this firm continued the mill in this 
shape until 1862, when they sold it to Beb.^e & 
Wood, who ran the establishment with water as 
the motor until 1865, when the supply of water 
failed and they hired a steam engine to saw up the 



49fi 



UI8T0RT OF RICE COUNTY. 



logs on hand. In 18fi6, Charles Wood sold his 
interest to Mr. Tennoy. and the firm of Bebee & 
Tenney at once erected a flour-mill, put in one run 
of stones with all the necessary machinery for a 
first-class mill, and it was continued under this 
firm until 18G9, when the partnership of Nutting 
it Carufel took hold of the property and run it 
until 1871. This year it was purchased by 
James G. Scott, the present proprietor. He put in 
a steam engine of forty horse-power, to run when 
the water was low, and constructed another saw- 
mill with two circular saws and an excellent run 
of machinery. In 1872, Mr. Scott remodeled the 
Hour-mill, and it now has two run of stones for 
flour, one run for feed, two sets of rolls for mid- 
dlings, three sets of bolting cIk sts for flour, one 
for buckwheat and rye, twj purifiers, and the nec- 
essary cleaning machinery, and equipments for 
mercliant and custom grinding. Altogether, the 
mill is justly the pride of the township, and al- 
though not having the capacity of some mills in 
the county, in quality of work it equals them, and 
gives perfect satisfaction to its patrons. 

Melbokne Mii^ri. — In 1856, Mr. Graham laid 
the foundation for tliis mill by putting up a saw- 
mill on the Cannon River in the northwestern part 
of section thirty-five. He threw a log dam across 
the river and started the mill, throwing sawdust 
with a circular saw. In 18.58, he added a run of 
stones for flour and feed, and as such he continued 
it until 1859, when he bought a small saw and 
grist mill of "Bully" Wells, which he made into an 
addition to his mill. In 1860, the dam got rest- 
less and started down the river with a freshet, 
when Mr. Graham tore down the old mill. He 
soon after erected another on the same stream, 
ecpiipped with two run of stones. In 18G1, he 
turned this over to G. P. Pettitt,who in 18G2, sold 
the property to Henry Melborne, and in a short 
time the establishment was destroyed -by fire. 

CiiAPPius' Sorghum AIit^l. — This mill was es- 
tablished in 1870 by J. C. Ohappius on his farm in 
section seventeen. It has been operated every 
season since its establishment, making about 1,500 
gallons per season. The location of the mill is in 
the western part of the town just east of French 
Lake. 

EIlDCATIONAL. 

Wells townsliijo is divided for educational pur- 
poses into seven districts, and if equally distrib- 
•.ited Would give in the township an area of about 



five square miles to each district. The districts 
are all in good condition and well attended. Dis- 
trict No. 18 was the first organized in the town- 
ship, and has the finest and most commodious 
school building of any of the districts. Below is 
given a short sketch of the organization, growth, 
and development of each. 

District No. 18. — The first .school was called 
to order in this district immediately after its or- 
ganization, in 1856. by Miss Sarah Owens. This 
same year a schoolhouse was rolled together, of 
logs, on Thomas Kirk's land in section fourteen, 
and in this building school was held until 1861, 
when the location of the schoolhouse was changed, 
and the district erected a small slab shanty in sec- 
tion twenty-two, where the Park now is, and used 
this until 1865. The shanty was then disposed of 
and a neat school building erected at a cost of 
.$500. In 1878. this structure was sold to the 
township for a public hall, and their present hand- 
some brick edifice was erected near the lake, in 
section twenty-two, at a cost of $1,500. 

District No. 39. — Efl'ected an organization in 
1858, and a log house was rolled together this 
year for school purposes in section nine. The first 
school was held in this building immediately after 
its completion, by Isiah Eoberds. Their original 
building was used until it was burned in 1865, 
when one term of school was taught in .Toseph 
Byrne's house while another log schoolhouse was 
rolled together. In 1877, this house was dispensed 
with and tlieir present neat schoolhouse put up in 
the northern part of section nine. 

District No. 57. — This district commenced its 
existence in 1860, when it was organized and a 
log house erected in the northeastern part of sec- 
tion nineteen. Isiah Eoberds was the first instruc- 
tor in the district, holding school in the newly 
erected log cabin. In 1868, they dispensed with 
the old log house, and erected the. building now in 
use, in the eastern part of section nineteen ; Miss 
Nellie Canley first called the school to order in 
this house. 

District No. 73. — The district under this num- 
ber effected an organization one year later than 
the last mentioned, in 1861, and the following year 
commenced the erection of a log house in section 
fourteen, completing it in 1863. Tliis school 
building answered the purpose until 1873, when 
the present neat schoolhouse was built on the old 
site in the northwestern part of section fourteen. 



WELLS TOWyslITP. 



497 



Miss Bridget Fitzgerald first called the school to 
order in the new house. The territory now em- 
braced by tliis district was formerly a part of dis- 
trict No. 18. 

District No. 77. — Effected an organization in 
1861, comprised of the territory now embraced in 
district No. 100, in addition to its present limits. 
Tlie same year that organization took place, all 
the farmers iu the neighborhood turned out, 
furnished logs and put up a log sohooUionse in 
the northeast quarter of .section tliirty-four. Iu 
1871, the district was divided by tlie taking oil' of 
district No. 100, the eastern part retaining the 
original number of seventy-seven. A new school- 
house was erected at this time, jnst over the line 
into tlie southeast corner of section twenty-seven. 
This schoolhouse is used very frequently by 
different denominations for religions services. 

District No. 79. — The district under this num- 
ber includes as a part of its territory a portion of 
the western part of Cannon City township and 
the northeastern part of Wells. The district was 
organized in 1861, and the first .school was kept iu 
John Murray's claim shanty, with Miss .lulia 
Grady as teacher. In 1865, they erected a school 
budding of logs iu section one, and the following 
year moved it to the eastern part»of section two, 
where it remained in use until 1876, when the 
present handsome brick house was erected in the 
northeastern corner of section twelve. 

District No. 100. — The territory now com- 
prising this district was embraced in the the or- 
ganization of district seventy-seven in 1861, and 
remained as such imtil 1874, when it was .set off 
and organized as No. 100. Miss Sarah Passou 
was the first teacher. In 187.5, the present school- 
house was erected in the nortliwestern jjart of sec- 
tion thirty-three, at a cost of about .S'iOO. Mi.s3 
Sarah Owens first called the school to order in 
the present house, and remained for five terms 
teaching the young idea how to shoot 

SOCIETIES. 

Theclo.se p oximity of this to^vuhhip to the city 
of Faribault, relieves the necessity or need of h)cal 
organization. wliich. as a raatt;'r of course, would be 
small, and makes it convenient for the inhabitants 
to attend in the city, where the different societi s 
are strong, and where many of the farmers of 
Wells are members. We find, however, notwith- 
standing this fact, several organizations here, and 
below give a short sketch of them, severally. 
32 



The first religious services in the town were held 
in the little log schoolhouse in section fourteen, 
late in 18.")7, by the (!ongregationalists. Rev. Mr. 
.\rmsby presiding. The same year the M(>thodist 
Episcopal denomination organized, with Kev. Mr. 
Day as their minister. They held services for a 
short time regularly, when it was suspended, to be 
revived during the war, when they held meetings 
in the new schoolhouse in section twenty-two. 
This organization has been rather idle for a num- 
ber of years. 

About the same time, if not a little before the 
organization of the above mentioned society, the 
Episcopalians got together and held services in 
the same schoolhouse alternately with the Metho- 
dists. In 1875, the Episcopal society commenced 
the erection of a church in the northern part of 
section twenty-two. They raised tlie frame, 
boarded it, put up a belfry, hung a bell and then 
suspended the organization. Meetings of various 
denominations ai'e now held in this edifice. Ser- 
vices of the Episcopalians are also held here irreg- 
ularly. A Sunday school was kept up here for a 
number of years after building. 

German Methodist meetings were held for the 
benefit of the followers of this faith, in William 
Bruun's house on section twenty-one, in 1874, 
Rev. Emil Uhl being the first minister. Services 
were held in Mr. Braun's residence until 1878, 
when Mr. William Bartlett's hou.se was used for 
four years. In 1882, the society erected a frame 
church building on section twenty at a cost of 
about •'?700, where services are now held every 
other Sunday. A Sunday school has been organ- 
ized here, which is held every Sunday, with 
an attendance of about forty scholars, and a good 
library in connection. Fred Saldswedel is super- 
int .ndent. 

Wells Grange. — This fraternal society was 
instituted in Wells township in January, 1873. 
It commenced with about thirty charter members, 
among whom may be mantioaed John McCartney, 
A. B. Cowan, John H. Pas.sou, T. B. Owens, John 
W. Cowan, Mary Hassinger, Sarah J. Owens, 
Elizabeth Kirk, Sarah F. Passon, and Emma 1.. 
Haukins. Meetings were held once in two weeks 
in the schoolhouse of district No. 18, and also in 
the residence of S. D. Benedict. The society 
grew stronger, and at the last meeting in Feb- 
ruary, 1876, there were sixty members. They 
have not disbanded, but at present no meeting" 
are held. 



498 



HI8T0BT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Catholic Cemetery. — This burial ground was 
laid out in 1858, and contains ten acres in the 
southern part of section thirty-five iu the south- 
easteru part of the town. The bodies of Catholics 
who were buried in Fariljault have since been re- 
moved to this place, and there are now many 
beautiful and costly tombstones marking the final 
resting places oi departed friends and believers iu 
the old Romish church. 

BIOGUAPHK AL. 

Asa Bebee, one of the pioneers of Rice county, 
was liorn in Monroe county, New York, on the 9th 
of April, 1829. When sis year.s of age, he removed 
with his parents to Will county, Illinois, where his 
father died eight years latei'. He then returned 
to New York and resided with his' grand-parents 
three years; attended school there and finished liis 
ednc ition at the district schools of Illinois. In 18.50, 
he went by overland route to California, and was 
engaged in mining twenty-two months, tlien re- 
turned home. Miss Blary J. Wood, a native of 
Monroe county, New York, l)ecarae his wife on 
the 10th of Novemb-r, 1853; and May 1, 1855, he 
came to Fariliault, Minnesota, remained till 1860, 
tlien sold his farm and made a trip to Colorado, 
Avhere he spent the summer mining, returning in 
the fall to Illinois. In 1861, he enlisted in the 
army, but did not serve on account of ill health, 
and in the fall of the same year came to Faribault. 
In the fall of 1862. he bought an interest iu Rob- 
erd's Lake Mill, and iu August joined a volunteer 
company going west to meet the Indians. They 
went to St. Peter and thence to Swan Lake,finding 
a number of the citizens wounded they conveyed 
them to St. Peter for medical aid. In thirty days 
they were relieved by government troops and our 
subject returned home. The next year he pur- 
chased a half interest in a porta))le saw-mill and 
set it up about three miles north of Faribiuilt. near 
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; con- 
ducted it two years, then sold that and also his 
interest at Robards' Lake. He moved to Fari- 
bault, and in 1871 made a trip south to Tennes- 
see, but finding that Miiuiesofa was the best place, 
he returned and bought land in Wells, section 
twenty -six, adjoining Faribault on the west, where 
he now resides. He has oue hundred acres of 
cleare.l land, an orchard of five hundred trees, and 
many varieties of small fruits. 

William Braun is a native of Germany, born 
o.i the 29th of July, 1810, and received his edu- 



cation in his native country. In 1866 he married 
Jliss Louise Malott, and tliree years later emi- 
grated to America. They lauded in New York, 
then came to this State, and one year later settled 
in Faribault, where he was engaged on the rail 
road for three and a half years. He then came to 
Wells and bought land on section twenty-one. He 
has six children : Annie, Minnie, Fritz, Willie, Ed- 
ward, and Lydia. Mr. Braun has been connected 
with the Methodist church twelve years. 

John Bultman, was bom in Germany on the 
1st of January, 1828, and attended school until 
fourteen years of age, then for eight years follow- 
ed the sea. He came to New York and commenced 
to learn the baker's trade, working at it three years, 
after which he was engaged in fishing two years, 
and at the expiration of that time removed to Fox 
Lake, Wisconsin, where he carried on a farm. In 
185S, he came to Minnesota and bought land in 
Wells in section twenty-seven, where he remained 
until 1872, then sold out and bought on section 
thirty-three, which is still his home. In 1866, he 
married Miss Mary Sullivan, and their children 
are; Willie, Charlie, Hannah, Mary J., and George 
C. In 1881 Mr. Bultman built his present frame 
house. 

Osc.\R F. BuRC4Ess was born in Corltaud county, 
New York, on the 12th of October, 1819. When 
eighteen years old he learned the carpenter and 
joiner trade, at wliich he worked seven years in his 
native State, and afterward engaged as a mill- 
wright for a time. Subsequently, in the spring 
of the year, he shipped rafts loaded with lumber 
and boats with vegetables and provisions down 
the Susquehanna river to Harrisburg, at which 
business he was engaged nine seasons. In 1865, 
he came west and settled in Decorah, Iowa, where 
he worked at his trade until 1873, then came to 
Faribault, and iu December, 1871, moved to Wells 
and located in section twenty -six. The next spring 
he commenced his present business of raising veg- 
etables for Faribault markets, having been in sim- 
ilar business during the last five years of his resi- 
dence in New York. Mr. Burgess' first wife was 
Miss Elenor Moore, whom he married in February, 
1815. She died in May, 1850, leaving two chil- 
dren, Louisa and Edward, and our subject was 
again married in February, 1851, to Mi.ss Harriet 
Maria Nichols, who bore him three chddren, 
Clarence, Clifford and Herbert, and died the 26th 
of July, 1881, at the age of fifty-nine years. His 



WELi.s ■row.xsii/r. 



499 



present wife was Mrs. M. A. Cobb, whom he raar- 
rieJ the fith of July. 188-J. His oUiost son, Ed- 
ward, enlisted in the army in February, 18(31, iiud 
died at Jacksonville, Florida, on the 20th of March, 
the same year, aged sixteen years and eighteen 
days. Herbert died the 27th of September, 18(12. 
aged three years and two months, and Clarence 
died the 13th of October, 1881, thirty years of 
age. 

Joseph Byrne, one of the early settlors of Rice 
county, was born in Ireland on the 3d of April, 
181(), and reared on a farm. In 18.")1, lie emigrat- 
ed to America, landed at Quebec, and went from 
there to Oswego, New York, thence to Buffalo 
and then to Ohio, where he engaged as a foreman 
in a stone-quarry. In 185.5, he came to Wells, and 
staked out a claim in section four, built a log 
house, which was burned, and in 1875, his second 
house was destroyed by fire, after which he erected 
■ his present frame house. In October, 18.56, he 
married Miss Alice O'Brien, and tbey have had 
four children, Mary A., Joseph, Ellie, who died in 
18(i9, aged eight years, and John. 

Simeon P. Case, one of the pioneers of this 
township, was born in Ohio on the 9th of Septem- 
ber, 1825, and when three years of age removed 
with his parents to Grant county, Indiana, where 
he received his education, and when twenty years 
old learned the carpenter trade. Miss E. J. Owens 
1 ecame his wife in 1848, and in 185(;. he came to 
Minnesota, taking land in Wells, section three. In 
■Vugust, 1864, he enlisted in the Eleventh Minne- 
;ota Volunteer Infantry, Company D., went South 
and served till June, 18(55, when he received an 
honorable discharge and returned home. In 18(i9 
he removed to Faribault, but in 1876, came again 
to this township and located on sectit>n twenty- 
seven. He has had nine children, six of whom are 
living ; Elias P., William L,, Mary C, Martha A., 
Rose A., and Elroy E. 

John Wesley Cowan, one of the early settlers 
in this town, was born in Bourbon county, Ken- 
tucky, on the 25th of March, 1807, and was reared 
on a farm. In 1833, he removed to Jefferson coun- 
ty, Indiana, where, in 1839, Miss Elizabetli Bu- 
chanan became his wife. In 1854, he removed to 
Des Moines county, Iowa, where he spent the 
winter, and in the spring of 1855, came to Kice 
county, and on the 14th of ]\)ay staked out a claim 
in Wells on section twenty-two. He cleared about 
twenty acres of land and built a log house, in 



which he lived seven yoar.^, then sold and pur- 
chased the northeast quarter of the same section. 
He has cleared sixty acres of land, and in 1867, 
built his present frame house. He was the first 
Collector for the town. Mi-, and iMrs. Cowan have 
liad eleven children, six of whom are living, An- 
drew B., Martha, Elizabeth, Enoch C, Ann, and 
Lucinda. Andrew B. was born in Jefferson county, 
Indiana, in 1841, and has always made his home 
with his parents. He enlisted in .\ugnst, 1862, in 
the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Com- 
pany B, went West to the frontier, where he re- 
mained two years: was then ordered South, and 
was with the regiment till the clo.se of the war. 
He was honorably discharged in June, 1865, and 
immediately returned home. He has lieen Town 
Treasurer several terms, and has also filled other 
offices. 

Jean Louis Ch.\vee was born in Belgium on 
the the 27th of December, 1820, and learned the 
trade of harness making of his fatlier, also worked 
on the farm. In 1858, he came to America, landed 
at New York, and from thence moved to Minne- 
sota, locating in Wells on section nineteen, where 
he still resides on a farm. He first built a log 
house, then a frame house, and is now making 
preparations to build one of brick. In 1861, he 
married Miss M. Mahagnoul, and they have four 
children, Mary, .Jaines L., Mary Antoinette, and 
.Terome M. A. 

Francis CHArD.A.LAiN Decolette is a native of 
Canada, born in December, 1827, and was reared 
on a farm. When twenty years old he emigrated 
to America, went to Stockbridge, Massachu.setts, 
then to Douglas, where he engaged in an axe 
manufactory lor six years, and returned to 
Canada. In 1857, he came to tliis county and 
bought land in Wells, section nineteen, built a log 
hou.se in which he lived till 1874, when it was de- 
stroyed by fire. He then erected his present frame 
house. He was married in July, 1858, to Miss 
Felicty Duchene, who has borne him nine chil- 
dren, eight of whom are living; Mary, Alexander, 
Susan, Lucy,' Sherraffin, Lewis, Emma, and 
Felicty. 

Joseph Deokay was born in France, just across 
the line from Geneva, Switzerland, im the 22d of 
February, 1830. He was reared on a farm and 
learned the stone mason trade. On the 7th of De- 
cember, 1855, he started fi,>r America and after a 
very stormy passage, arrived at New York on the 



500 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



28th ot February, 3856, went to Ohio, thence to 
Kentucky and in a few mouths canK? to St. Paul, 
Minnesota. He then came to Rice county and lo- 
cated a claim in Wheatland in section thirty-one, 
where he remained until 1874, then purchased a 
farm in Wells on section seventeen, where he now 
resides. Bliss Louisa Brognard became his wife 
in 1871, and they have one child, Dinah Alber- 
tiua. 

Daniel Dillon was born in Ireland, in April, 
1855, and when eight years old came to America 
with his father. They landed at Quebec, then 
came to Ohio, where they remained until the 
spring of 1857, then to Wisconsin, and in 1860, 
removed to Minnesota. They located in Wells, 
where his father bought land on section eleven, 
but soon sold that and bought on section two. 
where he remained until his death in July, 1873, 
his wife dying the previous November. In 1866, 
Daniel went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and soon 
after engaged on a steamboat running on the 
Mississippi River, and followed that employment 
for eight years being mate the last four years. In 
1870, "he "Inarried Miss Bridget Devyer. Their 
children are: Mamie, Agnes, Thersa, Maggie, 
Julia, Rose, and Johnnie. In 1877, he built his 
brick liouse on the old homestead, and in 1879, 
added to his land by purchasing in section two. 

William Hassinger was born in Germany on 
the 10th of February, 1836. He attended school 
until eighteen years of age and then devoted his 
time to agricultural pursuits. In 1858, he came 
to America, landed at New York and removed to 
Wisconsin, settling in Winnebago county, where, 
in 1864, he married Miss Mary Hart, a native of 
Enghind. In the spring of 1867, he came to Min- 
nesota and bought a tract of land in Wells, sectitm 
twelve, where he erected a log house in which he 
lived until 1881, then built his present frame resi- 
dence. He has had four children; .Tohn William, 
who was born in May, 1865, and died in April, 
1871 ; Nellie L., Alice A., and Frank G. Mr. Has- 
singer was Clerk of his school district twelve years 
and is the present Assessor for the town. 

A. C. Jddd was born in Tompkins county, New 
York, on the 10th of April, 1828, where he at- 
tended school and worked on the farm. In 1844, 
he removed with his parents to Wisconsin, and lo- 
cated in Kenosha county, making his home with 
them until seventeen years old. In 1849, he 
bought a farm in Cohimbia county and in 1850, 



married Miss Lucinda Squier. One year later he 
sold his farm and purchased one in Marquette 
county on an Indian reservation, where he re- 
mained two years and for the ensuing seven years 
owned and lived on a farm near by. In 1860, he 
came to Wells, and has since resided in the town- 
ship, first on section twenty-eight, then worked a 
prairie farm, and his present home is on section 
thirty-tliree. He has seven children; Matilda, 
Martin, Fred, Asa, George, Nettie, and Eva. 

William Klatt is a native of Germany, born 
the 8th of May, 1838, and attended school until 
fourteen years old, then worked on the farm. In 
1873, he married Miss Wilhelmina Kuster and the 
next year they emigrated to America, lauded at 
New York, and came directly to this county, buy- 
ing a farm in Wells, section sixteen. In 1879, he 
built his present house. Mr. and Mrs. Klatt have 
six children; Otto, Annie, Amelia, Helena, Wil- 
liam, and Emil. 

John Kranske was born in Germauv on the 9th 
of January, 1842, and reared to agricultural pur- 
suits. In 1869, he came to America and directly 
to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he engaged on 
vessels in the harbor and at work in a brick yard. 
In 1870, he married Bliss Wilhelmina Hobenttans, 
and in 1874, came to Faribault, engaged on the 
railroad, and remained until 1877. then removed 
to Wells which is still his home. They have six 
children; Freddie, Annie, Blinnie, Emma, Eddie, 
and Willie. 

Vincent Lieb is a native ot France, born the 
20th of August, 1834, and after attending school 
learned the shoemaker's trade, working at that un- 
til 1852. He then came to America and located 
near Beloit, Wisconsin, where he engaged in 
farming one year and then worked at his trade. 
In 1857, he came to Forest, Rice county, and lo- 
cated a claim, biit in a few months went to Fari- 
bault, and subsequently started a shoe shop there. 
In 1858, he married Bliss Elizabeth Hayward and 
in 1866, bought a farm in Wells, where he has 
since resided. BIr. and BIrs. Lieb have had ten 
children, eight ot whom are living; Mary, George, 
Frank, .Joseph, Annie, Nellie, Bertha, and Vincent. 
Two died in infancy. 

CoNELns BIahont, a native ot Louisville. Ken- 
tucky, was born in April, 1847, and removed witli 
his parents to Texas in 1854. That State not be- 
ing suited to their idea for a home they removed 
to Minnesota and located in Wabasha, where they 



M'E/J.S TOWNSHIP. 



501 



were among tbe first settlers. In 1857, they oaine 
to Shieldsville ami in 1863, Oonelus enlisted in 
tlie army, but was rejected on account of his 
youth; he again enlisted in 1864, in the First Min- 
nesota Heavy Artillery, Coupany 0, went to the 
South and served till the 17th of June, 1865, when 
he receive.! an honorable discharge and returned 
home. In 1864, he purchased land in Wells, sec- 
tion thirty, and in 1867, married Miss Catharine 
Burkly, who has borne him five children; William, 
Daniel, Catharine, Agnes, and Cornelius. In 1880, 
he erected his present frame house. 

B. Mehagnoul was born in Belgium in Decem- 
ber, 1829, and there received his education, being 
reared on a farm. In 1857, he emigrated to 
America, came directly to Rice county, Minnesota, 
and bought land in Wells, section thirty. He 
built a log house and lived there till 1861, then 
sold out and removed to section twenty-nine. He 
was joined in marriage in 1861, with Miss Mary 
Joachim. They have seven children; Mary, Ma- 
loney, Julia, Louis, Annie, Emil, and Ellen. 

E. McCuLLOUCin was born in Northern Vermont 
on the 7th of November, 1831, and when quite 
young removed with his parents to St. Johns 
province of Quebec, Canada, where they remainetl 
a few years, then* returned to Vermont. When 
our subject was twenty years old he learned the 
cabinet maker's trade at Montpelier, served four 
years, then went to Monti'eal, Canada, and four 
years later to Chicago, working at his trade in 
both places. In 1855, he married Miss Madelia 
Marpvell, and two years later they removed to 
Faribault, where Mr. McCullough engaged at car- 
pentering. In 1873, he removed to Wells and set- 
tled on a farm which he had purchased a few years 
previous. He has had eight children, one of whom 
died in iufifncy. Those living are; John, Marga- 
ret, Annie, Willie, James, Henry, and Louisa. 

Clement Morow was born in the province of 
Quebec. Canada, on the 18th of July, 1846. In 
1857, he came to Faribault, where he engaged at 
brick making, mason work, etc. In 1867, he mar- 
ried Miss Mary St. Martin, and they have been 
bles.sed with two children, Clement and Norman. 
In 1870. he removed to Wells and located on sec- 
tion thirty-lwo, having cleared about fifty acres. 

RicH.\m> MuKPHY is a native of Ireland, and 
was born the 18th of March, 1827. He was reared 
to agricultural pursuits, and in 1849, emigrated to 
America, lauded at New York, from there went to 



Albany, and thence to Otsego county, where for 
two years he was engaged in farming. He then 
came to Beloit, Wisconsin, followed the same em- 
ph)yment imtil 1857, and removed to Jefferson 
county, making his home there until the spring of 
186'2, when he came to Faribault. In 1869, lie 
bought a farm in this township in section thirty- 
five, to which he removed the next year. He has 
improved the land, set out a grove, which is now 
a beautiful ornament to the place, and in 1875, 
built his present frame house. He was married in 
1852, to Miss Catharine Fleming, and they have 
seven children, George W., Frances M., Annie M., 
Andrew A., James .1., Kichard .!., and Alice M. For 
several years Mr. Murphy w;is a member of the 
board of Supervisors besides having held other of- 
fices of trust in the place, but for the past two years, 
because of failing health, he takes no part in outside 
affairs, his time being occupied with his farm and 
family interests. 

John Mcekat, a native of Ireland, was born in 
1819, and reared on a farm. He worked at the 
carpenter trade in his native country until 1850, 
then came to America and engaged at the same 
employment in New York. In 1853, Miss May 
Ann Callahan became his wife, and in the fall of 
1854, he came to Minnesota, spent the winter in 
Minneapolis, then came to Faribault, and two 
weeks later to Red Wing, where he engaged lo 
work on bridges for the government. In the fall 
he was engaged at the same occupation across the 
Snake and Kettle rivers, and in the spring of 1856 
returned to Faribault, was employed on the Cath- 
olic church, and the next fall removed to Wells and 
pre-empted land in section one. He built a claim 
shanty of logs, engaged in clearing the land, and 
in 1863, erected his present dwelling. He has had 
ten children, eight of whom are living, Josie, James 
M., Nellie S., John F., Lucy A., Mary F., Alice L., 
and Willie P. Those dead are Mary, who died in 
1866, twelve years of age, and Julia M., who died 
in infancy, in 1868. 

Caristian Meillier was born in France on the 
12th of .July, 1831, attended school and was reared 
on a farm. In 1854, he emigrated to America, 
located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and in one 
year moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he 
remained but six months, then came to Dodge 
cimnty, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming. In 
1860,Miss Margaret Des Lurzes became his wife. In 
October, 1861, he enlisted in the Tenth Wisconsin 



502 



HISTORY OF RIOE COUNTY. 



Yoluntser Infiiutry, Company B, went south to 
Kentucky and Tennossee, where they were first 
under Buell and then Boseorans. From the hitter 
State he went to Alabama, and thence to Atlanta, 
Georgia, where he joined Sherman, and remained 
till October, 1804, when he was honorably dis- 
charged at Milwaukee. In January, 1855, he 
came to Faribault and in February to Wells, where 
he bought a farm of eighty acres on section four- 
teen. He now has one hundred and eighty acres 
of land, eighty in timber and the balance 
well cultivated, with good buildings. He has 
had a family of four children, Fabian, Helene, 
Jules, who died iu infancy, and Mathilde. 

Edw.vkd a. Okne was born in Carroll county. 
New Hampshire, on the 28th of March, 184-3, and 
reared on a farm. When sixteen years old he 
learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked 
one year, anil went to Salem, Massachusetts,where 
he engaged in driving team, thence to Chelsea and 
then back to the former place. From there he 
went to Canada, engaged in the hardware busi- 
ness two years, tijen removed to Boston and in a 
short time came to Faribault and has since been 
engaged iu moving buildings, hiring the work 
done in the city while he resides on a farm in this 
township, in section twenty-six. In 1881, he 
bought a piece of land on section twenty-seven 
rud now has a farm of two hundred and eighty 
acres. He has been twice riarried; first to Miss 
Melviua White, on the 15th of June, 1863. They 
had three children; Kual Edward, Fred D., and 
Wiufield Scott. Mrs. Orne died the 22d of Febru- 
ary, 1869, thirty-eight years of age. His present 
wife was formerly Miss Elbina Whitehouse, whom 
he married in 1870. They have four children; 
Mabel, Herbert F., William H., and Walter. Mr. 
Orne has taken a great interest iu town affairs and 
has held many local offices. 

John H. Passon, one of the pioneers of Rice 
county, was born in Darke county, Ohio, on the 
9th of July, 1830. He attended school until 
eighteen years old, then learned the millwright 
trade, serving three years and the last as foreman. 
He afterward engaged iu business for himself and 
in 1851, Miss Minerva A. French became his wife. 
In 1855, he came to this State and located in 
Wells in section twenty-three, soon sold that claim 
however, and took another in section ten, and im- 
mediately began to work at his trade. In August, 
1862, Mr. Passon enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota 



Volunteer Infantry, Company B, -went to the fron- 
tier and engaged in one battle and several skirm- 
ishes. In 1864, the regiment was ordered to Clif- 
ton, Tennes.see, from whence they went to Wash- 
ington by way of Cincinnati and thence to North 
Carolina and participated in the battle of Kinston, 
remaining till the close of the war. Our subject 
was discharged at Charlotte, North Carolina, and 
mustered out at Fort Snelling in July, 1845, then 
returned home. In 1866, he sold his former farm 
and bought in section fourteen, and ten years later 
built his present brick residence. In 1874, he was 
elected president of the Grange Mill comjiany and 
went to Faribault to build the mill. Mr. Passon 
has filled many local offices and represented his 
district in the Legislature. He has had five chil- 
dren, three of whom are living: Sarah F., Lenora, 
and Amy E. Arthur W., died in Indiana in 1855, 
three years of age, and Adaline M., in 1865, at the 
age of five years. 

W. H. Pease is a native of Madison county, New 
York, where he was reared on a farm, He was 
employed on the Erie canal eleven years and in 
1855, came to Minnesota, locating in Deerfield, 
Steele county, where he remained four years, then 
came to Faribault and engaged in farming and 
teaming. In the fall of 1860, he moved to Jack- 
son county and staked out a claim. In 1801, he 
enlisted iu the Fifth Iowa Cavalry, Company I, 
went South to Fort Henry and iu June, 1863, re- 
ceived an honorable discharge on account of dis- 
ability and returned to Faribault. There he en- 
gaged in Hill's factory one year and in a saw mill 
two years, after which he went to Koberds' Lake 
where he teamed for a time. In 1865, he married 
Miss Martha Davis and they have three children ; 
Carrie, James, and John. In 1870, he purchased 
laud in this township in section twenty-one, where 
he still resides, having built his present frame 
house in 1874. 

WiijMam RtiBERDS, deceased, one of the early 
settlers in this township, was boin in Ohio in 
1794, and reared to agricultural pursuits. In 
1828, he removed to Grant county, Indiana, where 
he was one of the first settlers. He bought a tim- 
ber farm of the government, cleared the laud, 
erected buildings, and made his home- there till 
1855, when he sold out and removed to Minnesota, 
located a claim in Wells, and built a saw-mill on 
the outlet of the lake that now bears his name. 
In 1856, ho erected a saw-mill, but in 1861, sold 



WELLS TOWXSHIP. 



503 



botU his mills and devoted his time to farming. 
Mr. Kobei'ds was twice married; his first wife was 
Miss Sarah Bennett, whom he married in 1815, 
and they were blessed with five children, (me of 
whom is living, and that wife is also dead. His 
second wife was Mrs. Sarah Cochran, widow of 
John Cochran, and they were married in 1S2(> 
The result of the luiion was seven children, five 
of whom are now living. Mrs. Roberds makes lier 
home with hor daughter, Mrs. T. B. Owens. Mr. 
Roberd's death was caused by injuries received 
from a tree which fell as he and a neighbor were 
passing. Death ensued two days after the acci- 
dent. 

.Tames Roach, a pioneer of this county, was 
born in Ireland in 1822, and grew to manhood on 
a farm. In 1842, he emigrated to America" 
went from New York City to Albanj', and 
thence to Builalo, where he remained two 
years, then went to Ohio and after farming 
two years, removed to Indiana. In 1854, Miss 
Catharine Lawler became bis wife. Two years 
later he came to Minnesota with two horses, a yoke 
of o.xen, and a wagon, driving the entire distance, 
and located in Shieldsville, where he bought one 
hundred and sixty acres of land. He cleared some 
of the land, but in 1864, sold out and bought in 
section fourteen in this township; ba.« added to it, 
and now owns a farm of one hundred and seventy- 
three acres. He has had five children, all sons, 
but one of whom is living, Thomas. 

Patrick Ryan is a native of Ireland, born in 
1828, and reared to agricultural pursuits. In 
1846, he emigrated to America, lauded at Quebec 
and went from there to Ogdensburg.New York,two 
years later to Columbia, Ohio, and thence to Tor_ 
onto, Canada, in three years. He next removed 
to Medina, New York, worked on the Erie canal 
one winter, then came to Wisconsin. In 1856, he 
married Miss Mary Ryan and in 1857, they came 
to Minnesota. He purchased two acres in Fari- 
bault, but sold it in 1864, and bought a farm in 
Wells, section fourteen, building his present frame 
house in 1879. He has had ten children; Johr;, 
Johanna, James, Mary E., Katie, who was born in 
June, 1865, and died the 2Uth of April. 1880: 
Michael, Francis, Agnes, Daniel, Etta and Cora. 

James G. Scott, an early settler in this county^ 
dates liis birth at Trenton, New Jersey, on the 24t!i 
of October, 1824. His father purchased a fruit 
farm, on which they remained till in 1836, then 



went to Ohio, where .Tames learned the cabinet mak- 
ers' trade. He then went to Wisconsin and worked 
at the busine.ss in Burlington, remaining till the 
fall of 1849, thence to Monroe, and in the spring 
started for California with five wagons and twenty- 
five horses. They made the trip in five months^ 
remaining in Salt Lake City two weeks, from there 
to Sacremento, where oxrr subject lived until 1854, 
then returned home by way of Norfolk, Virginia, 
thence to Chicago, and from there to Monroe. He 
subseqently visited Kansas, Nebraska, and Mis- 
souri, and settled in Rice county, Minnesota, on 
the 19th of June, 1854. He located in Faribault, 
building the first saw-mill that was built on the 
west side of the Mississippi in this State, pre- 
empted land on the east side of Straight River 
and commenced to build a saw-mill on the oppo- 
site shore, which he run in company with his 
brother till 1856. They sold out and opened an 
office for the sale of land warrants and did a gen- 
eral brokerage business. When the land otEce 
was moved Mr. Scott went to Wisconsin and pur- 
chased eight hundred and ninety-six sheep, con- 
veyed them to his farm, and engaged in sheep 
raising. In 18()2, Miss L. A. Wood became his 
wife, and the fruits of the union are two children; 
Mary and Walter. In 1871, he traded his farm 
for the Roljerds' Lake Mill pro])erty, and the nest 
year erected a saw-mill. Mr. Scott has been a 
pioneer in three States, and voted for the admis- 
sion of Wisconsin, California and Minnesota. 
He was a County Commissioner for this county 
from 1871 to 1874. 

Friedeicu Selzwedel was born in Germany on 
the 9th of May, 1831, and his younger days were 
spent at school and on a farm. In 1859, Miss 
Minnie Braiin became his wife, and they have 
tliree children; Willie, Freddie and Anna. In 
1868, they came to America and directly to Mani- 
towoc, Wisconsiu.where Mr.Selzwedel was employed 
on vessels in the harl)or. He then went to Min- 
nesota Lake, from there to Owatonna and thence to 
Faribault, where he engaged on the railroad. He 
bought property in the city but in 1873, traded it 
for land in Wells on section twenty, and erected 
his present house. He has been a member of the 
Methodist church fifteen years, and is at present 
superintendent of the Saljbath school. 

John L. Squtee, one of the pioneers of this 
county, was born in Washington county. New 
York, on the 9th of April, 1811, and removed to 



504 



HISTORY OF RICE GOUNTT. 



Mouroe county with his parents when he was sev- 
enteen years old. In 1837, he went to Pennsylva- 
nia, bought a farm in Crawford county, where he 
lived two years, then returned to New York, and 
in ISi-t, came to Marquette county, Wisconsin. 
He purchased a farm on which he resided eleven 
years, then sold out and bought a saw mill at 
Harrisville, on Montello River, which he disposed 
of in the spring of 1855, and came to Minnesota, 
locating in Wells on a claim in section thirty-four, 
building first a frame house, but in 1872, erected 
his present frame house. Mr. Squier was first 
married in 1832, to Miss Eoxanna Howard, who 
bore him eight children, three of them now liv- 
ing; Lucinda, Chauncey, and John H. She died 
on the 5th of April, 1850, thirty-eight years of 
age. His present wife was formerly Miss Abbie J. 
Scoville. They have six children; Leonard, Emer- 
son, Dennis, Charlie, Elma, and Stella. 

Mark Wells is a native of Deerfield, Franklin 
county, Massachusetts, where his birth occurred 
the 29th of December, 1829. He was reared to 
agricnltural pursuits and when twenty-one years 
old removed to Hampshire county and learned the 
broom maker's trade. In 1853, he came with a 
colony to St. Paul, and then on to Faribault, only 
five of the number reaching that place, the rest 
becoming disheartened remained in St. Paul. He 
located on section thirty-five in Wells on what is 
now known as the Mary Burgett farm, but soon 
moved to the city and engaged at his trade. He 
was married on the 15th of November, 1858, to 
Miss Orpha L. Haskins who has borne him four 
children, one of whom is dead. In 1863, Mr. 
Wells enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer 
Infantry, Company B, serving two years and 
eight months. 

Clakk T. Winans, one of the pioneers of Rice 
county, was born in Chemung county. New York, 
in 1824. He was married to Miss C. A. Winans in 
1848, and in 1856, came to Minnesota, settling in 
Warsaw. In 1857 and '58, he was engaged in 
business in Faribault. In 1860, he exchanged his 
farm for timber land in Wells, upon which he 
now resides. 

Nicholas O. Winans was born in Chemling 
county, New York, on the 30th of August, 1830, 
and attended a district school. In 1842, the family 
removed to Illinois and settled in Aurora, where 
our subject afterward engaged in the hardware 
business. In 1857, he married Miss Martha Ken- 



dal, and the same year sold out and came to Fari- 
bault where he engaged iu a provision store. In 
1872, he bought a farm on section twenty-six in 
this township, and immediately began to improve 
it, building his present house the same year. He 
has three children; Clarke, Richard, and John. 

Theodore F. Winslow was born in Chattar- 
augus county, New York, on the 24th of Decem- 
ber, 1844. In 1861, the family came to Minnesota 
and located in Freeborn county where the father 
pre-empted land, built a house and lived until 1873, 
when he sold and removed to Faribault. In 1878, 
Theodore bought a tract of land in Wells, section 
twenty-seven, and moved on it in the fall of that 
year. He has improved it and built a good house. 
In 1879, Miss Mary Atkin became his wife and 
the issue of the union is two children; Minnie M., 
and Albert L. 

Chakles Wood, a pioneer of this county, was 
born in Randolph, Vermont, on the 1st of August, 
1811. His father died at Burlington when Charles 
was one year and a half old. He began hard 
manuel labor when very young, and when four- 
teen years of age learned the cooper's trade. In 
1832, Miss Placentia Atherton became his wife. 
She was a native of Waterbury, Vermont, born the 
24th of October, 1810. In August, 1832, they 
started West, went from Burlington to Whitehall, 
then to Rochester, New York, where for two years 
he was engaged in coopering and selling dry 
goods and notions, thence to Greenfield, Michi- 
gan, one year later to Grand Rapids, and then to 
Crete, Illinois. In two years he removed to Joliet 
where he operated a sawmill on shares a number of 
years then returned to Crete. In 1850, Mr. Wood 
went to California by land, making the trip in 
four months, but soon returned on account of sick- 
ness, and in 1854, came to this State and pre- 
empted land in Rice county, at the junction of 
Cannon and Straight Rivers, and engaged in farm- 
ing. In 1856, he built the first bridge across 
Straight River and in the fall one across the Can- 
non River. He was county Sheriflin 1856, also 
served two years as Collector and represented his 
district in the Legislature for the same length of 
time. In 1860, he bought a farm in Morristown 
and in 1863, an interest in Roberds" Lake Mill 
property; sold that in five years and jmrchased 
lots in town. His children are, Jane, tTauet, Har- 
riet, Viola, Lucia, and Charlie D. His wife died 
in April, 1876, two children having died be- 
fore her. Mr. Wood makes his home with his son- 
in-law, J. Cr. Scott, iu Wells. 



ir.iA'.s.iir rowysiiip. 



505 



AV AK.^AW 



CHAPTER LX. 

DESCRIPTIVE EARLY SETTLEMENT EARLY EVENTS 

TOWN GOVERNMENT — WARSAW DURING THE WAR 

MANUFACTTJEING —CEMETERIES EDUCATIONAL 

WARSAW VILLAGE — ^LAKE CITY VILLAGE — BIO- 
GRAPHICAL. 

Warsaw towuship lies along the soutlieru 
boundary of Rice county, beiug separated 
from the western boundary by one town. 
Its ooutiguous surroundings are Wells, Wal- 
cott, and Morristown, wntli Kteele county on 
the south. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 
railroad passes through two sections in the north- 
eastern part, making it one. of the railroad towns 
of the county. 

In the northeastern part the city limits 
of Faribault embrace the north half of sec- 
tion one, leaving" 22,720 acres to comprise the area 
of the town. Of this about 2,000 acres are cover- 
ed with water. The Cannon river winds its pow- 
erful course diagonally through the northwestern 
part of the town, entering from Morristown 
through section eighteen, and ik'>wing northeast- 
erly forms Cannon Lake, and leaves the town by 
way of section four and enters Wells. BIcKen- 
zie's creek, named in honor of Alex. Mc- 
Kenzie, an early settler, a stream of considerable 
importance, finds its source south of the town line 
and winds its tortuous way northward through the 
center of the town, until its waters mingle with 
those of Cannon Lake. A small stream with the 
non-aesthetic appellation of Mud Creek, infringes 
on the southeast corner, and hastening its course 
through sections thirty-five, thirty-six and twenty- 
five, empties into Straight River iu Walcot towu- 
ship. Dry Creek rises in Shieldsville and flows 
through the northwest corner on its way to Cannon 
Lake. The name this stream bears was evidently 
not given to characterize it, as the creek is scarce- 
ly ever dry. this, howev^i-, to a speculative mind. 



will illustrate a point in one of the idiosyncrasies 
of mankind. 

Cannon Lake is the largest and most beautiful 
lake in Rice county, and covers about 1,451 acres. 
It extends almost across the northwest quarter of 
the town, embracing portions of sections thirty- 
four, seven, eight, nine, and ten. It is about four 
miles long and from one-half to one mile in width, 
being about 25 feet deep at the utmost The 
lake abounds with all local species of fish, and ia 
early days this was made regular and oft-fre- 
ijuented hunting and fishing grounds by the 
Aboriginies, if such Indians may be termed. 
Many of the old settlers can call to mind occasions 
when there were as many as two hundred tee-pees 
on the shores of the lake, while the dusky skinned 
hunters were laying in winter supplies. The lake 
was originally named by the Indians, "Te-ton-ka 
To-nah," or the Lake of the Village, and it bore 
this name for a number of j'ears. The story is 
told, and we give it as a legend, that after the name 
above given had been bestowed upon the lake by 
the Indians, a small colony of Frenchmen were 
driven by the red skins to the river, and they took 
to canoes. The colonists had been prepared for 
an emergency of this kind, and were supplied with 
fire arms, besides having a small cannon in one of 
the canoes. They were not, however, able to cope 
with their pursuers, and in attempting to pass the 
Cannon Falls, the canoe containing the cannon 
became capsized and went to the bottom. Search 
was made, and tlie Indians became superstitous in 
regard to it, as thev were unable to find theslisrht- 
est trace of the lost gun. Since that time the river 
has always been known as Cannon River, and the 
lake being formed by it took the same name. 

The soil of the township is mostly a dark loam, 
of about two feet deep, and a yellow clay subsoil, 
of about four feet, beneath which is a clay of a 
bluish color. This partains particularly to the 
timbered portions of the town. The prairie laud 



506 



HISTORY OF RWE COUNTY. 



is made up of a dark loam from eight inches to a 
foot in tliickuess, with a yellow clay subsoil, un- 
derneath which is a bed of gravel or sand. 

Aliout one-fourth of the township is made up of 
timber lan<l, and the balance prairie, which is now 
the richest farniiug laud iu the State. The heavy 
timber consists of the well-known and common 
varieties, as red, black, and burr oak, rock elm. 
maple, basswood, and willow. 

The Cannon Valley railway line was surveyed 
through the town of Warsaw in the year 1872, and 
f )llows the bank of the lake, but for some reason 
tlie matter remained at this point until 1882, 
when work commenced on the line in earnest. 
This road is treated more fully on another page. 

A report from this township published in 1868, 
says: '-The larger portion of Warsaw is prairie, 
with occasional groves iu the southern and middle 
portion, and a heavy body of timber belonging to 
and a part of tlie Big Woods, on the Cannon 
Eiver, iu the uortheru part. It has within its 
limits 21,000 acres of taxable lands, exclusive of 
town lots. The Canuon Lake occupies about 1,- 
400 aci'es of the northern portion of its area. It 
has also 320 acres of school lands unsold, and one 
forty of railroad land. There is a considerable 
portion of the land of this towu owned by non- 
residents til at can be Vjought for from S5 to $25 
per acre. Its inhabitants are chiefly American, 
Irish and German, with a majority of the first 
named over all others." 

Tlie statement as to naticmality of the inhabi- 
tants is applical)le to the present time, the Ameri- 
cans having increased more rapidly than the other 
classes. The unsold lands mentioned have now all 
been transfoi'med into fertile and productive 
farms, while the price of land varies from .'i?25 per 
acre upwartis. 

As to values in Warsaw, the amount of property, 
real and personal, as given to the census takers iu 
1870, was »615,545,of which $42.5,970 represented 
the real, and .'i?18i).575 the personal property. The 
as.ssess(^d valuation for the same year was, $205,- 
500. The as.sesspd valuation in 1882, amounted to 
.S31(),331, of which $59,205 represented the per- 
sonal, and 8257,126 the real property; showing an 
increase in assessed value of $110,831. The popu- 
latiim of Warsaw iu 1860, was 550; in 1865, 718; 
in 1870, 1,000; and in 1880, the last census, 1,150. 



EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

The earliest infringement by settlers in this 
town took place in 1853, and when started its .set- 
tlement was rapid and constant until all the gov- 
erument land within its borders was taken. When 
the first exploration by white men took place, it is 
impossible to state, as this had been the pathway 
and trading land of the Faribaults for years before 
the advent of actual settlers. The town being re- 
splendent with natural advantages and beautifying 
works of nature, when once starteil the settlement 
became irrepressble. 

It is said that in the fall of 1826, Mr. Alexan- 
der Faribault established a trading post at the 
foot of the lake now known as Cannon Lake, but 
then called, in the language of the Dacotahs' 
'■Tetonka Touah," or Lake of the Village. Nearly 
ten years afterwards, this trading post was removed 
three miles eastward and established at the pres- 
ent site of the town of Faribault. After this, from 
the date of the removal, 1836, until early in the 
fifties, this neighborhood was without a settler. 

In 1852, Alexander Faribault was in St. Paul on 
a trip for business purposes and met Mr. Peter 
Bush, a blacksmith, and hired him to go to Fari- 
bault and work. Mr. Bush was a Canadian 
Frenchman, and after considering the matter, de- 
cided to accept, and at once came to Faribault and 
became a resident of Eice county. He remained 
in Fariijault the following winter, at work for Mr. 
Faribault. In the spring of the year following 
(1853), he decided to secure a claim and finally 
made his way into Warsaw and selected one of the 
finest farms in the county, on section three, at the 
foot of Tetonka Tonah, or Cannon Lake. Here he 
remained for a number of years, and became 
prominent in the early settlement of the county. 
A few years ago he began to show symptoms of 
a deranged mind, and he was finally, in July, 
1881, placed in the State asylum. 

The same year as the above arrival, N. N. Graves 
made his appearance and secured a habitation one 
mile and a half west of Bush, where he yet re- 
mains. This was the extent to which the town 
was settled this year, and the winter jjassed with 
but two settlers there. 

The next year, however, the beautiefKand advan- 
tages of the Cannon Kiver country began to be 
hei-alded abroad, and the prospective settlers be- 
gan to file in slowly, it is true, at first, but still 
civilation took a perceptible stride, and this year 



It'.'l liS.lW TOWNSniP. 



507 



(1854,) olironieloil tho arrivals of Edward Hollis- 
ter aud Henry Dawa who came and located near 
the lake. The former was a native of New York 
and still resides in the village of Warsaw where he 
is Postmaster; the latter was an Englishman, and 
remained until 1880, when the grim cluti^hes of 
death seized him aud he was called hence. 

About the same time cams Peter Dalconr and 
planted his stakes on section forir, where he still 
flourishes. 

Thomas Blaekborn was another who availed 
himself of the opportunity and secured himself a 
habitation. He, however, only remained a few 
years, when he pulled up stakes and replanted 
them in the town of Morristown, where he has 
since been buried. His family still live in Morris- 
town. 

In 1855, the arrivals were more numerous, aud 
among them we notice, J. B. Wait, who is still 
living on section twenty-eight. 

F. Weatherhead drifted iu and secured a claim 
in section eighteen, and was afterward one of the 
proprietors of Warsaw village. 

Dr. Charles Jewett made his appearance and 
selected a claim on section twelve, where he re- 
mained a few years, and returned to New England, 
from whence he came. 

Thomas Sjjrague arrived in the town iu 1851, 
and almost immediately retraced his steps to St. 
Paul for provisions, but taking sick on the road, he 
died sh irtly after his re-arrival in the town. This 
occurred in the spring of 1855, and was the first 
death iu Warsaw. 

Others came in very rapidly, and a year fi'om 
this time all the government land was taken. The 
prominent ones are noted elsewhere. 

E.\RIjV f:VENTSOF INTEREST. 

The first birth in Warsaw took place on the '24th 
of November, 1854, being a son of Thomas aud 
Desire Blaekborn, and the child was named Wil- 
liam H. 

The first marriage solemnized was on the 2f)th 
of August, 1855; the high contracting parties 
were Sarah Ann, eldest daiighter of Mr. and Mrs. 
Elias Gilhou.seu, to Alexander McKenzie. T'.o 
affair took place at the residence of the bride's 
parents on section seven, the knot being tied by 
Charles Crump, Esq. Another early marriage 
was that of Peter Dalcour to Miss Lucia Wtiolett, 
on the 7th of December, 1857. 

The T )WN' Name. — Iu 1858, at the organiza- 



tion, considerable difliculty was encountered in nam- 
ing the town. Dr. (!harles Jewett, a prominent 
citizen, was i)res(Mit and insisted, and took the 
stumj) to declare, that he had a wealthy friend in 
Massachusetts by the name of Sargent, and if the 
citizens would name the town Sargent, he ( Sar- 
gent ) would move to tbe town and make it his 
future home, besides building a town hall and 
donating S5(tO to the public fund. As there was 
already a Post-office in the town named Warsaw, 
in honor of a town in N(^w York, from whence a 
number of the early settlers had come, it was but 
natural that a great many favored that name, but 
after listening to the appeals of Dr. .Jewett, the 
feeling changed pereej)tibly, and upon the matter 
being put to a vote, five ballots were found in 
favor of Warsaw aud five timers that numlier favor- 
ing the name of Sargent. It was accordingly de- 
clared to be Sargent township. This was the cap- 
tion until 18()4', when as nothing had been seen or 
heard of the rich man Sargent, the citizens of tiie 
town decided to re-name it, and accordingly had a 
bill passed by the Legislature iu 1864, changing 
the name from Sargent to AVarsaw. 

Bully Wells. — This peculiar and eccentric 
character, although living just over the town line 
in Wells township, was more or less connected 
with the growth and development of Warsaw. He 
was a very peculiar and rough sjjoken man, and 
was always ready for a trade, although if his best 
friend asked to buy an article of hiju, he always 
replied that "he did not keep such things to sell," 
and made a present of it. He lived a short dis- 
tance north of Peter Bush's residence in Lake 
City, and for a year or more they were the only 
neighbois in the township. Wells, being a man 
of considerable means, would have his joke at any 
price. On one occasion, Peter Bush, being a 
blacksmith, had run up quite a bill for iron in St. 
Paul, and Wells, without saying a word to Bush, 
stepped into the place where the latter dealt and 
paid the iron bill. When Bush got his pay from 
the Indians he was doing work for, he went to St. 
Paid, and on telling them he was ready to pay hia 
bill, received the reply that he had no bill to pay, 
and an explanation of the matter. Bush at once 
returned, and going to Wells told him he wanted 
to settle with him; Wells obstinately refused to 
have anything to do with him, aud informed him 
that if he "hung around any longer spouting such 
nonsense he would lead him home." 



508 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Upon another occasion Bully was over at Bush's 
house, and Mis. Bush told him that she had been 
offered SGO for a batch of honey by Faribault. 
Wells said it must be a pretty nice lot, and asked 
to see it. Upon being shown the lump, he remarked 
that he guessed he could make good us of it him- 
self, and thereupon loaded it np and took it home 
without saying a word in regard to pay. Things 
ran along for several days, nothing being said in 
regard to it. Finally he went over to Bush's and 
inquired if they did not need a cow; on being 
answered in the affirmative, he immediately went 
home and sent his hired man back with a cow, a 
load of hay, and $%i) in cash, with the remark that 
he guessed that would balance the honey. 

He was also bound to be called Bully Wells, 
and on one occasion ordered a man off from his 
place for calling him "Mr." Wells, saying he was 
"Bully" or nothing. 

Peter Dalcour and the Indian Ponies. — 
Peter Dalcour, of whom mention has already been 
made, was not accustomed to frontier life, and 
could not get to understand the Indians. On one 
bright spring morning he discovered a number of 
the Indian ponies in the meadow destroying the 
hay and grass. He went down and tried to keep 
them off, but could not succeed, and getting ex- 
cited he went to the house, got his rifle, and com- 
ing back commenced blazing away at them. It 
was whiz, bang, and when he quit firing he had 
killed fifteen pimies and twenty-five dogs. The 
Indians did ilot resent this fearful slaughter, but 
the following spring one of them presented Dal- 
cour with a huge butcher k;iife, and he said he 
supposed it was to pay tor the destroyed hay, and 
as a token of future friendship and regard. This 
occurred on the farm of Peter Bush while Dalcour 
was working for him. 

Mdrdeb. — In the spring of 1874. Jacob Steok- 
ner, while out hunting ducks, found the body of 
his father, John Steckner, at the foot of Cannon 
Lake, in a condition that proved undoubtedly that 
he had been murdered. The deceased was a 
Pennsylvauia German, aged about fifty-five years, 
and it was proven that he had left the Lake Hotel 
and driven across the ice in company with another 
party, having about S30 in his pockets. This was 
the last seen of him until he was found silent in 
the arms of grim deatli. The bead was battered 
in a horrible manner, and a club lying near by 
covered with the gcre of the victim, proving, be- 



yond a doubt, that there had been foul play, but 
as no testimony could be brought forward sufficient 
to convict, the matter still remains a mystery — 
and will until the old prophesy of "murder will 
out" proves itself true. 

Dr. Charles Jewett, who is prominently men- 
tioned in connection with the pioneer life in this 
county, fulfilled his mission on earth on the third 
day of April, 1879, at Norwich, Connecticut, of 
chronic enlargement of the heart, at the ripe age 
of three score years and twelve. His nativity was 
in Lisbon, Connecticut, on the 5th of Sejjtember, 
1807. He was educated at Plainfleld, studied 
medicine and graduated, and began the practice 
of his profession in East Greenwich at the age of 
twenty-two. In 1830. he was married to Miss 
Lucy A. Tracy, who survived him. He early went 
into the temperance work and was the agent of the 
Massachusetts Temperance Union, and was the 
best known total abstinence advocate in New Eng- 
land. He afterwards located in MilllMiry, Massa- 
chusetts, on a farm paid for by his temperance 
friends. Here he resided for five years, doing tem- 
perance work when wanted. In 1853, he went to 
Batavia, Illinois, where, in connection with other 
work he lectured on physiology in a school, which 
did riot prove to be a success, and, as himself and 
family suffered from chills and fever, he removed 
til Minnesota in the spring of 1855, locating in 
Warsaw, on section twelve, and remained for three 
years, when he returned to Massachusetts, at the 
urgent invitation of the temperance people. A 
part of the time during the war he was a resident 
of Menasha, Wisconsin, at work in the temjierance 
cause. In 1873, he removed to Norwich, Connec- 
ticut. He left a widow, four sons, and two daugh- 
ters. He was an earnest, amiable, talented, and 
true-hearted man, resjjected and beloved by all. 

TOWN GOVERNMENT. 

Pursuant to a notice issued by the Register of 
Deeds of Rice county, a town meeting was held at 
the Turner House in the village of Warsaw, on the 
11th of May, 185S, for the purpose of organizing 
the township and electing officers to guard public 
matters. There were in all eighty-two votes cast 
and the following were the officers elected : Super- 
visors, Miles Hollister, Chairman; Augustus John- 
son and D. W. Wood worth ;Clerk,Jolia McDonald; 
Assessor, John Goldthwait; Collector, George 
W. Friuk; Overseer of the Poor, Philander Griffith; 
Justices of the Peace, J. F. Weatherhead and 



WA i:sA w Towx.'^inp. 



509 



Cliarles Jewett, Jr. ; CoDstables, James O. Lamb 
aud J. H. Maiue. The temporary officers of this 
preliminary meeting were: J. F. Weatherhead, 
Chairman; D. W. Woodworth, Moderator; aud 
Miles Hollister, Clerls. 

The board at their first meeting, voted the snm 
of seventy-five dollars to defray town expenses 
during the ensuing year. 

Town matters in Warsaw have run along 
smoothly, the business of the public being in capa- 
l)le hands. At the last town meeting held at the 
Lake House Iti section three, on the lith of March, 
1S82, the following officers were elected: Super- 
visors, J. H. Austin, Chairman; G. W. Barton, 
and Ct. W. Aargetsinger; Clerk, Frank Evans; 
Treasurer, 0. H. Nichols; Assessor, W. H. Cheney; 
Justices of the Peace, Geo. W. Durham and P. 
Griffith; Constaliles, W. P. Griffith and Beruard 
Durham, Sr. 

Waks.iw During the War. — It is a matter of 
pride to the inhabitants of AVarsaw, and justly, 
tliat during the war of the rebellion tlieir quota 
was always filled without tlie necessity of force; 
true, one draft was made out, but the volunteers 
were furnished before it was enforced, and the 
town in one instance raised .fSOO to pay Charles 
Hagstrom to voluntarily enlist. There were, in 
all, forty-one volunteers, of whom four never rt- 
turned, but found graves in confederate soil, as 
follows: S. G. Randall, Edward Rible, Clark 
Turner, and Charles P. Hagstrom. Five of the 
volunteers are drawing pensions. 

AGEIOULTUEAL STATISTICS FOE THE XEAR 1881. 

Acres. Bitshdn. 

Wheat 3,800 57,.513 

Oats 803 31,180 

Corn 699 20,785 

Barley 62 1,790 

Buckwheat 6 110 

Potatoes 47 4,941 

Beans 2 82 

Sugar cane (gallons ) 9 1,332 

Cultivated hay (tons) 77K 1,128 

Wild hay " 1,382 

Timotliy seed (bush.) 60 

Clover seed " 299 

Apples •' 255 

Sheep, 910 ; wool, lbs 5,632 

Milch 0OW.S, 304; butter, lbs . . . 24,950 

Cheese, lbs 5,600 

Honey, " 881 



MANUFACTDRING. 

Tub Old Original Saw Mill. — This was the 
first saw-mill, or in fact any kiml of a mill, that 
was ever erected in the town. It was started in 
1855, by Chris Hershey in section eighteen, on 
Cannon River, near where the village of Warsaw 
now is. It was a good and substantial mill, its 
size being about 30x40 feet, aud the machinery 
cost about $3,000. It was equipped with an up- 
right saw, and the power was derived from the 
Caimou River through the medium of a flutter 
water wheel, having a capacity of about 3,000 feet 
per day. In 1857, stones and Hour making 
machiuery were added, and it was remodeled and 
a grist mill was run in connection with it until 
1862, when the dam was carried away by a flood 
aud the saw-mill portion was never rebuilt, the 
timbers being used for various purposes. 

In 1862, a grist-mill was put up on the old site, 
by Hollister, Frink & Co., the size of which was 
40x60 feet. This was continued by a numljer of 
firms until 1872, when it was destroyed by fire. 
Mr. Thompson next owned the site, and he, in 
1872, rebuilt the mill, putting in two run of 
stones, and en'Cting a building about 30x40 feet; 
he rau it for a time and turned it over to S. M. 
West, who in turn sold it to tbe Polar Star Mill 
Company, which firm operated it until it was 
burned iu 1880, and as yet it has not been re- 
built. 

lu 1869, an incorporated company was formed 
by Messrs. Edward and Miles HoUister, and D. C. 
and Orin Coates, as the Warsaw Steam Mill Com- 
pany, which erected a saw-mill on section seven, 
and put in a 56-inch circular saw; it was run 
by steam with a thirty-horse-power engine, and a 
capacity of about 7,000 feet per day. In 1876, 
the management changed to Coates it Snyder, 
under whose supervision the mill is still in opera- 
tion. The saw has worn down fnur inches, beiug 
now a fifty -two inch saw. 

Cheese Factoet. — In 1874, William Winter 
put up a two story 20x24 foot buildiug for a 
cheese factory on section twenty-four, and operated 
it until 1880, but as it did dot prove a sueces.s, it 
has been discontinued. 

Sorghum Mill. — A mill of this description was 
erected in 1870, by Henry Bickel on section four, 
and was run by horse-power, having a capacity of 
100 gallons per day. In 1878, the mill was re- 
modeled and a sixteen-horse-power steam cngiuf 



510 



lUSTORT OF RIOE COUNTY. 



jjlaced iu the establishment, and increasing the 
capacity to 400 gallons per day. This was moved 
io Morristown iu 1881. 

RICE (.'OrSTT TOOK F.iKM. 

This institution is located in section two, War- 
saw, and embraces the southwest quarter, contain- 
i:ig one hundred and sixty acres. This farm was 
prc-emjjfed in 1855 by Mr. A. Bebee, a native of 
the "Sucker State," who opened it as a farm and 
jjut Tip a slab house. Here he remained until 
1850, when lie sold to Henry Grifford and re- 
moved to the township of Wells, where he still 
lives. In 1860, the farm again changed hands 
and became the property of Sumner Sheffield, 
who in 1865, sold it to Rice county for $4,000. 
The farm, under the government of the county, 
was first uniler the management of Charles S. 
Gidding, and iu 1866, a substantial house was 
erected, the size of which was 30x40, two stories 
high, with a wing 18x24 on the west; the north 
wing is made up of the original bouse, the size of 
which is 18x30, where the superintendent now 
lives. The appropriations for buildings and im- 
provemtnts on this farm are found in the article 
on their proceedings in another chapter. 

CEMETERY ASSOCIATION. 

Tlie Warsaw Cemetery Association was organ- 
ized in lS02,the first officers being Philander Grif- 
fith, Secretary and Treasurer; and Miles Hollister, 
President. The site was selected on J. F. Weath- 
erbead's place, and laid into lots. The first 
burial was the wife of the president of the associa- 
tion. Miles Hollister, and now about 150 gleam- 
ing tombstones mark the last resting places of 
departed friends. The present officers of the asso- 
ciation are. President, J. W. Outhouse; Treasurer, 
Philander Griffith; and Secretary, A. Evans. 

HERSHEY BURIAL GROUND. 

This graveyard is located in the northeastern 
quarter of section seven. The first burial here was 
Mary, daughter of Christian and Jane Hershey, 
who lUedon tlie 30th of August, 1856, in her .sixth 
year. One grave in the yard has two bodies, 
tliosc of the wife and child of E. B. Peterson. 
The ground has the remains of ten departed ones, 
and, sad iis it may seem, the ground is all a thicket 
of hazel and blackberry liushes, which grow 
thicker each year as the mortal remains under- 
neath sleep on in quietude, nudistnrlied and un- 
molested. 



EDUCATIONAL. 



In Warsaw w'e find more school districts than in 
any township in Rice county, and as many, un- 
doubtedly, as any township in the State, the aver- 
age being from five to eight, while this has eleven 
districts. This speaks well for the intelligence 
and enterprise of its citizens, and their spirit is 
commendable. The districts in Warsaw, if the 
town were divided equally, would each have an 
area of three and one-third sections, besides the 
territory embraced in other towns and counties- 
The districts are all in good financial standing, 
and have neat and commodious school liuild- 
ings. 

District No. 4. — Tlie first instruction given in 
this district was in the year 1857, and the organi- 
zation was efi'ected in March of that year in the 
residence of John Acti. The first teacher was Miss 
Pierce, and the school consisted of twelve pupils. 
The board at this time was composed of George 
D. Potter, Director; Williard Hnghson, Clerk; and 
P. Griffith, Treasurer. In 1857, a log house was 
rolled together by subscription, the size of which 
was 14x18 feet. This district was discontinued in 
1868, and the territory merged into other dis- 
tricts. 

District No. 14. — This is the educational sub- 
division embracing the village of Warsaw and sur- 
rounding territory. The district was organized in 
1856, when a log schoolhouse was rolled together 
in Lamb's addition to Warsaw, by subsciiptiou, 
and the first school was held in this building the 
same summer by Edwin Darling, it is claimed with 
sixty scholars in attendance. This house lasted 
until it was burued, in 1863, the supposition at 
the time being that it was set on fire by infidels 
who objected to its use for church jjurposes. The 
district then purchased the store building of J. C. 
Turner, and this was converted into a schoolhouse 
which lasted them until 1873, when the present , 
neat building was put up. The house is a sub- 
stantial lirick, two stories, and cost about $2,000, 
Hollister Bros, being the contractors. This is the 
best schoolhouse in the township, and the school is 
in a most (iouri.shing condition. 

District No. .23. — A meeting was held iu Sep- 
tember, 1866, in Nicholas Nusbaum's house, that 
effectually organized the district, and>eleoted the 
school officers as follows: Director, T. P. Town?; 
Clerk, William H. Cheney; Treasurer, Richard 
Oooley. The first teacher was Miss Martha Wood, 



W A US AW TOWNSHIP. 



511 



with twelve scholars in attendance. A uoat lirick 
s;5hi);)lhoase was erectel in J8G7, iu the southern 
part of section twenty, at a co-^t of about .'i;500. 
The praseut board is: Director, S.A.Wales; Clerk^ 
H. A. .\ckerman; Treasurer, N. Nusbaum. The 
seho )l now has thirty pupils in averii2;e atten- 
dance. 

District No. 26.--On the 24th of April, 1864, 
all the records of this district were destroyed by fire 
iu the burning of the house of the Clerk, G. W. 
Glines, and the organization of the district cannot 
be ascertained with r.ny degree of certainty. Tlie 
date, however, was about 18G0, but who the officers 
were is not known. The district has a neat school- 
house in the northern part of section twenty-five. 
The present school offioers are: Andrew Swanson, 
Director; G. R. Weatherston, Clerk; and G. T. 
Short, Treasurer. 

District No. 37. — This was organized in 1864, 
and the following officers were elected: Director, 
A. Blodgett; Clerk, A. A. Sargent; and Treasurer, 
M. Burke. The first school was held the same 
year. Miss Hattie A. Wilson being the teacher, 
with ten scholars in attendance, The Cannon Val- 
ley road now runs through the old school groundt 
and the building has lately been moved to the 
shore of Cannon Lake, in section tour. 

District No. 55. — Was organized in 1856, in a 
bouse owned I)y Dr. Charles Jewett on section 
twelve. The house was shortly afterward moved 
to its present location in the southwestern corner 
of section twelve. The first school was taught by 
Bliss Lee, and the school board at the time of her 
engagement was composed of Messrs. Geo. Sco- 
field, Charles Lee, and N. N. Graves. The pres- 
ent board is: Director, A. Post; Clerk, Barnard 
Durham; Treasurer, N. N. Graves. The latter 
member of the board has held the otKce of school 
treasurer since the organization of the district. 

District No. 82.— In the fall of 1870, a meeting 
was held at the house of William Allen, at which 
the organization of this district was effected, and 
the officers of the school elected as follows: Direc- 
tor. Robert Hedges; Clerk, M. S. Randall; Treas- 
urer, Captain West. Their [U'esent excellent 
schoolhouse was erected in 1871, at a cost of |GL),', 
and the first school was held in this year by Miss 
Sarah Parker, with an attendance of eleven schol- 
ars. The present school officers are: Robert 
Hedges, Director; S. M. West, Clerk; J. J. Miller, 



Treasurer. There is now an average attendance 
of twenty pupils. 

District No. 83. — Efl'ected its orgaiiization in 
the spring of 1867, in the iiouse of Henry Kannv, 
in 8;>ctiou five, and placeil the following otfieersat 
the head: Director, Jacob Rusler; Clerk, Harvey 
Sanborn, Sr. ; Treasurer, Henry Karow. .\ small 
house was erected the same summer at a cost of 
about $100, on section six, and tliis lasted until 
1874, when the present neat and sub.stantial build- 
ing . was ei-ected at a cost of about $500, size, 
16x20 feet. The first teacher was Miss Jane 
Chapens. The present school officials are Messrs. 
John Hunt, .John Keske, and M. Bailey, respec- 
tively Director, Clerk and Treasurer. 

District No. 92. -^Effected an organization in 
1S6S, and met in the house of George Nichols to 
eleot officers. The result was as follows: Director, 
J. E. Langie; Clerk, George Nichols, and Treas- 
urer, George W. Durham. The first school was 
held at the time of organization, iu C. H. Nichols" 
house in section fourteen, with fift'cn scholars iu 
attendance. The present school board is: Direc- 
t)r, Charles Nichols; Treasurer, (reorge Nichols; 
Clerk, L. Jackson. The school house is located iu 
the southwe^itern part of section fourteen. 

District No. 93. — This educational sub-divis- 
ion commenced its existence in 1864, inaugurating 
its organization by electing George W. Glines, 
Clerk; George H. Davis, Director; and T. P. 
Towne, Treasurer. Shortly afterward they put 
up a temporary building at a cost of about $100. 
The present schoolhouse is located on the northern 
part of section thirty-four. 

District No. 9-5. — Received its organization in 
1868, the first meeting being held in the house of 
Christian Low, on section twenty-seven, and the 
following officers elected: Director, .James Mur- 
phy; Clerk, Thomas Clark; Treasurer, Henry 
Haine. The first school was called to order by 
Miss Katie Austin. In 1868, a neat, though small, 
house was erected in section twenty-seven at a cost 
of •i<20 1. The present school officers are: W. 
Ciiskelly, Director; J. J. Cart-oU, Clerk; James 
Murphy, Treasurer. 

District No. 103. — This is the youngest dis- 
trict iu the township, not having dignified itself 
with an organization until 1877. .Vt this time it 
was set off from the adjoining districts, and the 
following officers were elected: Director, Francis 
J. Voegele; Clerk, William Berigan; Treasurer, 



512 



nrsTORT OF RTCE COUNTY. 



Michael Finnefi;ati. The first school in this dis- 
trict was taught by Miss Ella Brown, with twenty- 
two pupils on the benches. Their house was 
erected the same year, size 18x24 feet, at a cost of 
S400. The officers for 1882 are: Director, H. 
Daws. Jr.; Clerk, William Berigan; Treasurer, 
F. J. Voegele. The district embraces the territory 
south of Cannon Ijake. 

WARSAW VITjliAGE. 

This is the largest and most important Village 
in tliis township. It is located in the western part 
cif the town in sections seven and eighteen, on the 
banks of the Cannon River, just west of the head 
of Cannon Lake. The river here furnishes good 
and sufficient water power to propel twice tlie 
manufactories the village has. It is about seven 
and one-half miles south of Fariliault. 

As to the earliest settlement of the village, not 
much can be said that would not apply, as to date, 
with the other village in this township. In 1854, 
J. Freeman Weatherhead, a native of New Hamp- 
shire, migrated to Minnesota, freezing both legs 
so severely that he was obliged to have them 
amputated, and made his way to Warsaw town- 
ship, securing by pre-emption the northeast quar- 
ter of section eighteen. In 1855, he moved his 
family upon the farm, and commenced improve- 
ments. Following him in 1855, came Christian 
Hershey, a native of Canada, and took the quarter 
section adjoining Weatherhead's on the west, in 
section eighteen. The same year A. Lamb, a 
native of Wisconsin, pre-empted a claim in the 
southern part of section seven. This, it will be 
seen, made quite a settlement m this neighbor- 
hood, and in 1857, they conceived the plan of lay- 
ing out lots and blocks for the village of Warsaw, 
which was accoinplished in this year. C. Hershey 
and J. F. Weatherhead |jlatted the main part of 
the village on their farms in section eighteen, and 
Mr. Lamb staked out Lamb's addition in the 
southern part of section seven. This was all re- 
corded as Warsaw, and started as a village. 

or the tliree original town proprietors, not one 
of them remain in the township. Mr. J. F. Weath- 
erhead passed on to the unknown world on the 
2d of September, 1863, leaving many warm friends 
and a family to mourn his departure. Christian 
Hershey lived in the township until 1859, when he 
nnnoved to Morristowu. Mr. A. Lamb, who was 
of the Mormon faith, decided that he was not the 
k'ud of a "sheep" to submit to the restriction of 



his conjugal affections to one reciinent, so in 1858, 
he pulled up stakes and joined his amative breth- 
ren in Utah. 

The fir.st house erected on the towni^lat was put 
up in 1855, by Christian Hershey, on section 
seven. The same building is now used as a stable 
by Edward Hollister. In the spring of 1857, 
HoUister & Frink put up the first store building, 
.and placed a stock of goods upon the shelves 
worth about $2,000. Immediately following them 
the firm of Clement & Belote erected a substantial 
store building aud put in a small stock of general 
merchandise. This firm sold out in the fall to T. 
P. Towne who continued the business until 1859, 
and then turned it over to J. C. Turner, and the 
building was, in 1864, sold to district No. 14, and 
used for a school building. 

In 1858, Nye & McDonald put up a building 
aud went into partnership in the mercantile busi- 
ness. They continued for about two years and 
dissolved, to disappear. A boot and shoe manu- 
facturing establishment was started in 1857, by E. 
B. Peterson, and during the war he resigned in fa- 
vor of Moses Sear.=, who continued it until 1872, 
since which time Warsaw has been without an es- 
tablishment of this kind. 

The first blacksmith shop was opened in 1856, 
by Henry Piatt, who is still hammering away. At 
more recent dates two more shops have been 
opened. Dan Harper came in 1872, and Mr. 
Dargavel in 1880. 

The first and only hotel ever put up in the vil- 
lage was erected in 1856, by James Polar. It was 
run by him until 1859, when it was sold to Robert 
Starb.acks, and after passing through a number of 
uands finally, in 1882, was sold by Alfred Daws 
to N. Bemis, the present host. 

A rcHume of what the village now contains would 
read something like this: Two general merchan- 
dise stores, two churches, three blacksmith shops, 
three wagon repair shops, one steam sawmill, and 
thirty-two dwellings. The village lies on both 
sides of the river, the southern portion being the 
principal part, and the river is spanned by a sub- 
stantial bi idge. 

BELiGiors. 

The first religious services ever held in Warsaw 
was in 1856, by Kev. A. S. Ketchum, Of the Bap- 
tist faith, in the old log schoolhouse to a small au- 
dience. The year following the Baptist denomina- 
(ioii was dulv organized by the above minister in 



WAIi'SAM' TOWNSHIP. 



-.13 



his house. The society has never erected a jjlaee of 
worship but has held services iu tlic scho'ilhoiise 
and in private residences. 

Methodist Episcop.\l. — Tliis denomiuatiim was 
organized in 18.57, iu the schoolhonse iu Warsaw, 
by the Rsv. Mr. Smith, with a f^ood attendance. 
A substantial brick church was put up iu 1872, 
which they now use. 

EnsooPAii — Bishop Whipple, of Faribault, or- 
ganized this denomination in 18(!(), in the school- 
house, and in 1865, a neat frame church was 
erected, and the society is iu good financial and 
numerical condition. 

As early as 1857, Rev. Walter Morris, a Canip- 
bellite minister, preached in the schoolhonse to a 
few believers in this faith, but there has never been 
an organization. 

MoRMON'isji. — In 1857, Milon Fillmore arrived 
in Warsaw and commenced the organization of a 
Mormon society. He remained for one year try- 
ing to work up excitement enough to organize, but 
it seems the excitement worked the wrong way as 
he was driven out of the town. 

WARSAW POST-OFFICE. 

This office was originally established in 185C, 
and J. D. Polar was first appointed to handle the 
mail; it was on the old Faribault and St. Peter 
road, the mail being carried by C. E. Hess. At 
first the mail carrier went on foot, but Mr. Hess 
soon after procured an old mule that lie took 
turns in ridnig with, sometimes going on foot and 
sometimes on mule-back, thus accelerating his 
speed. At times the various inhabitants of tlie 
postal district would go to Faribault and bring 
the mail to the offic6 in a grain sack. On one 
occasion Henry Piatt, in company with several 
others, started for the mail, and upon arriving at 
Faribault they found there was to be a dance that 
night and they determined to stay and "shake the 
light fantastic toe" with friends in Fariliault, so 
tViey got the mail sack, and whgn they got to the 
hall they "fired" it under the benches and went on 
with the dance. They remained until daylight 
and then took the mail to the anxious waiters at 
War.'^aw. 

Until 1860, the mail was weekly, and after this 
date, until 1868, it was made daily, and afterwards 
daily from east and west. The Postmasters in 
order have been as follows : J. D. Polar, M. Nye, 
,T. C. Turner, W. F. Sloan, C. D. Hastings, Walter 
Clayson, J. B. Goweu, J. W. Outhouse, J. B. 
33 



Gowen again and Edward HoUister, the latter be- 
ing the present incumbent. The office is kept at 
his general merchandise store iu the northern part 
of Warsaw. 

TiAKH CITY. 

The little hamlet bearing this metropolitan 
uame was the scene of the first settlement in the 
town, and played quite au important part iu the 
early history of the county. It was the first vil- 
lage platted iu the township. It had a beautiful 
location on section three, at the foot of (3aunoii 
Lake, in the northern part of the town. 

In 1853, early in the spring, Peter Bush came 
to the shores of Cannon Lake and pre-empted 160 
acres in section three. He at once put up a log 
habitation, 18x20 feet, and commenced making it 
his actual home. He shortly after put up a small 
shop, 18x20 feet, and being a practical blacksmith 
commenced working at his trade. These were the 
first buildings erected in eitlier village or town- 
ship. He hammered away at the anvil, and in 
1856, conceived the idea, and at once platted the 
village on his farm in section three, and recorded 
it the same year as Lake City. Selling his shop 
to Frederick Roth, in 1857, he went back to his 
birthjjlace in Canada. He remained away one 
year and then returned to his place, and again 
took up the hammer and blacksmith tools, contin- 
uing work at his trade until 1880. 

(ieorge Burns arrived in 1855, and put up a 
hotel, with a saloon in connection, near Bush's 
blacksmith establishment. He managed this until 
1866, when he sold to Henry D. Kopps, who, after 
running it for two years, sold to Patrick Cuskelly, 
and he in turn, in 1869, sold the establishment to 
the fatlier of the present jiroprietor, M. F. Depati. 
This gentleman erected a lirick addition, the size 
of which was 28x33- feet, two stories, at a cost of 
S2.500, and in 1880 sold it to his sou, Moses F. 
Depati, for $3,000, who still continues the estab- 
lishment, with a .'i|!600 stock of goods in connec- 
tion. 

In 1856, at the time of laying out the village. 
Joseph Gadory put up a two-story building for a 
saloon, and run it as such until 1859, when he sold 
the building to Peter Bush, wlio, with his family, 
occupied it as a dwelling. 

In the fall of 1856, a saw-mill was put up in th^ 
"Village of the Lake" by J. Bowman, with a cir- 
cular saw and a power of 40 horse, making the 
capacity 1,500 feet per day. In 1857, the mil] 



514 



HISTORY OP RIVE COUNTY. 



was destroyed by fire, the supposition being that 
it was the incendiary work of Indians; and the 
ground was purchased by P. Melhorn and Enoch 
Woodman, who rebuilt the mill, and in connection 
with the saw tliey put in one run of stone, and 
commenced doing custom work for the surround- 
ing neighborhood. In 1859, the mill became the 
property of P. Schuyler and Jared Patrick, who 
operated it until 1862, when it was sold to D. M. 
Lucris, and this gentleman removed it to Cordova, 
and still runs it there. 

The village has now become almost a thing of 
the past, as the opposition of larger towns, and 
their close proximity proved too much for the 
little "burg," else, from the beauty of its location, 
advantages of age, etc., the fond hopes of its pro- 
jectors might have been realized. In its palmy 
days it was recognized as an important point in 
the county, and at one time had the concomitants 
that would readily distinguish it from a cross- 
road or a hamlet; now they have passed away and 
it contains only a hotel, a school house, a couple 
of dwellings, and the memory of days gone by. 

There is still a chance, however, for this village, 
as the Cannon Valley railroad passes directly 
through tlie village plat within a, few rods of the 
hotel, and undoubtedly the time our readers are 
perusing this the sound of the locomotive will be 
heard in the region of the Lake City, reminding 
the patriarchs of what "might have been." 

BIOGK.VrHII'ATj. 

H. A. AcKERMAN was born in Fond du Lac 
couuty, Wisconsin, on the 22d of November, 1848. 
In 18G4, he enlisted in the Fourth Wisconsin Cav- 
alry and served till tlie close of the war. He then 
returned to Wisconsin, and in 1870, came to this 
place and located in section twenty-nine, where he 
still resides. He has been clerk of his school dis- 
trict, and also taught in the district. On the 25th 
of D333inb3r,1872, he was mnrried to Miss Louisa 
Suitohii, who has borne him two children. 

Franklin Austin was born in New York on the 
29th of December, 1816. He moved to Ohio in 
1841, and there married Miss Harriet Hively in 
October, 1847. In 1856, they came to Minne- 
sota, located first in Dakota county until 1867, 
and then purchased the farm which has since 
been their home. Mr. and Mrs. Austin have had 
six children, of whom three are living. 

Orlix Avehv is the only son of John Avery, 
w"io was born on the 8th of January, 1827, in 



Ohio. He married in May, 1846, Miss Lidia 
Kechum and their son, Orlin, was born on the 2d 
of January, 1854. The following spring they re- 
moved to Wisconsin, and in 1857, came to this 
place, his parents moving to Lyons county in 
1871, and still make it their home. Orlin, the 
subject of this sketch, resides on the farm which 
hi", father took. He was married on the 7th of 
July, 1880, to Mi.ss Frankey Aldrich. They have 
one child. 

George W. Aldrich, a native of New York, 
was born on the 17th of September, 1836. In 
1856, he came with his parents to this place, and 
has since made it his home. Miss Jane Gilhousen 
became his wife on the 5th of June, 1860. Of six 
children born of this union, five are living. 

Norman Bemi.s, proprietor and manager of the 
hotel of this place, was born in Jefferson county, 
Wisconsin, on the 20th of March, 1847. He was 
united in marriage on the 15th of September, 
1869, to Miss Augusta Getchaw and they have a 
family of three children. They moved from the 
latter State to this place in 1873, and engaged 
in the hotel business as previously mentioned. 

JosiAH Bailey was born on the 7th of October, 
1844, in Indiana, where he remained until coming 
with his parents to Minnesota in 1856. The 
following year he purchased a farm in section six- 
teen which has since been his home. In 1862, he en- 
listed in the First Minnesota Mounted Bangers, 
Company H, was discharged on the 28th of May, 
1863, and re-enlisted in the Minnesota Heavy Ar- 
tillery, Company L, and served till the close of 
the war. After his discharge he returned to his 
farm, and on the 1st of February, 1867, married 
Miss Lnsetta Gilhousen, who has borne him 
three child.ien. Mr. Bailey has been a member of 
the school board several times. 

J. P. Bush, whose parents were among the first 
to locate in this place was born in Oswego county. 
New York, on the 1st of March, 1847. He came 
with them to Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1850, and to this 
township three years later, locating in section 
three. In 1856, he returned east and resided in 
Canada two years, then came again to his home 
here and has since engaged in farming, his mother 
living with him. 

Peter Bush, one of the earliest residents of 
Faribault and also one of the pioneers in this place, 
was born on the 1st of August, 1808, in St. 
Hugues, Quebec, He was married on the 4th of 



HM/,'.s'.ll|- TOWNSIII I'. 



)15 



July, 1845, to Mrs. Emily Grassett. The follow- 
ing year they moved to Oswego county, New- 
York, and in 185(1, came west to Beloit, Wisconsin. 
Mr. Busli located in section thirtv-one, where 
Faribault now is, in 18.58, I)ut soon after sold his 
claim to Indian traders and in the fall located in 
this township. He built a blacksmith shop and 
worked at the business until 1856, when he went 
to Le Sueur county and platted Lake City. The 
same year he returned to liis native place in Can- 
ada, remained until 1858, and came again to Lake 
City, where he was engaged at his trade several 
years. In 1878, he returned to Ins farm in this 
place, and has since made it his home. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bush have had seven chihlron, only one of 
whom is living. 

D. C. Co.\TES, an old resident of this State, was 
born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, on the 8th 
of September, 1839. In 184i, he came west with 
)iis parents and located near Black Hawk, Iowa, 
thence, in 1852, to St. Paul, and four years later 
to Morristown, Rice county. On the 13th of Au- 
gust, 18()2, he enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, Company B, was in some im- 
portant battles in the north and south and in a 
number of skirmishes. After his discharge on the 
31st of May, 1865, he came to this place and on 
the 16th of November, 1869, was joined in matri- 
mony with Miss Mary A. Green. The union has 
been blessed with one child, Martha Irene. Mr. 
Coates was elected a member of his school district 
in 1881. 

David D.\ VIS was born in New York on the 12th 
of May, 1831. When he was seven years old his 
parents removed to Illinois and in 1850, to Iowa. 
David learned the carpenter and joiner trade and 
in 1855, came to Faribault where he worked at the 
same, building the first house in the place after 
the town was platted. He was married on the 1st 
of April, 1858, to Janette Vansdal. Of eight chil- 
dren born of this union, seven are liviog. 

Pbtek Dalcour, one of the first settlers in this 
place, was born in lower Canada in the District of 
Montreal on the 18th of March, 1832. He left 
his native j^lace in 1851, and came to Warsaw 
which has since been his home. He first built a 
log house 14x16 feet, cutting the logs and carrv- 
ing them on his back. On the 7th of December, 
1857, he married Miss Lucia A. Walleat, who has 
borne him seven cliildren, five of whom are living. 
In 1874, he erected the fine brick building in 
which he now lives. 



AijKKeii Daws is a son of Henry Daws, who 
was horn on the 27th of February, 1795, in Lon- 
don, Enghiud; left his native phicc and emi- 
grated to America in 1848. Ho remained in New 
York one year and came from thence to Wisconsin 
where he lived until coming to Warsaw in 1853, 
and settled in section seventeen, being among the 
first to locate here. He died on the 18th of Jan- 
uary, 1880. His son Alfred, the subject of this 
sketch, was born on the 31st of July, 1839, in 
England and came with his father to America and 
to this place, which has since been his home, com- 
ing into po.ssession of the old homestead at the 
deatli of h^ father. He was married on the 16th 
of March, 1866, to Miss Austena Thrown. They 
have had three children, of whom two are living. 

MosEs F. Dep.\ti, Jr., was born in Montreal, 
Canada, on the 15th of April, 1852, and left his 
native home in 1869, coming to Faribault. In 
1870, he moved to Warsaw and for ten years 
worked at his trade, that of house and sign paint- 
ing, which he learned in Canada. He was united 
in matrimony on tlie 9th of December, 1876, to 
Miss Anna Smith and they have three children. 
In 1880, Mr. Depati bouslit the Lake House of 
which he has since been landlord. 

P. Griffith was l)orn in New York on the 10th 
of June, 1809. He was reared in his native State 
and married on the 31stof October,1830, to Clarissa 
Barnes. In 1852, lie moved to Illinois but re- 
turned to New York two years later. He then 
made a trip to Minnesota, pre-empted land and in 
the spring of 1857, moved his family to the claim 
and two years later removed to the village. In 1862, 
he returned to his farm but came again to the vil- 
lage in 1867, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. 
Since retiring from l)usiness in 1877, he has filled 
the office of .Tustice of the Peace and lieen a mem- 
ber of the board of Supervisors. Mr. and Mrs. 
Griffith have had seven children, five of whom are 
living. 

Elias GiLHorsEN, one of the j^ioneers of this 
place, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsvlvania, 
on the 11th of October, 1817. He was married on 
the 22d of February, 1838, to Miss Elizabeth 
Siford, who bore him ten children, nine of 
whom are living. In 1854, Mr. and Mrs. Gil- 
housen emigrated to Minnesota, resided in St. 
Paul until the 1st of March, 1855, when they 
came to this township. Mrs. Gilhousen died on 
the 30th of November. 1881. 



516 



HTSTORT OF RICE COUNTT. 



Jacob Heushey was Ijoru in Wisconsin on the 
28tli of Dec-ember, 1814, and came with his par- 
ents to this place on the 10th of May, 1855. On 
the 13th of .Tanuary, 1867, he married Miss Lu- 
cilia Clemmor and two years later his father pre- 
sented him with a farm in section seven. In 1876, 
Mr. Hershey moved to Chippewa conuty and 
while there was school Director three years aud a 
member of the board of Supervisors three years. 
He returned to Warsaw in 1882, and is engaged 
in the cultivation of bis farm. 

N. N. Gr.wes, one of the ea,rliest pioneers of this 
place, was born in Oneida county, New York, on 
the 18th of November, 1814, and at the'age of ten 
years removed with his parents to Jefferson 
county, where he grew to manhood and learned 
the carpenter trade. He 1835, he .moved to Michi- 
gan, and on the 18th of November, of the same 
year married Miss Emily Welch, who has borne 
him nine children, three of whom are living. In 
1843, he returned to his old home in Oneida 
county and engaged in blacksmitbing four years, 
then came to Wisconsin aud farmed until 1852, 
when he moved to this place in section one. Mr. 
Graves built many of the first buildings in the 
county. Until the last town meeting, when be re- 
signed, he has held some local ofiiee, has been 
Supervisor and Justice of the Peace. 

Edw.\1!D Holi.isteu, one of the first settlers of 
this jilace, is a native of New York, born on the 
27th of November, 1832. In 1853, he came to 
Wisconsin but the following year returned 
to New York. In October following he made 
another trip west to IMinnesuta and located 
a claim on the shore of Cannon Lake in this 
town.sliip, where he lived until 1856, then weut to 
the village of Warsaw and engaged in mercantile 
juirsnits. In 1861, on the 29th of April, he en- 
listed in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, 
Company G, and participated in the first battle of 
Bull Run, was discharged for disability the last 
of August of the same year, with the rank of 
Fourth Corporal. He was married after returning 
from tlie army on the 24th of February, 1862. to 
Miss Rowena Coats, who has borne him six chil- 
dren, four of whom are living. Mr. HoUister was 
a member of the Legislature in 1869 and '70, has 
held the office of Town Ti-easurer eight terms and 
is at pr iseut Postmaster aud Notary Public. He 
again eagaged in mercantile bu8ine.ss in 1881. 

W. H. HiLSE was born in New York on the 16th 



of March, 1846, and when ten years old came with 
his parents to Minnesota Territory, and located in 
this place, where they were among the early set- 
tlers. Mr. Hulse enlisted in the First Minnesota 
Mounted Rangers, Company H, in 1862, and serv- 
ed fourteen months, then re-enlisted in the Elev- 
enth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company D, 
and received an honorable discharge in 1865. He 
immediately returned to Warsaw, and in 1876, 
was united in marriage to Miss Marinda A. Har- 
per, the ceremony taking place on the 26th of 
February. The re.sult of the union is one child. 
Mr. Hulse's farm is located in .section thirteen, 
which he has owned since before the war. 

WiLLARD HuGHSO.N-, one of the pioneers of this 
place, was born at Hamilton, in Upper Canada, on 
the 7th of February, 1824. In 1833, he moved 
with his parents to Michigan, and in 1837, to Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin. On the 17th of January, 
1850, he was united in marriage with Miss Harriett 
E. Love, who has borne him four children, of 
whom one is living. Mr. Hughson came to this 
township in 1855, and pre-empted land in section 
twenty-eight, upon which he lived until 1868, 
when he moved to the village of Warsaw, but in 
1871, returned to agricultural pursuits, this time 
locating his present farm in section eight. He 
was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors 
in 1859, and Chairman of the same in 1876 and 
;78, and in 1865, '66 and '67 was Assessor. 

Lorenzo .Jackson, one of the pioneers of Rice 
county, was born in Manchester, Hillsborough 
county, New Hampshire, on the 26th of Septem- 
ber, 1819. He was engaged in farming until 1845, 
then clerked, and a year later started a dry goods 
store for himself. He was united in marriage on 
the 28th of November, 1850, with Miss Caroline 
S. Bartlett, who has borne him six children, two 
of whom are living. In 1856 he came to Cannon 
City, where he was in the same business five years, 
then came to Faribault, aud entered the employ of 
a mercantile house. Ten years later he engaged 
in farming in Warsaw, where he still resides. In 
1881, he was elected County Treasurer, and still 
holds the office; also has been a memljer of the 
board of County Commissioners. 

CniusTiAN Low was born in Germany on the 
2d of February, 1838, and in 1852 emigrated to 
Wisconsin. On the 2d of February, 1864, he was 
married to Hannah Guitchel. In 1867, they moved 
to Warsaw, aiid located in section twenty-seven, 



WAJ,'SA\V TOW \S II IP. 



U7 



which has since been their home. Mr. and Mrs. 
Low have had eight ohiklreu, six of whom arc 
living. 

.T.\MES A. MoKci.VN, one of the early settlers of 
Warsaw, was bora in Beaver county, Pennsylva- 
nia, on the 1st of March, 1832. Ho was married 
in his twenty-second year, on the llith of May. to 
Jane Denison. In an early day Mr. Morgan made 
a trip through Maryland and Virginia, and in 
1855, came to this township and pre-empted laud 
in section six. In 1859, he went to Pike's Peak, 
but returned shortly, and in 1862, enlisted in the 
Eighth Minnesota Kegiment, Company B, and 
served till the close of the war. He then returned 
to his farm, to which he has since given his atten- 
tion. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have had fourteen 
children, nine of whom are living. 

John Nfsbaum is a native of Prussia, born on 
the 13th of April, 1831, and at the age of twenty- 
one years emigrated to America. He first located 
in Toledo, Oliio, but a year later came to Wiscon- 
sin, and in 18tU, to Warsaw, where he still resides. 
He was married on the 22d of October, 1870, to 
Miss Kaeynah Richard, who has borne him sis 
children. 

HOW.A.RD R.\ND was born in Nova Scotia on the 
nth of March, 1836, and in 1847, left his native 
place and moved to Massachusetts. On the 25th 
of December, 1858, he was joiued in matrimony 
with Miss Mary Reynolds, and they have had 
seven children, six of whom are living. In 1861 
Mr. Rand came to Minnesota, first settled in (iood- 
hue county, and in 1867, moved to Warsaw, where 
he lias since lived. 

Andrew Swanson, a native of Sweden, was 
born on the 24th of July, 1823. He was married 
near his birthplace on the 26th of December, 1848, 
to Miss Betsy Mary Morgulson. They sailed for 
America on the 17th of April, 1852, and located in 
Illinois. In 1856 they moved to Red Wing, Min- 
nesota, and in 1860 rented a farm at the head of 
Spring Creek, upon which they lived until coming 
to this place in March, 1868. Mr. Swarson own3 
a good farm of one liumlred and sixty acres in 
section thirty-six. He has a family of seven chil- 
dren, one having died. 

H. S.ANBORN was born in New York on the 4th 
of March, 1827, and moved to Wisconsin in 1844. 



He was married there on the 2()tli of Septemlier, 
1857, to Melittia A. Hull. The following year 
they came to Blue Earth county, Minnesota, and 
resided on a farm until 1860, then came to this 
township and bought land in section seven, where 
they have since made tlnnr home. They have had 
four children, three of whom are living. Mr. San- 
born has boeiiTown Clerk, and also School Clerk. 

W. S. SNyuEU was born in Albany county. New 
York, on the 22d of November, 1840. He removed 
to Wisconsin, and thence, on the 11th of June, 
1856, to Warsaw. On the 10th of August, 1862, 
he enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer 
Infantry, served three years; was wounded in the 
third battle, and still carries the ball in the left 
shoulder. Miss Maggie Wood became his wife on 
the 1st of January, 1872, and they have one child. 

W. S. Weatheeston was born in St. Lawrence 
county. New York, on the 16tli of July, 1844. On 
the 9th of September, 1861, he enlisted in the 
Sixth New York Cavalry, Company K, went south, 
and was in the battles of Williamsburg,Fair Oaks, 
Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Ohancelsors- 
ville, and the three days' fight at Gettysburg. 
Having been discharged, and re-enlisted in the 
winter of 18G2, under Gen. Sheridan, he was in 
the battles of the Wilderness, in front of Rich- 
mond, thence to Malvern Hill, and joined the 
army under (ren. Grant. Mr. Weatherston after- 
ward had charge of seventy men who were sent to 
secure a supply of corn. While making the 
journey they were engaged in a severe fight 
During all the battles and skirmishes in which Mr. 
Weatherston participated, he received but one 
mark, a ball at one time grazing his left leg and 
leaving a black and blue spot. On receiving his 
discharge, he came to Rice county, Minnesota, and 
located in Wells township, where he resided until 
returning to his native State in Ogdensburg, St. 
Lawrence county, where he was joined in marriage 
with Miss Laura C. Lytle. In 1873, he returned 
to this county, and settled in Warsaw, where he 
engaged in grain raising until 1881, since which 
time he has been engaged in the dairy business, 
liaving some very fine blooded cattle, and has sold 
one thousand pounds of creamery butter. Mr. 
and Jliv. Weatherston have had four children, one 
of whom is living. 



518 



HISTORY OP RICE GOV NT Y. 



CANNON CITY. 



CHAPTEE LXI. 

DESCRIPTIVE — EARLY SETTLEMENT — EABLY ITEMS 

OP INTEREST POLITIOAJj EDUCATIONAL 

VAKIOUS MATTERS — VILLAGE OF CANNON CITY 

EAST PBAIRIEVILLE — BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Cannon City is one of the center towns of Rice 
county, lying in the second tier from the south 
and west county lines, and the smallest town in 
the county. Its immediate surroundings are, 
Bridgewater on the north; Wheeling on the east; 
Walcott and Faribault on the south; and Wells 
and Faribault on the west, embracing an area of 
19,840 acres. The city of Faribault takes from 
its southwest comer 3,200 acres, or sections 
twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two and the 
southern halves of sections nineteen and twenty. 
Of the area mentioned, considerable is taken up by 
town lots and some is covered with water, which 
leaves the township exclusive of these, an area of 
1.3,243 acres. 

Here we find both timber and jjrairie land; the 
entire western portion being covered with timber, 
iu places heavy and again light, and interspersed 
with meadow and timber openings. The eastern 
and northeastern pa'rts, extending from the north 
to the south line of the town, is a rolling prairie, 
with here and there fine groves of timber. 
This is called East Prairie, for the reason that it 
lies east of the Cannon River timber. Little 
Prairie is a small prairie in section four. The 
greater part of the town is under a high state of 
cultivation, and many of the oldest and finest 
farms in the county are located here. The soil is 
rich and well ad;i|)ted to the crops and agricul- 
tural modes of to-day. A dark loam is the cover- 
ing of the prairie, and as you approach the timber 
a lighter nature of soil is visible, with a tendency 
to clay and sand. Along the Cannon River, which 
enters the township from Faribault and crosses 
the western part in a nortlierly direction, the sur- 



face is more or less broken, and in some places 
enough so to be termed hilly, although thei'e are 
few places so abrupt as to be detrimental to till- 
age. An abundance of excellent limestone is 
found in various localities in the western part of 
the town, and several have burned kilns with the 
most satisfactory results, there being a number of 
these enterprises now in operation. It is also val- 
uable for building purposes, for which it has al- 
ready been used quite extensively, several stone 
quarries being now at work. 

The town is well watered, but has not as many 
lakes as the surrounding townships. Chrystal 
Lake is the only one of note, and is located in the 
central part, just north of the village of Cannon 
City. Prairie Creek rises in section twenty-three, 
and taking a northern course hastens its way to 
Northfield township, from whence it enters the 
county of Goodhue. The Cannon River has been 
mentioned as traversing the western part. Otto 
Falls Creek, or, as it is generally known. Pond's 
Creek, rises in Wheeling, and flowing westward, 
crosses the southern tier of towns and eventually 
becomes part of the Straight River. Several 
small streams traverse the northwestern part of the 
township on their way to the Cannon River. 

A sketch of the town, published in 1868 by P. 
W. Frink, says that "Cannon City township occu- 
pies the larger part of the same township in which 
the town of Faribault is also located. The num- 
ber of acres of taxable lands within its limits, ex- 
clusive of town lots, is 13,243. Some of the oldest 
and most valuable farnn in the county are located 
in this town, and in no part of the county can 
more favorable locations be found with regard to 
timber, meadow, water, and arable land. Its pop- 
ulation is mostly emigrants from eastern ;md mid- 
dle States." 

In 1860, the population was 601); iu 1865, 667; 
in 1870, 4'J7; and in IHSO, the last census, 1,188. 



OAy^'oy city tow y ship. 



51i> 



At the census taken in 1870, the values in Cannon 
City, as given to the census takers, were as fol- 
lows: Keiil property, S2(!5,(!0(); personal prop- 
erty, S58,8U0; total, §324,400. Tlie total v;ilue of 
property for the seme year, as jier assessment 
rolls, was $120,139. In 1882, the total value as- 
sessed was $318,8.50, of which 82(53,309 represented 
tlie real, and •'$55,.541, the personal property. This 
shows an increase of property assessed, during the 
past twelve years, of $192,711. 

EARLr SETTLEMENT. 

To get at, with any degree of accuracy, the real 
first settler of a section that has been settled for a 
generation is a more difficult matter than would 
be imagined by one who has never undertaken to 
determine such a case, for, no matter how authen- 
tic the source, or how conclusive the evidence 
brought to bear, there will be a certain number of 
men who will emphatically deny the assertion, and 
bring up another candidate for patriarchal hon- 
ors, so to speak. Therefore, to avoid any mis- 
understanding, or any chance for dispiite, that 
course has been adopted whereby the date of ar- 
rival is given, as near as can be ascertained, and 
the reader can select therefrom a first settler to his 
notion. In the language of Mark Twain, you 
"read the facts and take your choice," or words to 
that effect. 

The actual settlement of Cannon City township 
commenced early in 18-54, and it is claimed there 
were one or two arrivals late in the year previous; 
but of such we can learn nothing. Among the 
first to locate was Mr. John Corsett, a native of 
Ohio, who got into the town in the spring of 1854, 
and took a claim in section thirty-five. He built a 
little shanty covered with what he called "shakes," 
and at once commenced putting up hay, succeeding 
in securing about twenty tons. After he had 
been there a short time a number of others swelled 
the settlement in this part of the township. The 
entire force that arrived in this year were from 
Dunkirk, Wisconsin, but they have now all 
removed to other towns or counties, except one 
family. 

William N. Owens and family were natives of 
New York, having left the place of their nativity 
early in the forties and removed to Wisconsirj. 
Here they remained for ten years, in Dunkirk, and 
in 1854, when the Minnesota fever first began to 
find root in the minds of the eastern people, they 
decided to join the throng. A number also came. 



among whom were Isaac Hamlin and his parents, 
George Marks and his family, John Pratt and 
family, Samuel Howe, John Ralier, A. Kcnslnw, 
and some who are mentioned elsewhere, and who 
took claims in adjoining towns. These all started 
about the same time, and came straggling along 
on their way to the Cannon Valley. When they 
got to the Eoot River, in Fillmore county, where 
Forestville now is, the ty])hoid fever took hold of 
some members of Mr. Owens' family and he was 
detained there some time, Mrs. Owens being con- 
fined and delivered of a child during the deten- 
tion. This, however, although it detained the 
family, did not hinder the balance of the party, 
and Mr. Owens witli his teams assisted the others 
to get into the country, his eldest coming up to 
drive one of the teams. When the boy got back 
he reported not very flattering news to his parents, 
and they seriously entertained the plan of retrac- 
ing their steps to their former home, but thially 
overcame their scruples and pushed on. arriving 
on East Prairie, on the 1st of October, 1854. They 
here found that those who had preceded them 
had failed in their agreement to select a good claim 
and cut hay for the detained party, and as they 
had four yoke of oxen, two cows, and one horse, 
they were obliged to secure hay or suffer severe 
loss. After looking about for a short time, he 
(Owens ) made Corsett, who is mentioned above as 
having put up twenty tons of hay, an offer of $250 
for his claim .md hay, which offer was accepted 
and Mr. Owens moved his family into Corsett's 
doorless and floorless cabin. This was soon 
remedied by making a floor out of slijjpery elm 
bark, and door of slabs. The roof of the cabin 
was very poor, as it was made of clap boards, and 
Mr. Owens says that often has he heard the chil- 
dren in the night crying, "Ma, Ma, it's suowin' in 
my face!" and he determined to fix it, so he went 
out on the prairie, cut sod and packed it in layers 
on the roof of his house. This remedied the evil 
for the present and "kept the snow out of the chil- 
dren's faces,'" but when the spring came and the 
drenching rain washed crevices through the sod, 
great haste was required in shoveling it off' the 
roof to prevent the shanty from being transformed 
into a mud hole. 

During the fall Mr. Owens broke two acres of 
the prairie, and later in the fall and through the 
winter he fenced eighty acres; being the first fence 
put up in the township; also makhig, at the same 



520 



HISTOIIY OF UTCK COUNTY. 



time, by night work, witli a draw-knife, shingles 
euougli to cover the houses of Samuel Howe, John 
Ralier, ami his own, which were each 16x24 feet. 

All of these settlers mentioned had come in un- 
prepared for the extreme "newness" of matters 
which they found, and as provisions and lumber 
were very scarce Mr. Owens, iu October, 1864, 
started by team to Hastings to lay iu a supply. 
When he got there he found nothing but one little 
hut, where was kept a few articles for sale,but they 
were out of provisions and lumber was not to be 
thought of. He then went to Prescott and Doug- 
lass where he succeeded in getting provisions and 
a few rough boards. Mr. Owens is still living^^in 
section thirty-five and may be called the pioneer 
tavern keeper of the town, as from his very first 
advent he, more or less, kept tavern until about 
1870. Of his sons, two of them still remain and 
are prominent men in Rice county, while William 
N. and Aueel E. Owen are now in the territory of 
Montana, both having done valuable service tor 
their country, the first in crushing the rebellion, 
and the last in the Indian war at Fort Abercrom- 
bie. 

But we digi-ess. To return to the time of Mr. 
Owen's arrival in October, 1854. After Corsett 
had sold his farm lie took a claim in Walcott town- 
ship and finally found his way to Redwood 
county, where he died some years ago. 

Aliout the time that Owens settled, a few more 
made their appearance. A party who were natives 
of Vermont having stopped for a time in Wiscon- 
sin, from whence they came direct. M. N. Pond 
and wife, and Prof. Ide, his father-in-law, with 
Mrs. Ide and her two daughters, made up the 
party. Tliey came direct to Faribault, following 
the trail of Mr. Thomas Sprague,who had settled iu 
Warsaw, and arrived at their destination in due 
time, liaving lost tlie single wagon trail. They 
then started to East Prairie in search of farms. 
Tliere was not a track through the timber nor a 
sign of civilization, and they were forced to tedi- 
ously cut a pathway through the heavy and 
tangled woods. Wlien they got to the prairie they 
found signs of someone's having already been on 
the ground, for on a stake, conspicuously planted, 
apijoarcd tlie warning words: 

" 6,000 AcrEs 

of this land is claimed by 

TriPP, Boss& Co." 

Whoever this remarkable "monarch-of-all-they- 



surveyed" firm were, the sturdy pioneers allowed 
them to diiiin it, and proceeded to select and settle 
on the best farms tliey could find. Prof. Ide took 
a claim in section thirty-five where the village 
now is, while Mr. Pond secured a place in sec- 
tion thirty-six, where he at once erected a hewn 
log hut, making shingles therefor with a draw- 
knife; the fact has been omitted that they liad 
brought with them a yoke of oxen and team of 
horses. Here Pond remained until the survey was 
made which discovered to him that he was upon a 
school section, and he at once sold for .f200 and re- 
moved to the timber in section thirty-three, in 
which he took the southwest quarter and at once 
put up a bark shanty; peeling the bark from sap- 
plings, unrolling and nailing it to the posts he had 
prepared, making a shanty sixteen feet square. 
He moved into this in the spring of 1855. The 
winter of 1855-50 was a very severe one, and as 
soon aj the thermometer was put out the mercury 
would at once bob out of sight, w-hile the 
anxious shiverer was still in doubt as to how cold 
it really was, and it became a standing joke that 
two thermometers must be tied together perpen- 
dicularly to find how cold it was; but, it was an ac- 
tual fact that for ninety days there was not a min- 
ute's thaw. This was quite an unfortunate sur- 
prise to the early settlers as the winter before had 
been very mild, and it is stated on good authority 
that musquitoes were seen iu December and men 
could work in shirt sleeves, almost all winter. 
However, they stood it, as they were obliged to, 
many faring badly; but it is a strange fact that 
stock stood out of doors all through the frightfully 
severe winter, enduring the cold and did not 
sutler, apparently. 

A number of others came about the same time 
and increa.sed the settlement iu the southern part 
of the town, and many pushed their way over the 
line and took farms in Walcott. Among these were 
George Marks and Mr. Emerson. The latter first 
took a claim on East Prairie, but afterwards re- 
moved to Walcott where he engaged in a mill. 
Oliver Tripp, a native of the state of New York, 
came on the 15th of August, iu 1854, and took 
posse.ssion of some of the prairie land in section 
thirty-six, where he still remaius.having purchased 
adjoining lands until he now owns a t'ai-m of 320 
acres, a part being in Walcott and Cannon City. 
W.. L. Herriman was another who came in 1854, 
arriving from Ohio iu the fall of the year named 



CAyNox CITY Ton'xs/rrp. 



521 



and secured a claim a short distance north of the 
farina occupied by the parties aljove montioneil. 
He was a blacksmith by trade and assisted in the 
early settlement of the village by starting the first 
blacksmith shop. He has held the office of Towu 
Treasurer for sixteen years aud is stDl a pi-oniinent 
man in tlie town. 

Mr. Truman Boss came early in the fall of 18.54 
and secured a place in section twenty -two, where 
Mr. C Erb now lives. He left a number of years 
ago. 

Mr. John Thompson, a native of Scotland, ar- 
rived in Cannon City township in 185.5, and as- 
sisted in the settlement of East Prairie and the 
village, by aiding in the erection of a steam and 
grist mill, an account of which is found on another 
page. 

M. C. Sweat, a native of Vermont, after stopping 
in Wisconsin for a time, made his appearance in 
the year 18.")4, and took a claim north of the East 
Prairie settlement, in section twenty-three, where 
he still -'tills the soil." having sii'ce his arrival 
spent some time in the Rocky Mountains, besides 
doing his country service in the late war. Mr. 
Sweat was joined the following year by a New 
Yorker in the person of H. C. Tripp, who with his 
family made himself at home on an adjoining 
farm in the same section where he still holds forth, 
now having 240 acres of land and one of the finest 
brick residences in Rice county. 

About the same time another native of the Em- 
pire State put in an appearance and joined his 
fellow New Yorker by purchasing a claim in sec- 
tion twenty-five. This was E. B. Orcutt, of 
Oneida county, and aftei- having stopped for a 
time in Wisconsin, he Inade his arrival in 1855, 
with two yoke of oxen. He still remains on tlie 
claim he originally secured, having one of tne 
finest farms in the town. Mr. .Joseph Covert, of 
New York, came about the same time, and should 
be mentioned as prominent among the eiu-ly set- 
tlers, although he first took a claim and lived 
over the line in the town of Wheeling. In 18C8, 
he removed to his present place in section twenty- 
five of Cannon City, adjoining Mr. Orcutt'son the 
south. He has Itocn and now is among the most 
prominent and jiublic spirited men in the township 
and county. 

Still another crowded into this section this year, 
— 1855 — in the person of Roswell Bryant, of 
New England, who, with his family, after stopping 



for a time in fiidiana, nuule their way to IMimiL- 
sota and became identified with Cannon City 
township jiioueering by securing prairie land ad- 
joining the places above mentioned. He still re- 
mains on the place. 

H. X. Swarthout, of I'eiuisylvauia, came two 
years later, in 1857, an<l j)urchased the farm be 
now owns in sections twenty-six and twenty- 
seven. 

In the meantime other parts of the tciwnsbi]>liad 
begun evoluti(ms toward civilization, although as 
3'et the north and south portions were as far apart, 
in a social sense, as it is now distant from St. Paul. 
Until the settlements grew so large as to merge 
together there was no intercoui'se between them, 
and one "heard not, neither did he see, what the 
other did." Below we shall endeavor to give most 
of the prominent arrivals in the northern settle 
raent, as they grew, and gradually converging be- 
came one. 

About the first to commence a settlement in the 
north was what was known as the Closson party, 
of Wisconsin. They consisted of Calab Closson 
and his sous J. Clark, Joseph, Amasa, and Schuy- 
ler, who all took farms adjoining, in the northeast- 
ern corner of the town, arriving late in the year 
1854. They at once erected log houses and 
stables as they had considerable stock with them. 
Caleb, the father, remained here until about 1872, 
when he removed to the northern jjart of the 
State, where he is j'et. The two oldest sons, J. 
Clark and Joseph, were both married; the former 
is now a drayman at Faribault, and the latter is 
still on the farm. The other two boys, Schuyler 
and Amasa, took claims here first, then went to 
the army and died from the effects (.)f injuries re- 
ceived there. These were the most prominent 
pioneers in the northern part of the town, and the 
"Closson Settlement" is still often spoken of by 
the old pioneers. Section five, a few miles west of 
this settlement, received an initiating settler soon 
afterward in the person of John Dun gay, a native 
of England who came from Chicago, where he 
had been working at the carpenter trade for sev- 
eral years, and secured a good farm in Cannon 
City township. He at once erected a comfortable 
house, sawing the lumber therefor with a whip- 
saw, also preparing lumber and making probably 
the first wagon made in Rice county. He re- 
mained on his original place until 1862, when 
he removed to where he lives at present, in sectiun 
sixteen. 



522 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Thomas Van Eaton, late of Wisconsin, made 
his appearance in the sjjring of 1855, and helped 
fill in the gap between the two settlers above men- 
tioned by taking a farm in section three. He 
afterwards turned out to be a preacher, and was 
finally murdered near Sauk Centre by the Indians 
during their outbreak, they cutting off his bead 
and leaving his body lying in a slough. The 
ghastly, grinning skull rolled over the prairie for 
nine years before it was identified and buried. 

Messrs. Godfrey, father and son, secured farms 
in the northern part of the town in 1855, and 
moved on them the following year. 

Jesse Carr, a native of the Empire State, made 
bis appearance the same spring, 1855, and pre- 
empted- a farm in section four, where he began im- 
provements at once, and still remains on the place, 
at the ripe old age of seventy-two years. 

About the same time George A. Turner, of New 
York, arrived and took a place near Mr. Garr, and 
still lives in the township. 

Thus it will be seen that by the fall of 1855 the 
town bad become pretty well settled and all 
parts bad representatives in the pioneer line. 
Sears brothers bad arrived and the village of 
Cannon City brought into existence, while Prai- 
rieville in the south, bad made a very noticeable 
stride. A few more of the most prominent arrivals 
can be noted. 

F. Van Eaton came from Indiana in 1856, and 
secured a place in the northern part of the town, 
where he has been a school clerk for fifteen 
years. 

C. H. Mulliner, a native of New York State, 
came to Minnesota in 1855, and in 1856 secured a 
place in Cannon City township, where he still re- 
mains, a prominent man among the most success- 
ful farmers. 

O. B. Hawley, another of Cannon City's public 
spirited men, arrived from New Y'^ork State, in 
1856, and settled on bis present farm in section 
twenty-six, wbicOi his father, E. Hawley, had 
pre-empted the year previous. Mr. Hawley was 
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors which or- 
ganized the township in 1858, which oflBce he held 
for eight terms. 

John Jepson, one of the pioneers of Minnesota, 
arrived in 1856, and took a farm in section four- 
teen in Wheeling. He has since moved to Cannon 
City and become prominently identified with the 
interests of the townshij). 



S. J. Clemans located in Warsaw in 1855, but 
finally moved to Cannon City township, where he 
still remains. 

Thomas Gallagher, of Emerald Isle nativity, se- 
cured a farm in section seven, where he still re- 
sides. 

F. Strunk, of the state of New York, came to 
Bice county in 1864, and in 1873 formed a stock 
company imder the title of Cannon City Mill Com- 
pany, and erected a flouring mill on the Cannon 
River, in section eight. 

William Dunn was among the first settlers in 
the northern part of the town, coming about the 
latter part of 1854. 

A German named Sherman came in at an early 
day in 1855. 

Joseph Fancher, and J. and Elson Emerson, 
came from the east and settled on sections three 
and eleven. They have since gone to parts un- 
known. 

Thomas Bowles, or as be was familiarly known, 
Deacon Bowles, of Michigan, a brother-in-law of 
the Sears brothers, came to Cannon City in the 
spring of 1855, and took a farm near the village. 
He mortgaged his farm to some capitalists of Fari- 
bault, by which he tinally lost it, and in 1872, re- 
moved toOsakis. 

EARLY ITEMS OF INTEREST. 

In 1854, when William N. Owens arrived in the 
southern part of the town, the particulars of which 
have already been noted, he broke two acres of 
prairie land which was the first sod turned for ag- 
ricultural purposes in the town. The following 
year be sowed this to oats from which he put up 
a stack that he sold in the field for $50. At the 
same time he jjut in six bu.sbel8 of wheat, and 
raised, besides enough for seed, 100 bushels, which 
be sold for $2.00 per bushel, and could have got 
more if be had asked it. It was cleai ed with an 
old fashioned hand fan. He had settled on the old 
"Indian Trail," and the Indians in passing 
through from Red Wood to Wabasha, became a 
nuisance. The first thing they did after he had 
settled was to come to the farm and strike their tee- 
pees directly in front of his house, in a little grove 
which was there. This was more than the pioneer 
family could bear, and as soon as they were rid of 
them, Mr. Owens and his son repaired lo the grove 
where they felled every tree and turned over the 
sod, so that the Indians, on their return, were 
forced to seek shelter in the timber half a mile 



CAyWnX CITY TOWNSIITP. 



523 



west of the farm. On one occasion the red skins 
came to Mr. Owens' door for breud, iiiid upon be- 
ing handed a loaf laid down •')f2..'50 in gold and re- 
fused to take it back or receive any change. An- 
other time a new gun was left for a pan of flour. 
Mr. Owens says that had he been pr(>pared for 
trading he could have made a fortune in furnish- 
ing provisions to them. It was sometime before 
the Indians co\ild be taught what fences were 
made for, and in passing through the prairie land 
would tear them down and march in tribes directly 
through the growing grain and up to the bouse,in 
caildish ignorance that was very provoking, and 
Mr. Owens stationed one of his children at the 
})oint where they usually entered the field with in- 
structions to lead them around the piece of grain. 
This finally taught them to be more careful, but 
they proved to be so bothersome that Mrs. Owens 
bethought a plan and carried it into successful 
execution that cured their propensity for laying 
around the house. She got her daughter, Amelia, 
to go to bed when she saw them coming, and then 
she would meet them at the door and l)laudly tell 
them "Mecosha Sharada," which means small-pox, 
and the red skins would "light" out like a pack of 
dogs. 

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Owens, Amelia, 
who is mentioned above, grew to be a great favor- 
ite among the Indians, and many times has the 
anxious mother feared they would abduct her, but 
finally the messenger of death called her away 
from the home in which she had so long been a 
bright figure, which left a deep and lasting im- 
pression on the small colony. For years afterward, 
the Indians, who had loved and petted the bright 
girl, would stop at Mr. Owens' door and enquire, 
'^Piipoiise?' and on being told '^Nrpo," or dead, 
would go away sadly saying, "Too bad, Too 
bad!" 

Rev. John Hoover, with his wife and three chil- 
dren, and his son-in-law, William Neel, came 
from Ohio, and arrived in Cannon City townsliip 
in April, 1855. He found all the claims marked, 
mostly with the names of Tripp, Boss & Co., Wil- 
liam Dunn, and Sears Brothers, and not knowing 
that these parties had no right to claim 
'the laud, he purcliased a farm of a man uaineil 
Carr, who had .settled on sections ten ami eleven 
and was living in a little pole shanty, one half of 
which constituted his stable, and the other halt 
his dwelliufr. Mr. Hoover at ouce moved on the 



place and erected a log house, which he covered 
with a roof of four thicknesses of "shakes," think- 
ing that Would surely keep out the rain. The sec- 
ond night after this was put up there came up a 
frightful storm, which they found to be about as 
severe in the house as out of doors, and to save 
his library the Elder placed it under the bed, but 
notwithstanding this precaution, the water soaked 
through the bed and almost ruined his books. 
When Rev. Hoover was at Fariliault, on his way 
here, he was called upon to preach a funeral ser- 
mon over the body of an emigrant who had taken 
sick and died in an Indian hut in the place. Mr. 
H. protested that he could not, as he had nothing 
but his rough traveling clothes and could not ap- 
pear in such unsuitaWe garments. They insisted, 
however, and borrowed him a suit, in which he 
delivered the discourse to a congregation of two 
men and several women. In fact, when the 
shroud which had been made was brought forward 
there were not enough men present to raise the 
coi-pse, and it was split open in the back and 
tucked under. This was on the 15th of April, 
1855. During the summer of the same year, Mr. 
Hoover jjosted up a notice that he would hold re- 
ligious services on the shore of Chrystal Lake, he 
being of the Methodist Protestant faith, and after 
inaugurating it, seats were made of logs, and 
spread over the grounds here and there. Many 
well attended and able meetings were held here at 
which Mr. Hoover officiated, and a Sunday school 
was organized, which is still in force. William 
Neel now occupies the farm secured by Mr. 
Hoover. 

Rev. T. R. Cressey was jirobably the first and 
most prominent missionary of the Baptist faith in 
Rice couuty. He originally came from Ohio, lo- 
cating first, for a time, at Hastings. In 1855, he 
came to Rice county and settled in Cannon City 
township, where Mr. Turner now is, and was 
prominent aud foremost among religious circles, 
preaching the first sermon in the town. In 1862, 
he went into the army as chaplain and did val- 
uable Service. Returning after the close of the 
war, he remained a short time and removed to 
Des Moines, Iowa, where he died. He was a true 
Christian, an earnest worker, and was beloved and 
respected by all who knew him. 

Among the first marriages in the town was that 
of Elson Emerson to Charity Judd, at the resi- 
dence of John Emerson, in ]85() or '57. Another 
was that of Mr. and Mrs. KiekenofT. 



524 



HISTORY OF BICE COUNTY. 



The first ileath oecurred in the spring of 1855, 
and was Mrs. Warren, mother of Mrs. John Pratt, 
at the latter's residence in the southern part of the 
township. A coffin was made under the shade of 
a tree by Mr. M. N. Pond, from the boards of a 
wagon box, and wa.s stained with a red wood cane. 
Her remains are now at rest in the Prairieville 
cemetery. 

A few weeks after this death, on the 24:th of 
May, 1855, Amelia, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
W. N. Owens, was taken away by death, and was 
buried in their garden, where they remained until 
the burial ground was laid out. Rev. J. Hoover, 
of Cannon C!ity, preached the funeral discourse. 

A man called "Doctor" died at the residence of 
Truman Boss in the fall of 1855. He had just 
sold nis claim and contemplated going back to his 
eastern home, when the grim monster overtook 
him. 

rOLITICAIj. 

This townshi]) was brought into existence for 
self-government shortly after the territory became 
a State, and the meeting for the purpose of or- 
ganizing was held at the residence of I. N. Safer, 
in Can Don City, on the 11th of May, 1858. The 
meeting came to order upon call of I. N. Safer, 
and officers pro tern, were placed in charge of the 
meeting as follows: Chairman, Thomas Eobin- 
son; Moderator, Peter Chenne worth; Clerk, D. 
W. .\lbaugh. The meeting then took up the mat- 
tor of township officers for the ensuing year, and 
elected the following: Supervisors, O. B. Haw- 
ley, Cliairman, Jesse Carr, and J. h. Starks; Jus- 
tice of the Peace, William N. Owens; Clerk, C. 
Smith House; Asses.sor, J. D. Carr; Constable, 
Jobn Cusey. The first records of the township are 
in such condition that it is impossible to ascertain 
to a certainty who were the first officers, and the 
above are as near correct as we can determine. 
The name of Thomas Bowles also appears in the 
first record as making a motion to vote .f 200 to 
defray town espouses, which was carried. 

This township voted sums at different times to 
pay bounties to volunteers who should fill the 
quota. On the 8th of August, 1864, an appro- 
priation was made to pay S200 to each man who 
sliould oll'cr to enlist before the 5th of September, 
1864, the vote on the t[ue3tion being 63 for and 
17 against the proposition. On the 21st of Jan- 
uary, 1865, another special town meeting was 
held for the purpose of levying a tax to pay 



bounties; but this was defeated by a vote of 63 
against and 29 for. 

At the annual town meeting in the spring of 
1882, the following town officers were elected: 
Supervisors, E. Walrod, Chairman, O. R. Ingram, 
and F. Van Eaton ; Clerk, Thomas Sloan ; Treas- 
urer, W. L. Herrimau; Assessor, H. C. Leasure; 
Justice of the Peace, Franklin Carter: Constable, 
John Struthers. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

Dtstkict No. 8. — This district, which embraces 
the village of Praireville, effected an organization 
at the first meeting of the Rice County Commis- 
sioners in January, 1856, although school had 
been held the year previous, in the fall, by Mr. 
Haugland in a sclioolhouse erected in the summer 
of 1855, by K. Merrit, the lumber having been 
drawn from Hastings. This was a very good 
building and served the purpose until 1876, when 
the present neat and substantial brick house was 
erected on the same site in the village of Prairie- 
ville, at a cost of !|;1,800, being heated by a furnace 
and supplied with necessary apparatus for a suc- 
cessful school. In 1858, James Anderson, Clerk, 
reported this district as having thirty scholars, and 
a year later E. Austin reported sixty-five. 

DisTKiCT No. 9. — The first school taught in this 
district was in the winter of 1856-57, at the resi- 
dence of William Dunn, by Miss Mary Swart- 
hout, with an attendance of about fourteen 
scholars. The distric^t was organized the same 
year, and a schoolhouse erected soon after. 
Their present school building is located in the 
eastern part of section twelve, and cost .S400; the 
number of scholars at present is about eighteen. 
This district, in January, 1858, reported to the 
county conimi.ssioners as having thirty-two schol- 
ars. Geo. Douglass was Clerk. 

District No. 10. — This is the district embrac- 
ing the village of Cannon City. It was set apart 
and organized under its present number, at the 
very first meeting of the board of County Commis- 
sioners, in January, 1856. The first school was 
taught the summer before the organization, in a 
store building belonging to North & Carroll, by 
Miss Fannie Havlin, with twenty-five scholars 
present. In January, 1858, J. Sanborn, Clerk, re- 
ported this district as having ninety -two scholars; 
and one year later, James D. Carr who was then 
Clerk, reported 103 scholars. This was to deter- 
mine how much of the apportionment money this 



CANNOy CITY TOWNSHIP. 



district was entitled to; it being that year sixty- 
live cents per scholar. The ilislriet now has a 
very neat and commodious huilding on block 
eighteen in the village, which was erected in 1873, 
18x28 feet, of brick, at a cost of $1,7(10. It is 
furnished with patent desks and necessary ap- 
paratus. The last term was taught by Miss H. 
Ray, with seventy scholars. 

District No. 25. — Effected an organization in 
18<)2, and a log house was rolled together at that 
time, 14xl(! feet. Miss Mary Carr taught the first 
school in this building, with fifteen juveniles on 
the hard wood benches. The district now has a 
fine brick schoolhouse, 20x30 feet, that was erected 
in the northeastern part of section seventeen at a 
cost of SfiOO, with patent seats and heated with a 
furnace. S. N. Haynes was the last teacher, there 
being an attendauce of fifteen. 

District No. 30. — This educational organiza- 
tion came into existence m 18.57. aud the first 
school was taught in a building 18x24 feet, which 
the district erected in the northern part of section 
twenty-five, on G. G. Durland's land, the lumber 
being hauled from Hastings, and there were ten 
scholars present. The location of the jjresent 
school structure is the southwestern jiart of the 
same section, there being now an attendance of 
eighteen pupils. This district, in 1858, reported to 
the Commissicmers that they had thirty-five 
scholars in attendance. 

District No. 72. — The greater portion of the 
territory now comprising this district was formerly 
merged into the organization of district No. 22. 
which was organized in 1857. It was s?t off in 
1861, and a schoolhouse erected in 18G4, at a cost 
of .f 150. Tlie first school was held in a log house 
on the Rutherford farm, a short time after the dis- 
trict was set off, by Miss Mary Jane Butterfield, 
with thirteen scholars present. The prefent loca- 
tion of the schoolhouse is in the southwestern 
corner of section three, and the attendance regis- 
ters twenty -four. 

District No 81. — Effected an organization in 
1865, and the first school was taught in a little 
shanty in section twenty-four by Miss Esther 
Durance with eleven scholars. In 18G7, a school- 
house was erected, 20x21 feet, on the same site now 
occupied by their building, the northwest corner 
o" section twenty-four. 



VABI()D.S matters. 

TiiK First Saw-Mill.— In 1855, M. N. P.md 
commenced getting out timber ou section tiiirty- 
thrce for a saw-mill. He threw a dam acMviss the 
river, jnit in a Hume witli twenty-two feet head, and 
equipping the concern with a sash saw commenced 
making lumber at the rate of about 3,000 feet per 
day, in 1857. He ran the mill for .six or seven 
years, until steam got so plenty and efficient that a 
common water wheel of early days was too re- 
mindful of a "poor-liouse" and he left it to rot 
down. The old water wheel is still in tlie stream, 
and combined with the rocky bhiii', the water 
trickling over the stone steps in the stream, which 
nature formed, the unused kilti makes a most pic- 
turesque scene. 

As early as 1854, Mr. Pond started the first lime 
burning in the townshijj, starting a kiln on a log 
heap and burning enough lime to plaster his 
hou.se. In 1856, he erected a good kiln with a ca- 
pacity of about 100l)arrels per week, which he ran 
for iil)OUt fifteen years. The kiln is still there but 
not in use. 

S(»tt"s Mill. — In 1856, the foundation of this 
mill was laid by Henry Audyke, who erected a 
saw-mill there and commenced to cut lumber at 
the rate of about 3,000 feet per day. It was run 
by several jiarties and firms until 1873, when it 
was converted into a grist-mill by Strunk & Com- 
pany, the owners at that time. They continued 
to run it until 187(), when the present owner, R. 
H. Scott, purchased it, and continues to 023erate it, 
with four run of stones, and the necessa ry machin- 
ery to make a first-class custom and merchant 
mill. It is located on the Canncm River in the 
southeastern part of section eight: its total cost 
was about .S34,000. 

Norwegian Lutheran CntTRCH. — This society 
was organized some years ago, and in 1881,erected 
a small church building in the northwestern part 
of section eight. This is about the center of the 
Norwegian settlement, and the society is compos- 
ed of about twenty families, the present pastor is 
Rev. Carter Hanson. 

A school in the Norwegian language is also 
taught hero for the benefit of the children of the 
members. 

Oak Ridge Cemetery. — This beautiful spot for 
burial purposes is located ou what is known as 
"Oak Ridge," and contains ten acres. It w.as laid 
out and recorded in the fall of 1857, and has more 



526 



nrsroRT of rice county. 



graves than any burial ground in ttie county, be- 
ing connected with and under the management of 
gentlemen in Pavil)anlt, usually going by the 
name of "Faribault Cemetery." The grounds are 
laid out in drives and walks, and a large vault 
has been constructed in the eastern I3art. It is 
under the care of Mr. Levi Nutting ; the present 
officers of the association are: President, General 
L. Nutting; Secretary, H. L. Jewett; Trea.surer, 
B. A. Mott. 

Early in June, 18.57, two young ladies, Mar- 
garat Morgan and Sallie Robinson, were drowned 
at Cannon City by the upsetting of a boat in 
v. hich were twelve ladies and gentlemen, the oth- 
ers being rescued. In a book by Edward Eggle- 
ston, called the "Mysteries of Metropoli.sville," the 
scene of which is laid in this vicinity, the tragical 
part of the story embraces the drowning of two 
young ladies, which must have been suggested to 
the author by this sad and fatal accident, which 
cast such a gloom over all hearts at the time. 

VILLAGE OF 0.\NNON CITY. 

This village, the most important in the town- 
ship, is located in about the center, in sections 
fifteen and twenty-two, of townshiji 110, 
range 20. Contiguous to East Prairie, it lies in 
the midst of a most valuable and productive 
farming country ; while the timber extends to the 
outskirts on the west. It is situated on the banks 
of a beautiful little sheet of water, justly called 
"Crystal Lake," and as a spot of beauty for a vil- 
lage site, the location is certainly hard to equal. 
Tlie prosjject at the times of starting was unex- 
celled, as the hope and expectation of a railroad 
and the county seat spurred the proprietors and 
those concerned on to enterprise and energy; but, 
when the probability, even, of such events, began 
to disappear, the village, which had taken many 
strides in advance of the surrounding country, 
began also to wane and decline, inaugurating a 
retrogrc-ssion which only ceased in its backward 
march when it left what we find to-day as a mem- 
ory of days gone liy. 

As an interesting item to tiiose now here, as to 
what was said ii; early days of Cannon City, we 
annex a short sketch of the village, made in 1860, 
by Mr. C. Williams, and published by Holley & 
Brown in pamphlet form; it is as follows: 

"Cannon City village was laid out in the fall of 
1855, by the Messrs. Ci. A. and ,T. D. Sears, from 
Michigan. It is located on section fifteen, town 



110 north, range 20 west, four miles northeast of 
Faribault, thirty-five miles from Hastings, and 
forty- five from St. Paul, with excellent roads to 
each of these places. It is eligibly situated with 
reference to the surrounding country, on a beau- 
tiful and elevated plat of ground commanding a 
view for miles to the east, north, and south, and 
contiguous to the "Big Woods." It is situated on 
the main thorougiifare between tlie southwestern 
and southern counties and St. Paul, Minneapolis, 
St. Antliony, Hastings, and Red Wing. The 
village has all the requisite facilities 
for the accommodation of the surround- 
ing county, having a good Houring mill 
and saw-mill connected, of easy access, and driven 
by steam, three stores, two hotels, mechanic's shops 
of all kinds, blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a 
furniture establishment, a fanniug-mill manufac- 
tory. It has church organizations of the various 
Protestant denominations. The village is sup- 
porting two select schools the present winter, and 
they are well patronized by an intelligent, moral, 
industrious, and frugal population. There is no 
better farming country in the State than that 
which lies contiguous to this village. It is on 
the borders of what is known in this countv as 
'East Prairie,' a country hard to beat for farming 
purposes in any State." 

F. W. Frink, in his sketch of Rice county, says 
of this village: "It has a beautiful location with 
reference to surrounding country. * * * 
It is four miles northwest from Faribault, and 
being of easy access to some of the best farming 
country in the county, is a good point for trade, 
and its Post-office furnishes a large extent of 
country with its mails, etc.." * * * 

Its Eaiiliek Dats. — The locality in which Can- 
non City is situated first received a settler in the 
year 1854, when Eli Oowen and Isaac Amy arrived 
and secured farms there. Truman Boss had also 
made his appearance and secured a habitation, 
when, in the spring of 1855, the Sears Brothers, of 
Micliigan, arrived and conceived the idea of start- 
ing a village. There were three of the brothers, 
Gregory A., the oldest, who brought lus family 
with him, Douglass, and William. They suc- 
ceeded in platting and recording the town in 1855, 
naming it in honor of the Cannon iliver. The 
first house had already been erected on the town 
site by Eli Cowen and Isaac Amy, it being a small 
and rather cheaj) log structure, and the Sears 



vAyyoy city towxsuip. 



527 



Brothei's at once opened a store, and erected a 
store building near this. 

C. Smitli House, for the firm of North & Carroll, 
Hastings, erected a good store and placed a heavy 
stock of goods upon the shelves; and, as the Post- 
office was soon after established, it was made a 
part of the store and Mr. House a|)pointed Post- 
master. Mr. Talbert erected and put in motion 
an excellent steam power saw-mill, with a circular 
saw, and did a splendid business for some time, 
there often being, in the winter of 1856, as many 
as 500,000 feet of logs in the yard at once. After 
niuning it ft)r a time Mr. Talbert sold to the firm 
of Starks & Sears, who added a large Houriug mill 
to it at a cost of about $10,000. 

W. L. Herriman, who had for a short time been 
operating a blacksmith shop on his farm a short 
distance from town, moved into the village and 
erecting a shop commenced awakening echoes in 
Gannon City, with the sound of the anvil. He is 
still in the village. William An Dyke soon joined 
his "fellow son of the forge,"' and after erecting a 
building he remained for some time at his trade, 
finally removing to Foi'est. 

Mr. Freetine, of .Jewish origin, came the spring 
following, 1856, and constructed a small log tav- 
ern about the place where the Christian Church 
now is, and run it for a short time, when it was 
discontinued and finally torn down. 

The City Hotel was erected within a few month.s 
after by Mr. Cowen, being a commodius frame 
building; it was purchased shortly after its comple- 
tiim by J. Giles, who after running it a few years 
.sold to Mr. Samuel Hawkin.s and it finally passed 
into the hands of, and was partially torn down by, 
W. L. Herriman. The last, but one, proprietor, 
Samuel Hawkins, lost his life on Easter Day, 1881, 
while trying to save his library from his house 
which was burning, being so seriously burned 
that he died shortly after. His widow still lives in 
the village. 

The Sherman House was put up and oj^ened 
about the same time as the above hotel, by H. 
Sherman. 

Charles and Peter Chenneworth erected a tine 
store building the same year — 1856 — and placed 
a large stock of goods upon the shelves, running 
it a short time and selling it to Albaugh & Brother. 

J. W. Dean also made his appearance and 
erected a substantial building for general merchan- 
dise where Mr. Shank's blacksmith shop now is. 



and put in a heavy stock of goods. He continued 
in business some ten or twelve years. His build- 
ing was sold and used for school purposes, and 
finally made into a blacksmith shop. 

So the growth of the village went on — increas- 
ing and accumulating; but this is sufficient to 
show how rapidly it was developed, and exhibits 
the su|)posed "embryo city" in the height of the 
"boom," it being at this time equal in importance 
to any village in the county, not excepting even 
Faribault, and we hereto attach an article clipped 
from the Faribault Herald, of December, 1857, 
which will reveal Caun(m City at that time, and 
throw some light upon a busy scene which justi- 
fied high expectations. The article is as follows: 
"We paid Cannon City a visit this week, and are 
happy to report positive permanent improvement. 
The large steam saw and flouring mill of Starks k 
Sears, built at a co.stof nearly .'$14,0()0 ( including 
$5,000 paid for the saw-mill ), is now ready for 
operation. This mill is a monument of the energy 
and enterprise of its proprietors. They have falt- 
ered not in its early completion, although the 
crisis lowered its dark front over our country. The 
wheat pouring into its vaults, last Monday, is in- 
dicative of its popularity. Its engine is of forty 
horse-power, and three bolts are put up. Success 
to the project. 

Of her schoolhouse. Cannon City may lie proud. 
It is built and furnished with an eye to beauty and 
comfort. It cost SI, 400, and was designed to ac- 
commodate sixty-four scholars. It mfght contain, 
however, in the neighborhood of one hundred. We 
found a school promising in numbers, just organ- 
ized under the superintendence of I. N. Sater,Esq., 
of that place. 

We counted forty-nine buildings, and appar- 
ently none vacant. 

The mercantile line is well represented. We 
were shown fiver the establishment of C. Smith 
House, and found as fine a variety of dry goods, 
groceries, shelf wares, fancy goods, etc., as we 
have seen in the Territory, and a larger assort- 
ment of crockery and glass ware than we have be- 
fore observed. His warehouse was literally 
crammed with grain, which is taken in exchange 
for goods. Mr. House is also Postmaster at this 
place. 

Alliaugh k. Brother are doing a good trade. 
They also exchange for produce. 

.J. W. Dean is also proprietor of a general va- 
rietv establishment. 



528 



nrsroHT of rice county. 



We uotice two hotels: The City Hotel, by J. 
Giles, autl the Sheraiiin House, by H. Sherman. 

One cabinet sliop by Neel it Bailor. 

Cue chair factory by Beckley & Goss. 

One wagon shojj by E. S. Rice. 

Three blacksmith shops and one harness shop. 

The professions are represented by Revs. T. R. 
Cressey and J. Hoover, in the clerical line; Dr. 
Dale in the medical; Starts & Carman'^n the le- 
gal. 

The topography of Cannon City has been too 
frequently given to need a repetition by us, suffice 
it to say that as a spot of beauty it has few 
equals." 

This prosperous state of affairs kept ujj for a 
time, but gradually the decline set in. The town 
jiroprietors, with whom a great deal of merited 
f;iult had been found, packed up their "duds," as 
they were called, and disappeared from view for a 
time, finally coming to light as the town proprie- 
tors of Kar.son City, Nevada, and since that time 
have been lost sight of. The mill was discontin- 
ued and the floui'ing machinery removed to Matte- 
son's Mill, in Faribault, while the saw portion 
found its way to Osakis. C. Smith House, whose 
name in front of his grocery store, had deceived 
so many travelers into believing it was a hotel in 
charge of ''C. Smith," finally went out of business. 
The lawyers and doctor left in queat of pastures 
new. Dr. Dale removing to Faribault and grad- 
ually the business interests deserted the town, with 
the exception of a hotel, store and Post-otEce. The 
two latter are in charge of William KiekenolT, and 
Mr. Gordon is "Mine Host" at the hotel, where, in 
the words of Shenstone, the weary traveler 

"May sigh to think he still has found 
I'he warmest welcome at an inn." 

Tu addition to this the village has a large num- 
ber of residences, a good schoolhouse, three 
churches, and in 1880, Isaac Walden erected a 
building, put in mjicl)inery,and now operates a feed 
mill with the steamer of his threshing machine. 

As an important factor of the village, both of 
early times and the present, we below give a short 
history of the gruwtli and development of the 
various religious denominations. 

:\Iethodist Protestant. — This denomination 
organized in 18(!0,with about forty members. The 
first .services were lield in the summer of 1856, by 
Rev. J. Hoover, on the shores of Crystal Lake, 
wliore a Sunday school was also organized. After 



organization, which took place in the schoolhouse, 
services were held at various places until about 
1870, when the membership increased to seventy 
and a chui-ch was erected, size 36x40 feet, at a 
cost of $2,000, besides a great amount of the labor 
being accomplished by the members. In 1872, 
the congregation merged into the Congregational 
Society, the church was deeded over to new 
trustees, and the denomination has since been 
known under this bead. Among the pastors who 
have officiated here are. Rev. J. Hoover. Rev. Mr. 
McChesney, Rev. Mr. Bushnell, Rev. Mr. Mitchell, 
and Rev. Mr. Guitou. There is no regidar pastor 
at present. 

CnnisTiAN OR Campbellite Chdrch. — Effected 
an organization in 1873, in the schoolhouse, with 
Rev. Mr. Taylor officiating, and a small member- 
ship. The society increased rapidly and the fol- 
lowing winter the lake was brought into requisi- 
tion to baptize 150 members. Soon after a neat 
and commodious church was erected in the village 
which they now use; Rev. Mr. McRennels being 
the present minister. 

Episcopal Society. — This was organized by 
Bishop H. B. Whipple, of Faribault, in 1868, with 
probably fifteen members. In 1874, a small, 
though neat, church was erected, in which they 
now worship, the membership not having in- 
creased much. The society has no regular minis- 
ter, tlieir puljiit being filled occasionally by a 
student, whom the Bislioj5 sends from the college 
in Faribault. 

Methodist Episcopal. — .•Vt an early day there 
was a very strong organization of this denomina- 
tion, but the interest waning and the organization 
growing weak, was finally suspended and the 
society declared i/iorihund. 

EAST PRAIBIEVILLE. 

This little hamlet is situated in the southern 
])art of the township of Cannon City, in section 
thirty-five, extending partially over the line and 
into Walcott township. The village started out 
with a very fair prospect, although it was not laid 
out with au eye to making a metropolis of it, but 
more for convenience of farmers. 

The village site is well located for a pleasant 
village, adjoining the rich farming land of East 
Prairie f>n the east, and the timber exi.ends up to 
the bouudary of the village on the west, being 
about two miles and a half distant from the city 
limits of Faribault. To show what has been said 



OANNOy CITY Towy.^i/rp. 



529 



of the village at various times, we liave clipped 
fi'om a sketch of the county by 0. Williams, in 
1860, the following in regard to East Prairieville; 
"It is a little village situated upon the edge of 
what is called East Prairie and the Straight River 
timber. It has perhaps the best settled prairie 
country east of it in the county. It contains from 
fifty to a hundred inhabitants, has a Post-office, a 
good schoolhouse, a tavern, a store, iind a steam 
mill." 

Ten years later than the above was written, in 
1870, F. W. Frink, County Auditor, commented on 
the village as follows: "East Prairieville is a 
small town four miles east of Faribault, lying on 
the edge of the Straight River timber, on what is 
known as East Prairie, a name which designates a 
large extent of the best prairie lands in the county. 
The town has a neat and commodit)Us church be- 
longing to the Congregational society, has a 
Post-office and a store, and from its situation must 
always be a pleasant little village and a good 
point tor trade." 

Early Development. — In 1854, Prof. Ide, in 
company with others who are noted in another 
place, came to Cannon City township and took as a 
pre-emption the land in section thirty -five, where 
the village now stands. He held it and remained 
until the spring of the following year, when James 
Anderson, with his father, Alexander Anderson, 
and their families made their appearance, and 
the former, in May, 1855, purchased Ide's claim, 
John Corsett bad also settled in the same section, 
adjoining the village, and in 1854, sold to W. N. 
Owena. On this pre-emption the first house 
erected in the village was put up, in the spring of 
1854, by Corsett. In the year 1855, the village was 
laid out and all made ready for the events which 
followed. In the meantime, before the platting of 
the village,or about the same time.W. B. Spencer, a 
native of Pennsylvania, came and erecting a little 
board building, placed a stock of goods in it, and 
commenced keeping store. Alf. Barrick had ar- 
rived with his father and their families, and had 
located in another part of the town, but when he 
learned of East Prairieville he at once came down 
determined to start a shop, as he was by trade a 
blacksmith. As trade was at first slow in coming, 
he almost starved waiting for it, and had it not 
been for the generous spirit of Mr. W. N. Owens, 
who furnished bis family with provisions, they 
would have suffered from hunger. This was soon 
34 



bridged over, however, and Mr. Barrick continued 
until 18G4, when he sold to John Wagner and re- 
moved to Crow River. Wagner ccmtinued for a 
time and finally sold to Charley Edward.s, who in 
turn, in 1878, sold to the present jnoprietor, Mr. 
McLean, who is now doing a good l)usiMess, to the 
entire satisfaction of all who jiatronize his estab- 
lishment. 

Geo. De Forest came to the village in the fall of 

1857, and opened a caliinet and carjjenter shop 
which he continued until the time of his death in 
1878. 

Logan Ross started and run a blacksmith .shop 
for a time, but finally gave it up and is now in 
Montana. 

Thus the growth of the village went on until 

1858, when the condition of affairs here are pretty 
well descriljcd by the following article, taken from 
the Faribault Herald, which was published during 
the early days of the village : 

East Prairieville is the name of a new town laid 
out east of Straight River timber, about three 
miles from Faribault, by Anderson, Thompson & 
Spencer. It is about three months since the plat 
and survey was completed. It already numbers 
about fifteen houses — all new. A schoolhouse 
twenty -five feet by tbiriy-two has been ereoted,and 
a school under the supeiintendence of Mr. R. 
Hoaglaud is in progress. We will notice that 
more fully some future time. 

A hotel is in course of erection by Friedenburg 
& Ross. 

We notice one blacksmith shop, employing two 
hands. 

One carpenter shop. 

A general variety store, with a good ass'jrtment, 
has lately been opened by W. B. Spencer, who has 
entered into successful competition with the mer- 
chants of the adjacent towns. From our own ex- 
perience, we must say that we have never seen 
goods cheaper in the west. 

A steam saw and gri.st-mill has been built by 
Anderson & Thompson, at a cost of over S12,000. 
The grist mill is thirty by forty — three stories 
in height. They, have put in three runs of stones 
and four bolts. — Each run of stones will grind 
twelve bushels per hour. We have tried some of 
the flour and found it good as any in the market. 
The machinery was made by Weston & Cogswell, 
N. Y. The extension which contains the saw-mill 
is thirty by sixty feet. Eight hundred feet of lum- 



530 



HISTORY OF MICE COUNTY. 



ber is near the average cut every twelve hours. 
Logs are coming iu briskly. The engine driviug 
both mills is of thirty-Qve horse-power— from the 
shop of Davis & Bonsell, Salem, Ohio, and works 
admirably. 

This placn lies adjanent to a good body of tim- 
Iier, wliile south and oast lie? some of the richest 
agricultural lauds in the country. The prairie is 
thickly settled, and by a very intelligent and en- 
teprisiug community." 

Store and Post-office. — This was established 
in 1858, with W. B. Spencer as manager, iu a little 
board building which Spencer had erected. The 
first mail received consisted of two letters. Among 
the proprietors since, have been, Daniel Bussell, 
John Bailey, Charley L. Lowell, Isaac Hamlin, 
Henry Hile, IMr. Alther, and Mr. Brockman. The 
store and the Post-office have been discontinued. 
The former is soon to he restocked, however, and 
the latter re-established. 

That Unfortunate Mill. — This may seem an 
odd and rather exaggerated caption, but wlien the 
truth is known, it will be admitted as appropriate. 
When James Auderson first came to tlie East 
Prairie, he purchased a small portable saw-mill 
which he moved to the village and commenced 
running. After a time this was discontinued and 
sold. Hon. .Tolin Thompson then went into part- 
nership and erected a suitable building, put in ne- 
cessary machinery, and commenced operating a 
first rate steam saw-mill. Shortly afterward a 
large two-story building was erected and a splen- 
did Houring mill put in running order. This com- 
menced grinding on tlio second day of December, 
1857, and after running just six weeks caught fire 
and was totally destroyed. This cast a gloom 
over the entire settlement, as Mr. Anderson had 
l)orrowed a good deal of money on the building, 
and all the farmers in the neighborhood were in 
one way iir another financially interested in it, the 
mill having' been the hope and pride of the entire 
southern portion of the township. It was intended 
for five run of stones and at the time of the fire had 
already received throe run. This so crippled the 
firm tliat they were unable to re-build, and a public 
meeting was held for the purpo.se of furnishing aid, 
wliich resulted in raising the sum of ^1,900 toward 
a new mill. This money was given to James An- 
derson with instructions to go to Cleveland, Ohio, 
and purchase the necessary machinery. When he 
r.'turned he stated thiit ho had accomplished it, 



and had paid in addition to the |1,900, $400 from 
his own pocket. In a short time .'$300 worth of 
machinery arrived and the people got nervous but 
Mr. Anderson seemed to be as impatient for its ar- 
rival as any one. Next came the astonishing news 
from the firm in Cleveland that they had shipped 
all that Anderson had paid for,— $300 worth. An- 
derson was arrested, but bailed out, and be disap- 
peared from view. The true extent of his swind- 
ling was never known until after he had gone, 
when it was found that the lots of the village which 
had been purchased by the various settlers were 
all under heavy mortgage in the hands of Dr. Mc- 
Cutcheon, of Faribault. Several widows and a 
great many persons in moderate circumstances, 
turned up, who had placed their entire wordly po- 
sessions in the shape of ready cash, only to see it 
vanish with the oily-tongued scamp whom they 
had trusted. Another interesting point in connec- 
tion with this, is that during Anderson's absence 
in Cleveland, supposedly purchasing machinery, 
the citizens of this vicinity all turned out and 
erected a suitable building, ready to place ma- 
chinery in, and were going to surprise him; this 
building is still doing service — not for which it 
was built, but as the barn of Mr. Owens. 

After all this had been settled as far as ever 
could be, Mr. Thompson, the unfortunate partner 
of Anderson, secured a partner iu the person of 
Mr. A. Renslow, who furnished the necessary 
means for purchasing the balance of the machin- 
ery, and by the fall of 1858, a first-class saw-mill 
was in operation, under the management of the 
new firm. This was continued for about two 
years, when it was sold to a Mr. Al)bot,t, who 
removed it to Medford. 

E.\ST Praieieville Hotel. — In 1857, two 
young men, Benjamin Friedenburg and John 
Eoss, who had been at work on the mill, purchased 
six acres and commenced the erection of this hotel. 
After they had got up the walls the mill burning 
catastroplie occurred which spoiled tlie hopes of 
making a hotel profitable, and they thereupon 
sold out to William N. Owens, who finished it and. 
opened up iu October, 1858. Mr. Owens contin- 
ued as the proprietor until 1866, wheUj his health 
failing, ho sold to Isaac Hamlin, who operated it 
until the present proprietor, O. R. Ingram, pur- 
chased it in 1877, and now occupies the building 
as a residence. 



CANNON cm' TOWNSIIIP. 



531 



EEIilGIOrS. 

The first services of this nature in this 
neighborhood were heUl in the hcmse of Wil- 
liana N. Owens, in Blarcb, 1855, by Rev. T. R. 
Cressey, of the Baptist faith. After this, services 
were held once every four weeks by Rev. Mr. 
Cressey, but no organization took place in this 
faith. Since that two societies have been organ- 
ized, a short .sketch of which are below given, the 
Congregational and Methodist. 

CoNGKEGATiONAL SOCIETY. — The first services 
for this denomination were held in the spring of 
1858, at the schoollious(>, by Rev. Mr. Heverland, 
a photographer. An organization was effected 
soon after, and in 1865, a church edifice was 
erected by them in the village, the size of which is 
about 30x50 feet, W. B. Spencer donating a church 
site. Rev. Mr. Gilbert was the first minister sta- 
tioned here, and remained for about fifteen years. 
Their church was finally sold to the Methodist 
society, and no meetings are held at present. 

Methodist Denomination. — The first services 
for this society were held by Rev. Mr. Kirkpatrick, 
in the residence of Elijah Austin in the village, 
in the fall of 1855, and a class of about fourteen 
members was formed soon after. Services were 
held in his house and the school house until the 
Congregational church was completed, when ser- 
vices were held in that, and iu 187(5, the buUding 
was purchased of the Congregationalists. There 
are now about twenty members, and services are 
held every two weeks in the church, with Rev. 
Mr. Acres as pastor. 

Peaieieville Cemetery. — This burial ground 
is located on the farm of William N. Owens, hav- 
ing been laid out in April, 18G0. The first inter- 
ment here was the remains of Mrs. Warren who 
died in April, 1855, and who was removed from 
her former resting place to these grounds as soon 
as laid out. The grounds are now pretty thickly 
dotted with head stones and thoughts are enter- 
tained of enlarging them. 

BIOGEAPHICAIj. 

Joseph Covert was bom in Sullivan county, 
New York, on the 29th of April, 1828, brought 
up on a farm and when twenty-two years old be- 
gan the manufacture of lumber. Two and a half 
years later he removed to Dodge county, Wiscon- 
sin, and engaged in farming two years. In 1850, 
he married Miss Sarah F. Ogden and three years 



later came to this township, pre-empting wild 
land in 1855. He now owns two hundred and 
forty acres most of which is improved, and has 
erected a fine brick residence. Mr. Covert has 
held local ofBces and in 1870, was elected to the 
Legislature, and again in 1879. He has a family 
of seven chililren. 

John T. Cowles is a native of .Jefferson coimty, 
New York, bom in 1832, and was schooled to ag- 
ricultural pursuits. In 1844, he removed to 
Dodge county, Wisconsin, and C(mtinued tilling 
the soil. On the 21st of November, 1858, he mar- 
ried Miss Mary Jane Walrod. In 1863, they re- 
moved to Plainview, Wabasha county, Minnesota, 
and in 1865, came to liis present farm of two 
hundred and forty-seven acres in section sixteen. 
Cannon City township. He has been a member 
of the l)oard of Supervisors three years. Mr. and 
Mrs. Cowles have been ble.ssed with five children. 

J. Clossan was born in Jefferson county, New 
York, and remained at home on a farm until six- 
teen years old, then came to Wisconsin, where in 
1853, he married Miss Susan Koon. They came 
to Rice county in 1855, and Mr. Clossan pre- 
empted his present farm of one hundred and sixty 
acres in section one. He served nine months in 
Company C, of the Sixth Minnesota Volunteer 
Infantry and was discharged at Fort Snelling for 
disability. He has one child, a son. 

CiEOEGE Douglass was born in Beekmantown, 
Clinton coimty. New York, in 1825, and grew to 
manhood as a farmer and currier. In 1852, he 
married Miss Minerva Howe, who was born in 
1831, in Vermont, and in 1855, they removed to 
Minnesota, coming by the way of Iowa. Mr. 
Douglass located a farm in sections twelve and 
thirteen and now has two hundred acres improved, 
building his present house in 1879. Ha has three 
children. 

P. B. Edwards was born in Warrensville, Ohio, 
in 1848, and remained at home until twenty-one 
years old. In 1869, he came to Bridgewater, this 
county, and in 1874, to this township, buying a 
farm of eighty acres in section thirty-five where 
he still resides. Mrs. C. J. Edwards became his 
wife in 1882. 

B. C. Godfrey was born in New Brunswick, 
Canada, on the 4th of November, 1852. His 
father, Ehsha Godfrey, was a farmer and was also 
engaged in the fisheries to some extent, and after- 
ward, in 1855, became a pioneer in this county 



532 



BISTORT OF EWE COUNTY. 



Our subject came to this jilace and resided on his 
father's farm, in section three, until he purchased 
the same in 1880. He was united in marriage in 
the latter year wttlx Miss Eva Foster. 

John Jepson was born in New York in 1835, 
and learned the cooper trade of liis brother. In 
August, 1856, he came to Bice county, and 
staked out a claim in Kichland township, and in 
the fall of 1857, Miss Lyda L. Sherpy became his 
wife. In 1800, he made a trip to California, re- 
maining two and a half vears, then returned and 
located in Cannon City, where he conducted a 
store nine years. He served seven months in the 
First Minnesota Heavy Artillery. In 1876, he 
removed to section fourteen and has a farm of two 
hundred and eighty acres with good substantial 
buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Jepson have four chil- 
dren. He was Cohstable two years; Chairman of 
the board of Supervisors one year; Postmaster 
three years; Justice of the Peace three years, and 
Town Clerk seven years. 

0. H. MumjInbe was born in Penfield, Monroe 
county. New York, on the 12th of November, 1826, 
and when young worked on a farm. In 1850, he 
came to Michigan and was engaged in farming in 
different localities, and in 1852, he was married 
to Miss Sabrina Sanford. In 1856, he removed to 
this township, settled on section three, and in 1858, 
removed to the village, where he has since resided. 
He enlisted in 1862, in the First Minnesota Cav- 
alry, served one year, and re-enlisted in the Sixth 
Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, serving two years. 
He now draws a ])cnsion for injuries received 
while in service. Mr. Mulliner has three chil- 
dren. 

D. A. M(^Lean was born in Canada on the 19th 
of August, 1855, and learned the blacksmith trade 
of his uncle, Alexander McLean. In 1878, our 
subject (-ame to Rice county directly to Faribault, 
and bouglit the shop owned by C. P. Edwards, 
wliich he has since conducted, doing a good busi- 
ness. 

William Neel is a native of Ohio, born in 
1829, and when seventeen years old learned the 
carpenter trade. On the 18th of August, 1853, 
he was joined in marriage with Miss Pauline 
Hoovor, and the next year removed to Rice coun- 
ty. He pre-empted land in this township in sec- 
tion thirty-two, which ho sold the following win- 
ter to G. M. Crilmore, and moved to Faribault, 
where ho engaged in cabinet making. The next 



spring he sold out his business and removed to 
Cannon City, locating in section ten, but after- 
ward removed to his present farm in sections ten 
and eleven, where he has a farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres. Mr. and Mrs. Neel have four 
children. 

E. B. Okcdtt was born in Oneida county. New 
York, on the 22d of February, 1822, and ten years 
later he removed with his parents to Ohio, but re- 
turned to New York in 1838, and located in Mon- 
roe county. On the 13th of June, 1851, he was 
married to Miss Sylvia Dunning. Mr. Orcutt had 
charge of a boat on the Erie Canal until 1852, 
then removed to Dodge county, Wisconsin, and 
in 1855, came with two yoke of oxen to his pres- 
ent farm on section twenty-five, where he has two 
hundred and sixty acres, all improved, and with a 
maple grove, which he set out thirteen years ago. 
He has a family of five children. 

William N. Owen, one of the pioneers of this 
place, was born in Delaware county, New York, 
in 1813, and grew to manhood on a farm. He 
was joined in marriage on the 5th of July, 1837, 
and in 1844, removed to Dane county, Wisconsin, 
where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits 
until 1854, then came to Rice county and located 
a farm in this township on section thirty-five. He 
built his house on the Indian trial, the Sioux In- 
dians coming from Wabasha to the trading post, 
Faril)ault, also put up the first fence and raised 
the first wheat and oats in Rice county. He states 
that he was the first Justice of the Peace of this 
place. Mr. and Mrs. Owen have had eleven chil- 
dren, six of whom are living, and all have received 
a good education in the Faribault schools. His 
son George conducts the farm. 

William Pennock is a native of Madison coun- 
ty. New York, born in 1822, and came with his 
parents to Steele county, Minnesota, in 1842. 
Miss Julia Hamlin became his wife in 1843, and 
in 1869, they removed to this township and locat- 
ed on their present farm near the city of Fari- 
bault. 

G. W. Pope was born in St. Lawrence county. 
Now York, on the 17th of September, 1828, and 
removed with his parents to Kenosha county, 
Wisconsin, in 1846, remaining at home until 
twenty-three years old. He then louated on a 
farm near Portage City, and in 1852, married Miss 
Adaline Barlow. In 1857, he removed to this 
township, where he has one hundred and fifty-two 



CANNON CITY TOWNSHIP. 



533 



acres of land in section thirty-five, with beautiful 
buildings and many fine shade trees. He has a 
family of six children. 

F. Strunk was born in New York in 18:!G, and 
after working at agricultural pursuits, came 
to Michigan in 1802. Two years later he removed 
to this county, and in company with bis brother 
purchased a farm in Richland township, which he 
sold in 1876, and came to this place, forming a 
stock companj' for a flour mill, known as the Can- 
non City Jlill Co. This be conducted two years, 
then sold out and j)urchased bis present farm on 
sections ten and eleven, having now two hundred 
and forty acres. He was married in 1867 to Miss 
Ada C. Rathbun, who has borne him three chil- 
dren. 

M. C. SwEATT, one of the old settlers of this 
place, was born on a farm in Vermont in 1829. In 
1831, he removed to New Hampshire, where he 
was married to Miss Cynthia Amy. They removed 
to Wisconsin in 1849, and Mr. Sweatt worked on 
a farm and in the pineries until 1851, when he 
moved to Green Bay. In 1854, he came to this 
county, and located on his present farm, the north- 
east quarter of section twenty-three. Soon after 
coming here he visited the Rocky Mountains, but 
returned and enlisted in the First Minnesota 
Heavy Artillery, served one year, and previous to 
that was First Lieutenant of the State Militia in 
1861. He has a family of four children. 

G. A. Turner was born in Ommdaga county, 
New York, on the Ist of May, 1821, and removed 
with his parents to Indiana when fifteen years of 
age. In 1842, he went to Illinois, spent a few 
months there, and made a trip south, spending 
the winter of 1842 and '43, in New Orleans. In 
the spring he went to Hillsdale county, Michigan, 
and engaged in farming. In 1851, he married 
Miss Romina S. Blanchard, of Ovid, Michigan. 
They came to (his State in 1854, and after remain- 
ing in Hastings a short time pre-empted one hun- 
dred and sixty acres in section four, Cannon City, 
which he made his home until 1862, when he re- 
moved to his present farm in section two. Mr. 
and Mrs. Turner have two daughters and five 
sons. 

John Thompson was bom in Scotland on the 
28th of January, 1832, and removed to Canada 
with his parents at the age of three years. He 
assisted his father on the farm, and at the age of 
seventeen years began the manufacture of lumber, 



removing to West Canada in four years. In 1852, 
he made a trip to California, remained three years 
and came to Cannon City township, erecting a 
steam saw-mill between Faribault and Prairieville; 
conducted it one year, then traded it for three 
factories, which ho still owns. He was next en- 
gaged in a grist-mill, first alone, but after its de- 
Ktruction by fire, creeled another and took a part- 
ner. On the 12th of July, 1857, he married Miss 
Nancy E. Henderson, and the issue of the union 
is three children, two of whom are living. In 
1859, Mr. Thompson bought a part of his present 
farm, moved cm it, and now has a farm of four 
hundred acres, well improved and good buildings. 
In 1878. he was elected to the State Legislature, 
and again in 1881. 

H. C. Tripp was born in Fjrie county. New 
York, on the 10th of May, 1817, and his fatlier, 
Noah Tripp, being a farmer, H. C. was reai-ed to 
the same occupation. In 1838, he went to Jack- 
son county, Michigan, worked in a saw-mill a 
short time, then returned to New York. In 1840, 
he married Miss Emma E. White, of Cayuga 
county, who bore him three children. After her 
death he married his jiresent wife. Bliss Minerva 
Ray, who was born in Vermont in 1825, the mar- 
riage taking place in 1849. They removed to 
Collins, Erie county, New York, where Mr. Tripp 
engaged in carriage making until 1854, and in 
that year started for Minnesota with a team, land- 
ing in this place in 1855, and immediately located 
a farm in section twenty-three, where he now owns 
two himdred and forty acres of land. He has a 
large brick house, beautifully located, and one of 
the finest farms in the county. He was Justice of 
the Peace four years, and Assessor one year. His 
eldest sou, Merritt N., enlisted in 1861, in Com- 
pany A, of the Sixty-fourth New I'ork Battalion, 
and died at Alexandria Hosjjital on the 29th of 
April, 1862. Mr. Tripp has two living children, 
Lettie and Delose, both at home. 

F. Van Eaton, a native of Indiana, was born in 
] 835, and assisted in the farm labor until the age 
of fourteen years, when ho learned the blacksmith 
trade, worked four years in his native State, then 
removed to Illinois. In 1851, he removed to Win- 
nebago county, Wisconsin, engaged in farming 
until 1856, and came to Cannon City, locating on 
his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in 
section three. His land is all improved but thirty 
acres, which is covered with heavy timber, and 



534 



HISTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



has two mineral springs. He has been twice mar- 
ried, first to Miss S. J. Patterson in 1853, and 
after her death to Mrs. Phoebe M. Davis in 1864, 
and has been blessed with four children. Mr. Van 
Eaton has been a member of the board of Super- 
visors three years, and District Clerk fifteen years. 

J. M. Wood was born in Nova Scotia on the 
24th of Octolter, 1815, and learned the carpenter 
trade when fourteen years old. He removed to 
Massachusetts in 1830, where he married Miss 
Mary Ann Finch in 1842, and the issue of the 
union is three children. In 18G0, they came to 
this State, settled in Union Lakes until 1872, then 
removed to his present farm in section seventeen, 
Cannon City township. 

A. L. Wright was born in Franklin county, 



Massachusetts, on the 1st of March, 1828, and 
when sixteen years old went to Worcester coiinty, 
and for seven years worked at the boot and shoe 
business. At the expiration of that time he re- 
moved to Northampton, where he engaged with 
his uncle working in marble. In 1853, he re- 
moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, arriving there the 
3d of May, and in five months went to Medford, 
Steele county, locating land in section five, which 
was the first land claimed in that county, and he 
and Mr. C. Lull are said to be the first white men 
there. In 1855, he married Miss Plioebe Hays, 
the ceremony taking place the 22d of March. 
They have five children. In 1863, he removed 
to this place, and has two hundred and forty acres 
of improved land in section three, being supplied 
with good buildings. 



WEBSTER, 



CHAPTER LXIL 

GENERAL, DESCRIPTION E.\ELY SETTLEMENT EARLY 

EVENTS OF INTEREST TOWNSHIP OKGANIZATION 

— MANUFACTURING POSTOFFICES — RELIGIOUS 

EDUCATIONAL — BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Webster Township is the companion town of 
Wheatland in extending the boundary line of the 
county northward. It is in the northwestern jiart 
of Rice county; its contiguous surroundings are 
the counties of Scott and Dakota on the north and 
east, with Bridgewater township forming an east- 
em boundary to section thirty-six; on the south 
Forest and on the west Wheatland. 

Webster is comprised of thirty -six square miles, 
containing 23,040 acres, of which about 330 are 
covered with water. 

The soil is variable, the hilly portions being 
somewhat clayey, while the rolling and bottom 
lands are made up of a rich dark loam, with a clay 
or sand subsoil. The southwestern part of the 
township is very rolling in some places, enough 
so to be termed hilly, which gradually becomes 
m<jre level as you advance to the north. This was 
originally (covered with very fine timber such as oak, 
walnut, maple, basswood, etc., but this has nearly 
all been cut down long since and used for build- 



ing and other jourposes. One of the walnut for- 
ests, such as abounded here in an early day, would 
now prove an immense fortune to those who, in 
pioneer times, cut them down as ruthlessly as 
poplar. In the northern part of the town it is 
also quite hilly, and this was covered with timber 
of the smaller varieties; but as you go eastward 
the surface becomes more even, although the 
tendency to rolling is still apparent and some- 
times quite abrupt. This jjortion was originally 
covered with small timber, interspersed with nat- 
ural rneadows, and small prairie spots covered 
with hazel brush, scrub oak, elm, etc., but this has 
long since almost entirely disappeared, and now 
many fine and fertile farms have transformed the 
spot where once the Indian hunter and wild beast 
held undisputed sway, into a land of beauty, 
thrift, civilization, and productiveness. 

Webster is not so well watered as most of its 
contiguous neighbors, in fact it has no lakes of 
any importance wholly within its borders, nor is 
its surface traversed by streams of any note. 
Union Lake is the largest body of water in the 
town, entering from Forest and covering about 
200 acres in section thirty-five. Kuowles Lake is 
the next in size, located in the western part of the 
town, almost wholly in section nineteen. These 



WEBSTER TOWNSHIP. 



535 



two lakes are connected by a stream flowing from 
the latter, called Chub Creek. Another little 
stream rises in the northwestern part of the town- 
ship and crosses sections five and six as it leaves 
and enters Scott county. Still another small 
brook rises in the eastern part of section eleven, 
and crossing section thirteen in a soutlieasterly 
direction, enters Dakota county. 

A small majority of the citizens at the present 
writing are of German, Irisli, and other foreign 
origin, although the American population is grow- 
ing more rapidly than the foreign-born. A re- 
port of the township published a few years ago 
states that the township contained "640 acres of 
unsold school laud.s, 520 acres still belonging to 
the government, and nearly 5,000 acres to thi; 
raih'oad. Wild lands may be purchased from 
$2.00 to .'$5.00 per acre, etc." This, however, is 
now changed and almost all lands aliove men- 
tioned have been sold to, and are now occupied 
by actual settlers, while the wild lands have 
doubled the price mentioned. 

In the year 1860, the township had a popula- 
tion of 210; in 1865, 319; in 1880 the latest cen- 
sus, 872. At the census taken in 1860, the values 
in this town, as given to the census takers, were 
as follows: Keal property, .§137,700; personal, 
»49,150; total, .«186,850. The total assessed val- 
uation for the same year, real and personal, 
amounted to .$53,259. In 1882, the board of 
County Commissioners in equalizing assessments 
in the various townships made the following re- 
port of valuation in Webster : Personal property, 
.■$26,915; real property, »105,169; total, $132,084; 
showing an increase in assessed valuation over the 
year mentioned above of $78,825. 

E.\KLY .SETTLEMENT. 

Webster commenced evolutions toward settle- 
ment and civilization in 1855, probably a little 
later than any township in Kice county, but the 
changes wrought are second to none. About tlie 
first to take a claim and actually settle, who is yet 
in the town, was Martin Taylor, a native 
of Ireland, who secured a claim in section twenty- 
one in November, 1855. He had left his family 
in Hastings, but in the following spring removed 
them to his new made home, where he had erected 
a smaU log shanty. He then went to work and 
cleared and spaded up three acres of land, which 
he planted to corn and potatoes. The nest spring, 
wishing to seed the ground to wheat, he started to 



Northfield, the nearest point where the seed could 
be obtained, with a yoke of oxi n Imt no wagon. 
He placed one sack of wheat across the back of 
one ox, and another across the yoke, arriving home 
in safety with his wheat. With this he seeded his 
ground, and from the throe acres he raised pne 
hundred and ten bushels. This yield has never 
since been e(pialled, but Mr. Taylor says that 
since that crop he has never once been out of the 
article. 

In the spring of the year that Mr. Taylor ar- 
rived — 1855 — a settlement was commenced in the 
southeastern part of the town. Harry Humphrey, 
a native of New York, having stopped for a time 
in Ohio, arrived and secured a place in section 
thirty-six, on the shore of Union Lake. He put 
up a log house and commenced running it as a 
hotel. He remained here until some time in the 
seventies, when he disposed of his farm and re- 
moved to Minneapolis, wliere he paid the delit of 
mortality iu 1881, his devoted wife soon following 
him. They left several sons in various parts of 
the Northwest. 

Neither of the settlements, which were about 
five miles apart, received many settlers during the 
year 1855. The Union Lake settlement, in the 
southei'n part of the town, that was begun in the 
spring by Mr. Humphrey, was increased in De- 
cember by the arrival of two more parties, S. J. 
and Chalmer M. Webster, natives of Ohio. 8. J. 
took a valuable claim in section thirty-five, and 
Chalmer M. took a farm about two miles to the 
west, in section twenty-eight. Both of these early 
comers remained on their places until 1866, when 
they removed to Marsliall, Lyon county, where 
they now reside. 

Ferris Webster, now deceased, was a prominent 
and active figure in the early settlement of this 
locality, and it was in honor of him that the town 
received its name. He was father of the parties 
above mentioned, and came to the township at the 
same time, taking a farm in section twenty-six, 
where he remained until the time of liis death, 
which occurred in 1880. His respected widow 
still lives on the old homestead, and he left one 
son, M. C. Weljster, who is still a resident of the 
township, the rest of his descendants being located 
in various parts of the Northwest. He was a man 
honorable in his dealings and highly respected by 
all who knew him. 

In the spring following Blr. Webster's arrival. 



536 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



all parts of the township began to be settled, and 
the two settlements already settled branched into 
surrounding sections with surprising rapidity. 
Jacob Camp with his wife came this year, and he, 
after securing a farm in sections twenty -seven and 
thirty-four, commenced the erection of a log hut. 
The grit and perseverance of early settlers is pret- 
ty well indicated by the tact that he carried the 
logs to build his house on his shoulders, and drew 
his stove through the woods from Northfield with 
a sled by hand. He commenced life here with 
scarcely anything, but has now become well-to-do 
and independent. 

Early in the spring and about the time of the 
last mentioned arrival, Ransom F. and Oscar Web- 
ster, natives of the Buckeye State, came and set- 
tled in section twenty-six, immediately commenc- 
ing to build log houses. The first remained in 
the township until 1874, when he sold his farm 
and removed to Lyon county, where a couple of 
his brothers had preceded him. Oscar Webster 
remained on his farm until 1870, when he re- 
moved to Wisconsin, but has since gone to Water- 
town, D. T., where he now lives. 

In May, 18.50, Thomas Keegan, a native of the 
Emerald Isle, made his appearance and took a 
claim northwest of Taylor's place, in section sev- 
enteen. He Y>nt up a log shanty and a hay and 
brush stable, and commenced getting laud ready 
for seed. He remained on his ]Aa.ce until 1864, 
when he sold out and removed to Nebraska. With 
the settler mentioned above came another native 
of Ireland, m the ])erson of William Sabry. He 
took a place a short distance south of his compan- 
ion, locating in section twenty-one, where he made 
improvements and remained until 1868, when he 
removed to Bismarck, D. T. 

Section eleven also received a settler this year, 
and commenced a settlement in the northern part 
of the town. John Gleason, of the "Land of the 
Shamroi^k," drifted into this town one July morn- 
ing, and anchored himself on section eleven, where 
he still remains fast. Abotit the same time James 
McCabe, a native of Massachusetts, moved in-and 
made Gleason company by selecting a farm in 
section twelve. He erected a log shanty and com- 
menced farming. In 1865, he opened a general 
merchandise store, which he still continues on his 
farm. Joseph Dilly was also a settler f)f this 
year. 

Mr. Belling Beutou, a native of England, made 



his appearance in 1856, and planted his stakes on 
a beautiful piece of ground in section thirty-six, 
bordering on the shores of Union Lake. The se- 
lection prove 1 satisfactory, as he still remains 
there. 

After this the influx became so rapid and in- 
cessant that it would be impossible to chronicle 
the arrivals in their sequence, but we give the 
prominent ones who took farms and are yet culti- 
vating them. Many came who have since pulled 
up stakes and removed further west or returned 
to their former hoiues in the East. 

James Kiley, a native of Ireland, arrived in 
1857, and secured a farm in section ten where he 
still remains, satisfied. The following year, 1858, 
another quarter of the same section was secured 
by Mr. Blaher, also of Celtic origin. 

E. C. Knowles drifted into the northwest quar- 
ter of section twenty-nine, in 1860, where he is 
still anchored. He came to Minnesota in 1855. 
John Cole, was another early settler in Minnesota, 
having come to the State in 1856. He arrived in 
Webster in 1865, and taking a farm in section 
twenty-eight still stands guard over it. Corne- 
lius Deuman came to Kice county from Ohio in 
1855, and set tied in Morristown. In 1867, he pur- 
chased a farm in section thirty-four, Welister, 
where he still remains. 

Ola Elstad, of Norway, settled in section one 
in 1862, and in 1860, Edward Elstad, of the same 
nationality kept him company by purchasing a 
farm adjoining him in the same section, wliere 
they both still remain. In 1874, Nels Hoagen- 
son joined the little settlement of Norwegians^ 
and took a place in section two. J. O. Larson, G. 
Ohristopherson, M. Christianson and others came 
in at various times and swelled the settlement of 
this nationality. 

Thomas Gleason, a native of the Emerald Isle, 
came in 1864 and jiurchased a large farm in sec- 
tions twelve and thirteen, where he still lives. 
Joseph Gear, another Irishman, took a farm off of 
an early settler's hands, in 1868, in section twelve. 

Robert Campbell, of the old country, came to 
America in 1862, and in 1866 arrived in \yebster, 
purchasing the farm where he now lives in section 
eighteen. In 1867, Henry Graves came and pur- 
chased 120 acres in section twenty-one, where he 
now lives. The same year J. G. Walden, of Maine, 
made his appearance and purchased the farm he 
now occupies in section twenty-eight. Thomas 



WEBSTER TOWySIITP. 



537 



Lyucb, came in 1863 and bougbt a farm in sec- 
tion thirty-two. He was a native of Ireland and 
still occupies the place he originally settled on. 

Thus it will be seen the settlement of the town- 
ship pushed onward, each succeeding year wit- 
nessing still further additions and devolop'^ieuts. 
Farms were opened in all parts of the town, and 
the early comers began to reap the just reward of 
their industry. Step by step the change had 
been wrought, until a new era had almost imper- 
ceptibly dawned upon the scene. Larger build- 
ings were erected, schools and churches estab- 
lished, and a general air of enterprise was mani- 
fest where so recently all was wild and uninhab- 
ited. From the crude efforts of earlier years the 
present tillers of the soil fast adapted wiser and 
more systematic modes of farming, the beneficent 
results of which are already so plainly apparent. 

EARLY EVENTS OF INTEEEST. 

Town N.^me. — "Webster township was originally 
named by the government surveyors, "Minne- 
mada," and for a short time this was the name of 
the locality rather than the township. It was 
afterwards voted by the citizens that the town be 
named "Carrolltown," but the County Commis- 
sioners bestowed upon it the name of "Webster" 
and it has ever since recognized this as its appel- 
lation, being in honor of Mr. Ferris Webster, an 
early settler in the town. 

Eaelt Births. — The first birth of a white child 
in the township was John McGuire, whose natal 
date is on the 18th of March, 1857. 

A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Camp was 
brought into existence in January, 1858. 

There was a minor arrival in the shape of a 
nine-pound child at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. 
Salmon Webster in May, 1858. 

December, 1858, witnessed the birth of Thnma.s, 
a son of Martin Taylor and wife. 

Early Maeriages. — The first marriage of 
Webster parties occurred in June, 18o(). and joined 
as man and wife Mr. Salmon Webster and Miss 
Fannie Humphrey. Mr. Webster moved out of 
the township in 18(i(), and now lives in Lyon 
county. 

Another marriage occurred in August, 1858, 
the high contracting parties being Epbraim Dilly 
and Miss Alice St. John. 

Early Deaths. — In the summer of 1858, Web- 
ster first felt the elfects of the ravages of death. 
The wife of Samuel Dilly was the first victim, and 



passed to her eternal home. Her little daughter 
died soon afterward and was the second death. 

TOWNSUir OUOANIZATION. 

In common with all the sub-divisions of Rice 
county the organization of this township took 
place soon after the Territory was admitted to the 
sisterhood of States, in 1858, and the first meet- 
ing was held on the 11th of May of that year. 
This meeting was hel J at tlie residence of Ephraim 
Dilly, and came to order by appointing Michael 
O'Mara, chairman, and S. S. Humphrey, clerk. 

The meeting then proceeded to ballot for officers 
to take charge of town matters, which resulted as 
follows: Supervisors, Geo. Carpenter, Chairman, 
Iv. H. Dilly, and James Kiley; Town Clerk, J. J. 
McCabe; Collector, Timothy Gleason; Justices of 
the Peace, Ephraim Dilly, Sen., and F.Webster; 
Constables, William Dilly and Elisha Fitch; Over- 
seer of Roads, William Dilly, Sen. Nest the 
meeting took up the matter of town expenses and 
voted the sum of $100 for that purjsose. 

The att'airs of public interest have been at- 
tended to since this inaugural meeting with com- 
mendable zeal and fidelity, there having been ex- 
hibited due economy in regard to finance and jjub- 
lic expenditures. 

At the tweuty-fourth annual meeting of the 
town, in March, 1882, a full corps of township 
officials were elected as follows: Supervisors, 
John Gleason, Jr., Chairman, Hans Hamann, and 
John King; Clerk, Thomas Skefflngton; Treas- 
urer, Hogeu Oleson ; Justices of the Peace, John 
Hennesy and Henry Meinke; "Constable, Henry 
Weise; Assessor, Thomas Skeffiugton. 

BUSINESS INTERESTS. 

In this township, there being no villages, the 
matters under this head are somewhat scattered. 
The Post-offices, blacksmitli shops, and stores are 
of great convenience to the farmers of the sur- 
rounding country, relieving them of the nece.ssity 
of going out of their township for supplies or 
common requirements of life. It can be said that 
Webster is well represented so far as manufactur- 
ing and mercantile aft'airs are concerned, consid- 
ering the distance from railroad connection and 
its accompanying advantages. 

In 1856, Mr. Ferris Webster hauled goods from 
Hastings by team and opened a small store in 
section thirty-five, with a limited stock of grocer- 
ies and provisions. It was opei'ated for a sliort 



538 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



time ami then discontinued, as the country was 
too sparsely settled as yet to support the enter- 
prise. 

In the fall of 18(55, however, another effort was 
made with better success. Mr. James McCabe 
hauled a stock of goods from St. Paul and opened 
a store in a small shanty in the northern part of 
section twelve. It proved a success and is now 
occupying a commodious and substantial building, 
18.x55, on the old site, keeping a large and well 
assorted stock of goods and is a great conven- 
ii^nce to the farmers. Until 1872 a stock of wines, 
liquors, etc., were kept, but since that time they 
have been dispensed with. 

A saloon was started in the winter of 1857, in 
the western part of section thirty-six, by a Mr. 
Hoffnekle, but was only run for about three 
months. It seems the proprietor got a lot of In- 
dians in the saloon and proceeded to get them 
drunk; he succeeded but the citizens near by came 
down on him and he left. 

Saw Mill.— -An excellent steam saw mill was 
erected in 1873 by Mr. William Albers, in the 
eastern part of section thirty-five, on the bank of 
Union Lake. The propelling motor of the mill is 
a thirty horse-power steam engine, that drives the 
two circular saws with which the mill is equipped, 
with sufficient force to cut 10,000 feet of lumber 
per day, although the average is only 5,000. This 
mill is a great benefit to the surrounding country, 
and takes a prominent place among the manufac- 
turing interests of Rice county. 

Blacksmith Shops. — After the settlement of 
the township commenced it was not long until a 
brawny armed son of Vulcan moved his forge and 
anvil into Webster and commenced to make the 
steel ring. This was in 1856, and a Mr. Palmer 
also opened his shop, and kept banging away un- 
til 1858 when he pulled up stakes and removed to 
Rochester where he now lives. His shop was lo- 
cated on the eastern part of section thirty-five. 

The next shojj was oijeued in 1868, by Gilbert 
Christopherson, who erected and commenced oper- 
ating a shop in the northeastern part of section 
<me, where it is still in full blast. 

Nels Oleson, in 1874, put up a shop in the south- 
western part of section twenty-nine, putting in a 
complete set of tools, and here he may yet be 
found, still blowing the bellows. 

Union Lake Post-ofpioe. — This was the first 
office established in the town of Webster, having 



commenced its existence through a petition to 
Congress in the winter of 1856. Henry Hum- 
phrey was the first Postmaster, with the office at 
his house in section thirty-five. This gentleman 
was the incumbent until 1873, when Gteorge 
Prunk was appointed to handle the mail, which 
arrives on Thursday of each week by way of 
Millersburg. 

Hazelwood Post-office. — This office was es- 
tablished in 1857, one year later than the above, 
with J. W. Doyle, Postmaster. Mail was then re- 
ceived once each week ; now it arrives on Tuesday 
and Saturday of each week from Northfield. 
James BlcCabe is the present Postmaster, and E. 
W. Parker, mail carrier, the office being kept at 
Mr. McCabe's store, in the eastern part of section 
twelve. 

Webster Post-office. — This is the youngest 
office in the township, having been established in 
1879, with F. Butzke, Postmaster, and the office at 
his house in section eight. He is still Postmaster. 
Mail arrives twice each week from Northfield by 
way of Hazelwood. 

EELIGIOUS. 

The first religious services held in this township 
were in the summer of 1856, by Elder K. C. Cres- 
sey, a missionary of the Congregationalist faith, 
in the house of Blr. F. Webster in section twenty - 
six. After this, services were held in John Camp- 
bell's house once in two weeks. This was contin- 
ued until Mr. Campbell moved out of the town- 
ship in 1866, and since that time there has been 
no regular services, as the Congregationalists have 
never had an organization. 

Baptist Society. — This denomination com- 
menced holding services at the log schoolhouse 
of district thirty-three in 1870, with the Rev. Mr. 
Gale, as officiating minister. The society was 
duly organized in the fall of the same year with 
twenty-eight members. In the year 1873, Mr. 
Humphrey donated the church a site for a build- 
ing, and they at once commenced the erection of 
their present church edifice, completing it a num- 
ber of years afterward at a cost of about S!l,200, 
it being a very neat and commodious structure. 
Among tlie pastors who have presided here are 
Elder James F. Walker, Rev. Frank Howard, Rev. 
Mr. Piuiik, and Rev. J. F. Wilcox, the latter gen- 
tleman l)eing the ])resent pastor. The church is 
located on the southern line of section twenty-five. 

Norwegian Lutheran Church. — First held 



WEBSTEli TOWKSUIP. 



539 



services in 1876, at the scliQolliovise of district 
No. fi7, and continued holding irregular services 
here and at various places until 1878, when the 
society was organized, and the following trustees 
chosen : Olo Keige, Peter Oleson, Ole Anderson, 
and Christopher Seiga, with twenty members en- 
rolled and Rev. Nels Veker the first minister. In 
1878, the erection of a neat frame church was 
commenced in the southwest corner of section 
thirty-one, which, although not completed as yet, 
lias cost -SGOO. The society now has thirty mem- 
bers but no regular piistor. A cemetery is con- 
nected with the church organization, being lo- 
cated in the town of Wheatland. 

OathoijIC Society. — Meetings of this society 
were first held in Timothy Gleasou's house in 
1857, tlie first mass being said at the residence of 
James McCabe in 1858, by Father Oster, who was 
the first priest. In 1861, they decided to build a 
church, as meetings were being held at various 
places, and a building committee was appointed. 
James McOabe donated the society ten acres in 
section twelve and they purchased an additional 
ten acres adjoining it. Their building was finally 
finished as it now stands, with vestry, addition, 
and steeple, in 1881, having cost .53,100. The 
present officers are; Secretary, James McCabe; 
Treasurer, James Kiley. The priest is Father 
Reorlin. The church building of this denomina- 
tion is a fine and commodious one; a credit to the 
township, and the society deserve commendation 
for their enterprise and zeal. Its location is in 
the southern part of section twelve. 

The Catholic cemetery, not far from the church, 
was laid out in the summer of 1863, containing 
one acre. The first burial here took place in the 
same year, and placed the remains of Mrs. Fos in 
their last earthly abode. 

SOLORS OONGKEGATION OF THE NoKWEcilAN 

LuTHEKAN Synod. — The first services held in the 
township by this denomination, was at the resi- 
dence of Mr. M. Oleson, in section four, in 1876. 
In 1878, an organization was efl'ected and the 
erection of a church commenced, in section nine, 
which, although it is not yet comjileted, has cist 
$700. The first pastor was Kev. O. A. Borah, who 
still officiates. 

In 1881, a cemetery ground was laid out by 
this church on E. Anderson's farm in the north- 
ern part of section nine, near the church, contain- 
ing sixty -six lots. 



German LuTnEiux CnnBcn.— Bev. Julius 
Wolf, in 1871, held services with this d(!noniiiia- 
tiou at the residence of Henry Kinker, and the 
following year an organization was efl'ected and a 
frame church edifice erected in the nortiiwestern 
part of section five, at a cost of .i^lOO, the members 
doing almost all of tlie labor. The present pastor 
is Kev. Christian Alphers, with a membershii) of 
aI)out twenty, and a Hourishiug Sunday school in 
connection with the church. 

When the society was first contemjilated, in 
1871, a cemetery was platted and laid out in sec- 
tion five, near the church site, and the burial of 
a child of Mr. and Blrs. Hans Hamaun, inaugurated 
the sad and touching scenes that have since fol- 
lowed. 

EDUOATIONAL. 

Historically speaking, there is not much to the 
educational department of Webster township — 
not that it is inefficient or incapable, for such is 
not the case, as it would favorably compare with 
any of which we might speak — liut there is an un- 
avoidable sameness between them; in fact, the 
history of (me district is, with the exception of 
minor points, almost a synonym of all others. 
However, to gratify that pardonable local pride 
and curiosity in regard to "our district," wo attach 
hereto a short sketch of the organizatiim and 
growth of the various districts severally. 

DisTUKT No. 33. — This district effected an or- 
ganization in the summer of 1857, and school was 
held at the residence of Mr. Salmon Webster, with 
three scholars in attendance, and Mrs. Frances 
Webster, teacher. In the fall, of 1861, a log school- 
house was rolled together in section thenty-six, 
where Miss Rosy Bidwell first called school to 
order. This primitive structure served its pur- 
pose until 1873, when the present neat and com- 
modious schoolhouse was erected on the same site 
at a cost of aljout .$625. R. J. Matson first taught 
in the new house. 

DisTuicT No. 42. — This educational subdivision 
was set off and organized under this uumlier ou 
the 5th of June, 1858, with Messrs. Samuel Dilly, 
R. H. l^illy, and John Gleason as school officers. 
A school building was put together, of logs, ou 
section twelve soon .ifterward, which was kept in 
use until 1S72. In the latter year their present 
building was constructed in the southern part of 
section eleven, at a cost of iS;400. Mr. James Ken- 
noy first called school together in this house. 



540 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



District No. 52. — This was legally organ- 
ized in 1865, and a log house built in the southern 
|)iirt t)f section eight. Tlie first school was taught 
the following spring in this building by Miss 
Mary Ann Shippy — although this statement is 
contradicted — and the Iniilding was used continu- 
ously until 1880, when it was dispensed with, and 
the present house erected in the southern part of 
section eight at a cost of .S615. 

District No. 67.^Effected an organization in 
18(51, and a school meeting was held on the 27th 
of March, at the house of E. O. Knowles, at 
which school officers were elected as follows: 
Treasurer, E. C. Knowles; Director, Elisha Fitch; 
and Clerk, H. D. Williams. At a special school 
meeting held on the 9th of July, 1864, a tax of 
.S200 was voted for the purpose of erecting a 
schoolhouse, and the following year the walls of a 
log house, 18x20 feet, were put up by contribu- 
tion, that was completed in the fall of 1865 and 
ready for use. In the summer of 1866, school 
was held in it by Miss Angerora Shippy, and it 
was in use from this on for school jiui'P"^^^ until 
1880, when the present house was erected in the 
central part of section twenty-nine, at a cost of 
.•$700. William H. Wetherston first called school 
to order in this edifice. At present the school en- 
rolls about sixty-five pupils. 

BIOGKArUICAIj. 

S. B. Baklow, one of the early settlers in Web- 
ster township, was born in Connecticut on the 31st 
of July, 1834. When he was but three years old his 
parents moved to Franklin county,New York, where 
he received his schooling. At the age of fifteen 
years he was employed in the pineries; in 1853, 
moved to Michigan, where he was in the lumber 
business one year, thence to Wisconsin engaged in 
digging wells and cisterns until 1857. He then 
came to Rice county and took a claim in section 
thirty -two in tliis place, which has since been his 
liome. He erected a house immediately after his 
arrival, but the following year built a more sub- 
stantial one, wliich was destroyed by fire in 1866, 
wlien lie put up his present dwelling. In 1862, 
he enlisted in the Second Minnesota Cavalry and 
served one year. After his discharge he returned 
to his farm and has since devoted his time to its 
cultivation, with the e.'iception of the year 1872, 
which he spent traveling through Minnesota, 
Wisconsin, and Michigan. He was joined in mat- 
rimony on the 16tli of March, 1861, to Miss Louisa 



S. Walden. They have had seven children; Ad- 
die, Melvin, Mabel, Sarah, Edna, and Cora. One 
died in infancy. 

BEiitAMY Benton, one of the old settlers of 
Rice county, was born in England in 1809. He 
was lirought up on a farm, attended school and 
learned the baker trade. At the age of twenty he 
enlisted in the army and served two and a half 
years when his parents bought his discharge. He 
then returned home and was engaged on the po- 
lice force iu the city of Wisbeach four years. In 
1846, he married Miss Mary Salmons and they 
were blessed with five children, all of whom are 
now dead, also his first wife. For twenty- four 
years he was engaged in a grain warehouse and 
aftei'ward was appointed Warden of the jail in 
Wisbeach remaining three years. He married his 
second wife, Miss Maryan Mitchal, and soon after 
emigrated to America, landing in New York. He 
moved from there to Cleveland, Ohio, and the 
same year (1856) came to this township, built a 
log cabin in which they lived until 1871, and then 
erected their present fine frame structure. 

F. BuTZKE, one of the early settlers of this 
township, is a native of Germany, born on the 
22d of October, 1819. He attended school and 
when (juite young learned the blacksmith trade of 
his father. In 1840, he enlisted in the Prussian 
army and served three years. In 1845, Miss Hen- 
riette Wasse became his wife. They emigrated to 
America in 1857, landed in Baltimore and came 
directly to Minnesota, stopping in Hastings one 
month and then to this place. He staked out a 
claim in section eight, built a log house in which 
he lived about fourteen years, then erected his 
present frame dwelling, and now owns three hun- 
dred and twenty acres of land. He has a family 
of seven children; Bertha, Herman, Ulrike, Ferdi- 
nand, Matilda, William, and John. 

Abel, Carpenter was born in Vermont on the 
13th of June, 1813. At the age of three years he 
moved with his parents to Predonia, New York, 
wliere they remained five years, thence to Pair view, 
I'enii.sylvania, and three years later to Ashtal)ula 
county, Ohio, where Abel grew to manhood. He 
was married on the 28th of March, 1843, to Miss 
Mary Britt. Two years later they moved to Lee 
county, Iowa, where they resided on 1 farm until 
1871, and on the 20th of May they came to this 
township and purchased a farm in section thirty- 
five, which has since been their home. Mr. and 



WKDSTKH T()]\'NSIIIl'. 



)ll 



Mrs. Carpenter have a family of seven children ; 
Henrietta, James, William, George, Samuel, Abel, 
and Emma. Abel was born on the 3<1 of March, 
18")!!, in Lee county, Iowa, and lum always made 
liis home with his parents. 

Jacob Camp is a native of Pennsylvania, born 
on the 11th of August, 1829, and when an infant 
removed with his parents to Holmes county, Ohio. 
In the s]5ring of 1855, he started with an oil-doth 
covered wagon and one horse for the We.st. On 
reaching Dubuque, Iowa, he tt)ok a steamer for 
Hastings, from whence he went to Washington 
county and spent the winter. The following 
spring he came to this township and was among 
the first settlers, locating in section twenty-four 
and twenty-seven. He was married in August, 
185G, to Miss Mary Egan and the union has been 
blessed with three children. 

John Cole, a native of Yorkshire, England, 
was born on the 23d of April, 1829. He spent 
his youth on a farm and in school and in 1852, 
emigrated to America, landed in (Juebec and came 
directly to Detroit, Michigan, where he engaged 
in farming and gardening. In 1856, he came to 
Minnesota to seek a home, settled on Vermillion 
river iji Dakota county and remained until the 
spring of 1865, when he enlisted in the First Min- 
nesota Heavy Artillery, Company I, was sent 
south to Chattanooga and stationed witli the regi- 
ment on Cameron Hill, remaining till the close of 
the war. After receiving his discharge he re- 
turned to Mmuesota and located in Webster in 
section twenty-eight, which has since been his 
home, building his present house in 1870. Mr. 
Cole was united in matrimony on the 28th of Feb- 
ruary, 1860, to Miss Lenora Blew, a native of 
New Jersey. The issue of the union is one son, 
William. 

Paui; Dannielson is a native of Norway, bom 
on the 5th of December, 1850. In June, 1869, he 
sailed for America, came directly to Minnesota and 
resided in Dakota county on a farm four years, 
then kept a boarding house in Minneapolis two 
years, and in 1875, came to this township and pur- 
chased his present farm. He was married on the 
3d of March, 187-1, to Miss Mary Severson, who 
has borne him three children; Daniel, Peter, and 
TiUa. 

John Etlwakd was born in Ireland on the 
20th of June, 1822. His father died when he was 
twelve years old, after which he went to live with 



an uncle and attended school. He came to Amer- 
ica in 1817, landed in Savannah, Georgia, and 
tlienee to New Jersey where he was engaged in 
the print works. He was joined in wedlock with 
Bridget Martin in July, 1852. In July, 1S58, 
they came to this townsliip and are nnnibered 
among the pioneers, building their prest-nt frame 
hou.se in 1871). Tliey have had six children; Sa- 
rali, .John, Mary, James, Martin, and Daniel. Ha- 
rali died at the age of eleven years and James at 
live. 

Oi.eIj. Elstaii was born in Norway on tlie I'.lth 
of February, 1822. He attended school in liis 
native place and in 1840, purchased a I'arm. He 
was married on the 2ith of June, of the latter year, 
and remained in that coimtry until 1869, when 
they emigrated to America. They came to Min- 
nesota and settled first in Dakota county and two 
years later moved to this township, buying a good 
farm in seotion one, which is still their home. 
They have a family of eight children; Edward, 
Augusta, Anna, Matilda, Maggie, Maria, Emeline, 
and Alice. 

Hugh Geoghagan, one of the prominent men 
of this county and erne of the first to locate a 
farm in this township, was born in Ireland on the 
15th of August, 1830. His youth was spent at 
school and in farming pursuits, coming to Amer- 
ica in 1852. He landed in New Orleans from 
whence he came to Chicago and was in the employ 
of the government as engineer for two years, and 
afterward engaged as fireman and engineer in dif- 
ferent parts of Illinois. In 1856, he made a trip 
to Minnesota and secured land in this township 
but did not settle here until 1865. He was mar- 
ried on the 3d of April, 1860, to Miss Mary Hurly, 
who has borne him ten children; Lawrence, 
James, Hugh, Henry, Mathew, Mary, Thomas, 
Anna, Catherine, and John Henry, the '.ourth born 
was killed by a pile of lumber falling on him. 

Daniel Glyzee, a native of Indiana, was born 
on the 28th of October, 1850. He was 
reared to agricultural pursuits and came with his 
parents to Minnesota in 1862, first locating in 
Lawrence county, but a year later came to this 
place and bought a farm in section thirty-four. 
His father died in 1870, and Daniel has since had 
charge of the farm, his motner living with him. 

Henry Graves wiis born in Ireland in 1838, 
and spent eight years of his youth in school. He 
sailed for America in September, 1845, and set- 



542 



HI STORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



tied in Bureau county, Illiuois, -where, after reach- 
ing his majority, he was employed on the Chica- 
go, Burlington & Qnincy railroad several years. 
On the 9th of September, 1858, Miss Catherine 
Dufl'y Ijecarae his wife. In 1869, they came to 
this township, purchased a farm of one hundred 
and twenty acres in section twenty-one, and the 
same year erected their present house. Mr. and 
Mrs. Graves have had eleven children, ten of 
whom are now living. 

Nils Hoauen.son, a native of Norway, was born 
on the lith of November, 1849. He remained at 
home engaged in farming until the 20th of July, 
1868, when he set sail for America in company 
with his parents. They came direct to Minnesota 
and settled in Eushford, J'illmore county, where 
they remained five years and came to this town- 
ship. Mr. Hoagenson purchased a farm and im- 
mediately erected his j^resent house. Bliss Caro- 
line Larson Ijecame his wife on the 5th of Febru- 
ary, 1874, and they have ;i family of four chil- 
dren. 

Petek John.son was lioru in Norway on the 
6th of March. 1831. He was married in his na- 
tive country in July, 1864, to Miss Carrie Thomp- 
son. They came to America in 1868, landed in 
New York and from thence came to Carver county, 
Minnesota, where they were engaged in farming 
until 1872. In the latter year they came to this 
township, purchased a farm in section twenty, and 
in 1875, erected their present fine house. They 
have a family of nine children: Eva, Peter, Carrie, 
Henry, John, Willie, Ola, Mary, and Charles. 

John King, whose father came from New Jer- 
sey to Webster in 1856, being among the first .set- 
tlers, was born in the latter State in 1853. All 
his school days amounted to but nineteen months, 
and wlien he was eight years old his father died. 
John has always resided on the old homestead, 
his sisters living with him. He is a member of 
the board of Supervisors. 

James Keegan, one of the pioneers of this place, 
was born on the 20th of March, 1828, in Ireland. 
In 1846, he came to America and settled in Wash- 
ington county, Maine, where he learned the tailor 
trade, remaining two years. From thence he went 
to New York and engaged at his trade, then 
to McHenry county, Illinois, and afterward resid- 
ed in Milwaukee and Chicago, and in 1865, came 
lo St. Paul, in each of which places he worked at 
lis trade. In 1856, he came to this township and 



bought the land upon which he now resides. He 
was united in marriage on the 16th of November, 
1862, to Miss B. H. Carroll, who has borne him 
two sons, James and Andrew. 

Aethuk Kin'SElla, deceased, was born in Ire- 
land in 1821. He was reared on a farm and came 
to America in 1850, first located in Rockford, Hli- 
uois, but soon after came to Dakota county, Min- 
nesota. He was married in 1856, to Miss Anna 
Mangon. They came to this township in 1862, 
purchased a farm in section fourteen, and built a 
shanty in which they lived until 1870, then erected 
a fine frame house. Five children blessed this 
union; Andrew, John, Arthur, George, and Blary. 
Mr. Kiusella died on the 19th of June, 1874, 
mourned by a large circle of friends. 

E. C. Knowles, one of the old settlers of Min- 
nesota, was born in Merrimack county. New 
Hampshire, on the 30th of August, 1820. In 1841, 
he married Miss Lucinda ."itwood of his native 
place. He then engaged in farming for a time 
but finally sold and Ijought a shingle mill, which 
bn.siness and carpentering he continued until the 
fall of 1849, when he was employed by the North- 
ern Railroad Company and worked five years as a 
mechanic, building and repairing bridges, and was 
also in the repair shops. In 1855, he came west 
to seek a home, first pre-empted land in Dakota 
county near Hastings and worked at his trade in 
that city. In 1856, he bought a quarter section 
in this township but continued to reside in Hast- 
ings. In 1858, he went to Kenyon, Goodhue coun- 
ty, spent one season and then came to Northfield, 
and in 1860, settled in this place. The following 
fall he built the house in which he now lives. He 
lias many times been elected to local offices of 
trust, and also represented this district in the 
State Legislature. Mr. and Mrs. Knowles have 
had eight children; John, Mary, Jane, Albert, 
Ezekiel, Frank, Ella, and Orrin. Mary died in 
1858, at the age of fifteen, and Ezekiel in 1856, 
when six years old. 

James Leahet was born in Ireland on the 15th 
of August, 1840, and came with his parents to 
America when seventeen years old. They landed in 
New Orleans, and came from thence to Dakota 
county, Minnesota, where James attended school. 
Ho came to this township in 1859, now owns a 
good farm, and has held many offices of trust. He 
was united in marriage on the 5th of January, 
1875, to Miss Mary Hagan, who has borne him 



WEBSTER TOWN Kin P. 



543 



four children; Daniel, John Henry, Mary Ellen, 
nd James. 

John Mollot was born in Ireland on thf 12th 
of March, 1835, and emigrated to America in 1852. 
He was employed in a factory in Oswego connty, 
New York, until 1857, then came to this township 
and pre-empted a claim which is his present 
home. 

Andrew Nelson, a native of Norway, was born 
on the 24th of August, 1830. His father died 
when he was one year old, and he lived with his 
mother attending school until the age of eleven; 
then engaged to work in the pineries, continuing, 
with the exception of two seasons, until 1869. In 
the latter year became to America, landed in Que- 
bec, and came to Carver county, Minnesota. 
While there he married Miss Merrit Nelson in 
1871. They came to this township in 1873, and 
built the house in whicli they now live in section 
twenty, where they have a good farm. Mr. and 
Mrs. Nelson have had eight children; Annie, 
Merrit, Andrew, Henry, Blary, Cora. Herman, and 
Carrie, five of whom are dead. 

Nels Oleson "Holte" is a native of Norway, 
born on the 25th of May, 1830. At the age of 
sixteen years he began to learn the carpenter 
trade, at which he was engaged until coming to 
America in 1866. He was married before coming, 
in 1855, to Miss Olianna Oleson. They first set- 
tled in Trempealeau, Trempealeau county, Wis- 
consin, where he was engaged at his trade. In 
1868, he came to Dakota county, Minnesota, where 
he followed his trade for six years, then in St. 
Paul four years, and in 1874, came to this place, 
bought a farm and built a blacksmith shop, which 
he has since conducted. Mr. and Mrs. Holte have 
had ten children, eight of whom are living. 

Magnus Olson was born in Norway on the 15th 
of November, 1830, reared on a farm, and at the 
age of fifteen years began to learn the stone mason 
trade. He was married in 1858, to Miss Sophia 
Cyprans. In 1852, they left their native country 
and came to America, directly to Chicago, where 
Mr. Olson worked at his trade for two months, and 
came to Goodhue county, Minnesota. His wife 
died in 1868, and in 1870, he married Miss Anna 
Amimdson. He remained in the latter place until 
1876, when he moved to this township and bought 
a farm in sections four and nine, which he has 
since made his home. Mr. and Mrs. Olson have 
hid two children, Simon and Carl. 



Haagen Olson was bom in Norway on the 18th 
of September, 1839. In 1865, married Miss Mary 
Olson. The following year they came to America, 
to Dakota connty, Minnesota, and after a residence 
of five years there moved to Dakota territory. In 
1875, his wife died and the same year he came to 
this township, puriihased a faiin iu sectinri thirty, 
and has since made it his home. The maiden 
name of his present wife was Annie M. Swedeen, 
and this union has been blessed with two children; 
Julianna and Edwin. Mr. Olson has been a mem- 
ber of the Board of Supervisors and is at present 
Treasurer. 

Thomas Reynolos, one of the few Anaeri(!ans in 
this place, is a native of New York, born on tlie 
1st of Juno, 1839. He remained at home at- 
tending school and in 1872 married; then came 
west to this township and resided with his brother- 
in-law until 1874. Having purchased a farm 
upon his arrival, he built a house in the latter year 
and has since made it his home. Mr. and Mrs. 
T-ieyuolds have had seven children, four of whom 
are living; Catharine, Florence, Maggie, and 
Alice. Three died in infancy. 

Ole Rtgu was born in Norway on the 29tli of 
January,1832. In 1860, he came to America, locat- 
ed in Door county,Wisconsin,thence to Chickasaw, 
Iowa, and iu 1876, came to this township, pur- 
chased a farm and built the house which has 
since been his home. He was married in Wiscon- 
sin on tlie 3d of May, 1863, to Miss Mary Hovy, 
who has burne him three children; Oliver, Mary, 
and an infant who died. The oldest also died. 

Ole a. Sjoli was born in Norway on the 21st 
of October, 1821, and there received a common 
school education and learned the gardener's trade. 
He was married in 1849 to Miss Amelia Lister. 
They came to America iu 1867, landed in New 
York, and came directly to Rice county. His 
wife died iu 1870, leaving seven children; Anna, 
Carrie, Adolph, Otto, Hannah, Olive, and Eminel. 
In 1873, Mr. Sjoli married Miss Isabel Peterson, 
and the same year they came to this township and 
purchased a farm in section thirty. This union 
has bten blessed with three children; Peter, Mar- 
tin, and Charlotte. 

Albert M. Strate, a native of Norway, was 
born on the 18th of December, 1851. He came 
to America in 1868, landed in New York, from 
which place he came to Northfield, and thence to 
Dakota county, where he was engaged in farming 



544 



II I STORY OF IIICE GOV NT r. 



more or less for five years. Duriug that time he 
made u tri]) to the western part of the State, and 
iu 1874, came to this township and purchased a 
farm, which he sold in 1881, and bought his pres- 
ent laud in section thirty-one. He was united in 
marriage in 1877, to Miss Carrie Sjoli, who has 
borne him two children; Berlothe and Alfred. 

Feekis Webster, deceased, one of the pioneers 
of Rice county, was born in Franklin, Delaware 
county. New York, on the 2d of February, 1802. 
When he was quite young his parents moved to 
Ohio, where he was reared on a farm and received 
his education. He was married on the 12th of 
January, 1824, to Miss Siifau Abbott, who died 
on thi' 5th of March, 1827, leaving two children. 
Fis se^'ond wife was Miss Adaline Mitchani, who 
bore hi'U three children, and died on the 24th of 
Januar/, 1844. In 1828, Mr. Webster built a ho- 
tel at >lpfTerson, Ashtabula county, and was its 
landlord until 184S, when he sold and purchased 
a farm in Kingsville in the same county. On the 
28th of January, 1844, he married Miss Roxana 
Carpenter, who survives him. This union was 
blessed with two children. In 1854, be sold his 
farm and built a hotel in Geneva, in the same 
county, but sold soon after and went to Monroe- 
ville. Iu the .spring of 1856, he came west to 
seek a home, and immediately upon his arrival 
here took Govcrument land in section twenty-six 
of this township, which was his home until his 
death, which occurred on the 24th of August, 
1880. Mrs. Webster resides on the old home- 
stead. She has two children. Her youngest soui 



Morrow C, was born in Kingsville, Ashtabula 
county, Ohio, on the 13th of June, 1850, and came 
with his parents to this place where he received 
his education. He was married on the 7th of 
February, 1872, to Miss Elizabeth Walter. They 
have been blessed with two children; Archer 
Pearl and Daisy A. He resides on the homestead 
with his mother, and in 1878, built the house 
which they now occupy. 

Fred Wiese wa« l)orn in Germany on 
tho twenty-third of February, 1853 When 
he was an infant his parents emigrated to 
America, settled first in Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, then iu Chicago, and from thence 
to Milwaukee, where Fred received his education. 
In 1870, he moved to New London, Minnesota, 
and thence to the northern part of Wisconsin, 
where he was engaged in the pineries two seasons, 
and also in rafting on the Mississippi two seasons. 
In 1874, he went to Michigan, was employed in 
the niines and railroading for ' a time and re- 
turned to New London, thence to Winona, and in 
1875, came to this township. In June, 1881, he 
bought his father's farm and erected a new house. 
He was married to Miss Minnie Dodes in Septem- 
ber, 1881. 

C. D. Walter was born iu Huron, Erie county, 
Ohio, on the 7th of April, 1842. He came to 
Webster in 1872, bought a farm iu sections twen- 
ty-five and twenty-six, and built the house in 
which he now lives. He was united in marriage 
in September, 1872, with Miss Alice Dilly. They 
have two children; Daniel Liston and Edith M. 




WHEAT/.. wo TOM'ysllll'. 



545 



WHEATLAND. 



CHAPTEK LXIII. 

GENEBAL DESCRIPTION — EARLr SETTLEMENT — 

SCHOOLS POST-OFFICE EELIGIOCS EARLY 

EVENTS — VESSLEY VILLAOE — BIOGIiAPHUAL. 

This, the northwest corner townshi)) of Kice 
county, has Le Siieur county on the west, Scott 
county on the north, the town of Webster on the 
east, and Erin 9U the south. It has the regular 
thirty-six sections of a government township. As 
to the name, whethei' it is derived from the Wheat- 
land which was the residence of President Bu- 
chanan, from some town further east, or from its 
intrinsic quality as regards the production of the 
leading cereal of the eounti'y, it perhaps matters 
little so long as it answers the two great purposes 
of a name, which are to characterize and also to 
distinguish it from all else with which it may be 
confounded. 

The town may be described as a rolling prairie, 
being almost hilly in some parts. There was 
formerly some lieavy timbei', but much of it was 
l)rush prairie with scattering groves of small tim- 
bei'. The soil is remarkably well adapted to 
hay or grain. There are three lakes, in addition 
to Phelps Lake which lays mostly in Erin but 
comes up into this town near the western corner, 
on the southern boundary. The largest of these 
lakes is Cody Lake, which is from a few rods to 
half a mile wide and about two miles long. The 
other two have not been honored with names that 
appear on the maps, but they are oval in form and 
half a mOe in diameter, and certainly should have 
this distinction. The overflow from these lakes, 
which involve sections sixteen and seventeen for 
one, imd nineteen and twenty for the other, finds 
its way into Cody Lake. There are two or three 
little rivulets in town but no streams of import- 
ance. The soil is a rich dark loam with clayey 
outcroppings on the elevated points. 

The township is well settled with men who as a 
35 



rule carefully cultivate small farms, from which 
the best results may always be expected. 

EAKLY SETTLEMENT. 

The earliest settlers to reach this town arrived 
in 1855. It appears that Joseph J. Frazier, a 
halfbreed, bis father being a Scotchman, came 
here at an early day on a hunting and trapping 
expedition under the patronage of Gen. Sibley 
who was his fast friend. Being attracted by the 
location, in the year above named he made a 
claim on section thirty-two, between Cody and 
Phelps Lakes, and here he estalilished a home, if 
a bachelor hermitage can be so called, and existed 
until 1861, when he was married and ccmtinued to 
reside on the spot until gathered in by the (rreat 
Keaper on the 23d of February, 1869. In mem- 
ory of his old friend. Gen. Sibley placed a slate at 
the head of his last resting place. Frazier was a 
noted hunter and Indian warrior, and was at Fort 
Eidgely when it was invested by the savages, and 
ran through the lines and gave the alarm at Fort 
Suelling so that relief was sent. At the time of 
his death, a s^ketch of his life written by Gen. Sib- 
ley was printed in the Pioneer Press. 

Thomas Lambert, a native of Canada, came 
here from West St. Paul in 1855, and selected a 
place in section twenty-nine, but tlie next year 
went to Mendota. Keturning the following Jan- 
uary he located in section thirty-two where his son 
Hercules now lives, and here he remained until 
the 12th of March, 1882, when his demise oc- 
curred. 

Battice Bushman, also from Canada, came this 
year and his lot fell in section twenty ; here he 
made improvements for five or six years and then 
moved to Nicollet county. 

It is claimed that the first man after Frazier 
was Louis Plaisance, a Canadian who planted 
himself in section twenty-nine, but sold out iu 
1858, and transplanted himself to Mendota, but 
now lives in Minneapolis. 



546 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



Henry Bellend, another Canadian, came with 
Frazier from St. Paul and drove some claim 
stakes in section thirty-two. He lived there long 
enough to secure a title and then returned to 
West St. Paul where he now resides. 

John Faulkner, David Valentine, Charles Smith, 
and John Taylor, natives of Scotland, formed a 
settlement in the eastern part of the town. Faulk- 
ner's place was in section thirteen which he culti- 
vated for fourteen years and then removed to Mo- 
Leod county where he now lives. Smith found a 
piece of land in section fourteen; Valentine in 
section thirteen; and Taylor struck a farm in sec 
tion fourteen. Some years ago the whole party 
went to some place near Cannon Falls. Taylor 
was struck to death by lightning early in the sev- 
enties. 

Elaire Legree, a Canadian Frenchman, secured 
a home in section twenty -one, and when the war 
broke upon the country he enlisted in the army 
and died on his way home. 

Thomas McCormick surrounded a claim in sec- 
tion twenty, which he worked up to 18G6, when 
he sold and went to Illinois and from thence to 
Missouri. 

Titus Bunnell, of Nova Scotia, came here from 
Louisiana and placed his signet on a farm in sec- 
tion nineteen ; after a few years he went to Can- 
non Falls and from there drifted over into Wis- 
consin. 

Among others who came this first year of the 
settlement — 1855 — were Henry Bilon, William 
Quinn, John Berry, Nelson Marsh, John Irvin, 
John Cook, Benjamin LeDuc, and others. 

In 1856, quite a number of new neiglil orhoods 
were formed and the settlement considerably thick- 
ened up. Three brothers, Louis, Joseph, and Gus- 
tavus Martin, in company with their father and an 
uncle named Paul, came together and secured 
homesteads. Louis dismounted in section twenty 
and proceeded to make himself comfortable un- 
til 1873, when he removed to Le Sueur county. 
Joseph made a home in section thirty-one and 
there he toiled on up to the year 1878, when he 
sold bis place and moved to White Earth, Becker 
county, where he may l)e now found. Gustavus 
settled on a lot in section thirty-one and there he 
lived until 1875, when he went to Wisconsin. The 
father made his home with Joseph. Pairl lived in 
section thirty-three until his departure hence in 
1873. 



Zenus Y. Hatch, of Maine, put his sign man- 
ual on a farm in section seventeen where he made 
a home until 1870, when he sold and went to Red- 
wood Falls, and from thence to Sante Agency, 
Dakota, where he now is. 

John Lynch, of Ireland, settled down to work 
in section six. In 1868, he sold the place and 
went to Goodhue county. 

Peter Campbell and Charles Orr went into the 
same section. Orr died in 1862, and Campbell 
removed to Scott county. 

Eichard Browne, a native of the Emerald Isle, 
surrounded a farm in section thirty-five, upon 
which he has wrought to the present time. 

The Wilson brothers, William and James, na- 
tives of Scotland, came onto section seven where 
they made improvements up to 1864, when they 
both sold out and joined the army. They may 
now be found in Scott county. 

Barnard Durham, an Irishman, located his part 
of Uncle Sam's dominion in section eleven. He 
now resides near Faribault. 

James Thompson, another son of the Ever Green 
Isle, took his acres in section thirty, and worked 
the farm for four years and then went to Mendo- 
ta. He took bis place early in 1856, or late in 
the year previous. 

Michael Fitzpatrick, of the same Celtic origin, 
found a spot in section twenty-three that met his 
re<[uii-ements, and he has been digging away 
there ever since. 

Onezian Berry, a native of Canada, pre-empted 
a place for a home in sections nine and ten In 
1882, he moved into Wells. 

Thomas Lawler, another Celt, procured a farm 
in section eighteen, but he now lives in the town- 
ship of Northfield. 

Among others who should be mentioned as mak- 
ing their appearance this year, although but few, 
if any, of them remain in the township are : John, 
William, and Thomas Barrett, Patrick Kirk, Pat- 
rick Littleton, Thomas Kelly, Thomas Kilroy, and 
James Giblin, all natives of the "Shamrock Isle." 

In 1857, the jjopulatiou received notable acces- 
sions and some of the best remembered will be 
mentioned. 

Patrick Cody, a native Ireland, reported in per- 
son to remain, on a farm in sections iwenty-niue 
and thirty-two, which he had selected the year 
previous. 

James Lynn and Thomas Browne, from Ire- 



WHEATI.A Xl> ToWysllll'. 



547 



land, came directly from California and selected a 
l<icatiou in section thirty-four which he has suc- 
cessfully cultivated up to the present time. 

Andrew Thompson, of the same nationality, 
came with his son James and settled in section 
thirty. Andrew, another son of the above, en- 
listed in Company B, of the Cth Minnesota, and 
returned at the close of the war, in June, 1865. 
He was an able man and filled several town and 
other offices and was three times a member of the 
State Legislature. In 1880, he removed to Mc- 
Leod county where he now resides. 

Murdoch McLennan, a native of Scotland, se- 
cured a homestead in section twenty -three, and 
there he yielded up his life in 18(55. 

James Willey, from the land of the Shamrock, 
was transferred to section twenty -six, where he 
still is in a thriving condition. 

Jabez W. Flavel, from England, came over and 
lived here until 1861, then sold out and went into 
the army, but returned to live in Scott county. 

Peter O'Brien had a stopping place here fur a 
few years, when he moved on. 

In the year 1858, the rear guard of the immi- 
gration army came in and drojiped down on vari- 
ous unoccupied points. 

John Moutoul, a Canadian Frenchman, found 
an unoecujiied spot in section nine, and there he 
stationed himself and stood guard for eighteen 
years, when he vacated the old jJost and camped 
on section thirty-four, where be is in command at 
the present time. 

Thomas Horner came down from St. Paul on 
his way from the "Old country" and cast anchor 
in section five where he still remains. 

Joseph Kartaka, a Bohemian, the advance guard 
of that small but determined army that has since 
followed, found some unoccupied acres in section 
sixteen which he captured, but he afterward 
moved on to Beaver Falls. Within a year or so 
afterward came Philip Plaisance, who served the 
town in various capacities, the State as a repre- 
sentative, and his adopted country as a soldier. 

Mr. B. Stepson, another Bohemian, secured a 
local habitation in section four, but he is now on 
section fourteen. Of his two sons, John has a 
farm which he assiduously cultivates in section 
eleven, and Frank bustles around with the old 
gentleman. Thomas Lapic, of section ten, came 
here in 1862. At the present time the population 



is largely Bohemian. Although but few of them 
can be said to be old settlers. 



District No. 59. — This has been designated as 
the mother of di.stricts. It was organized in 1857 
and a school opened in a liuilding owned by Bat- 
tice Bushman, on which some repairs had been 
made by sawing the lumber with a whip saw. 
Miss Ann (xxly was the first to wield the ferule 
her-e. The next building to be pressed into the 
service in which to teach mental "shooting," was 
a claim cabin belonging to Mr. Simons of St. 
Paul. Miss Nancy Patterson was the next to try 
her hand in keeping the motley throng in order. 
In 1865, tbey constructed a schoolhouse of hewn 
logs, which was high toned even at that time, on 
section twenty-nine. Miss Jane Young then as- 
sumed the government of the school. In 1877, 
this house fell a victim to the devouring flames 
and a new frame house was put up that fall which 
still stands. 

District No. 76. —On the 15th of January, 
1862, this district was brought into existence, and 
Miss Lizzie Larking opened a school in the house 
of James Welby in section twenty-six. The next 
year a log house was got together on the same 
section and Miss Larkins inaugurated the exer- 
cises. That building was made to answer until 
1879, when another was built on the same section 
but about 80 rods west, more in accordance with 
the modern ideas. Miss Ella Lee was the initial 
teacher here. 

District No. 45. — In 1863, this district assum- 
ed form and a log cabin -nas rolled together on 
section eleven. Miss Maggie Morrisey was the 
presiding genius of the establishment, and this 
building sheltered the school for about five years 
when the wants of the district demanded better, 
quarters and the building that now stands on the 
same section was placed there. 

DisTKicT No. 107. — This is one of the newest 
districts as it had no existence until January, 
1881. The first board of directors was made up 
of Ole Bigg, O. M. Strate, and J. Tossum. Dur- 
ing the year the house was erected on section 
thirty-six. The first to take charge of the juven- 
iles when collected for instruction was Richard 
Lynch. 

District No. 58. — In 1868, this district seemed 
to be required by the growing wants of the neigh- 
borhood, and after a regular organization the 



548 



JTISTOnr OF RICE COUNTY. 



usual loghouse was gathered together on section 
eight; a hyjjotheticHl Ijell was mug and the rising 
generation assembled under its roof. Miss Mag- 
gie Morrisey managed to manipulate them for a 
fortnight when Miss Katie Galey took them in 
hand and completed the term. In 1875, a frame 
building was built, and here Joseph Mathias first 
exclaimed, attention! 

District No. 108. — Here is another new dis- 
trict, as its high number indicates, which was or- 
ganized by one of those special acts of the legisla- 
ture which took n]> so niucdi time of that con- 
glomerate body, and a schoolhouae is going up in 
the village of Vessley. 

DisTBicT No. 104. — The year 1878 witnessed 
the formation of this district, and in the winter 
the house was raised on section thirty-two and 
completed at a cost of .f 800. Dan Duly was the 
first to teach under its roof. It takes in a part of 
Erin. 

POST-OFFIOE. 

This luxury was early obtained for this settle- 
ment, that is, in 1857. The Postmaster was Peter 
O'Brien who opened the office at his store in 
section nineteen and held it there for two years; 
then Patrick Cody got the appointment, and the 
office went over to his house in section thirty-two 
where it remained up to 1876. Then Thomas 
Plaisance took the office to his place in section 
twenty-six and he continued to handle the mails 
until George E. Bates was commissioned in 1880. 
He kept it one year and then C. A. Eemillard was 
appointed who still has the office at his store in 
section thirty-three. 

POLITICAL. 

The town was organized on the 11th of May, 
1858, but the records of the first town meeting 
are, to use a legal term, non est inmntus, but the 
the minutes of the next meeting, in 1859, are pre- 
served and the officers then elected were as fol- 
lows : Supervisor, Z. Y. Hatch, Chairman, Charles 
Orr, and Augustus Martin; Assessor, Z. Y. Hatch; 
Collector, Caleb Vincent; Justice of the Peace, 
Caleb Vincent; Town Clerk, Peter O'Brien. Titus 
Bunnell and. Patrick Cody were among tlio first 
officers of the town. 

On the 14th of March, 1882, the following 
officers were elected for the ensuing year: Super- 
visor, Albert Husman, Chairman, John Pauek, 
and Albert Smechek; Clerk, Flavian Benjamin; 



Treasurer, Frank Sherek; Assessor, John Swan- 
awitz; Justice of the Peace, C. A. Eemillard; Con- 
stables, Thomas Lafitts and William Cody. 

BBLIGIOUS. 

Catuolic Church. — The first mass in town was 
in Thomas Lambert's house on section twenty- 
three in 1855, by Father Ravoux. Mr, Lambert 
donated ten acres of laud in section twenty-nine, 
and a church was built on that in 1858, which 
must have been the second Catholic church in the 
county. It was .of logs, the lumber to finish it 
coming from St. Paul. Father Keller, from Fari- 
bault, was the first priest in the church, which 
served until 1871, when the building now stand- 
ing was erected. Father Leib was the priest for 
a number of years but Father Slevin now offici ■ 
ates. 

The Bohemian Cataolic Chdrch. — This church 
stands on section ten and was constructed in 1875, 
Mr. Thomas Lapic having donated fifteen acres of 
land and John Ziska a like amount. There is a 
cemetery connected with it. The first mass said 
here before these people was at the house of John 
Ziska. 

MERCANTILE. 

The first store in town was opened by Peter 
O'Brien on section nineteen in 1857, but he kept 
it up but a few years. 

In 1874, Thomas Lambert opened a store in 
section thirty -two, where he kept a general stock 
of groceries, dry goods, boots and shoes, and liq- 
uors. In about twenty months he became satis- 
fied with his experience and closed up. 

Napoleon Begin put up a building on section 
thirty-three, and putting in a stock of goods be- 
gan trade, and kept it up for about a year, when 
he sold to C. A. Eemillard who kept on in the 
same stor'e for about six months and then bought 
a building near. Be is still behind that counter. 

EARLY EVENTS. 

Early Births. — Edward H., a son to Thomas 
and Eosalie Lambert, was introduced into this 
world on the 10th of June, 1854; he is now a 
married man with a residence in section twenty- 
nine. 

Louis, a son of Louis and Angeline Morton, 
dates his nativity from the 11th of June, 1857. 

Edward, son of Louis and Julia Plaisance, ar- 
rived on the 12th of June, 1857. 



WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP. 



549 



It is said that Joseph, a son of Joseph and Julia 
Martin, was born in 1856, and lived to be two 
years old. 

Makriages. — Mr. Thomas Lambert and Miss 
Cecil Guartin were united in marriage in June, 
1858, by Patrick Cody, Esi]. Mr. Lambert lived 
here until his summons by the Aii^el of death ou 
the 12th of March, 1882. Hi.s widow remains ou 
section thirty-two. 

Deaths. — Eosalie, wife of Thomas Lambert, 
was taken to the "Other Side" in October, 1857, 
and her mortal remains were placed in the Cath- 
olic cemetery in section nine. 

Mary, daughter of Thomas and Rosalie Lam- 
bert died some time in 185G, and was buried in 
the same cemetery. 

Drunken- Folly. — A Bohemian named Mat- 
thew Cichla came to a fearful death on the 24th 
of April, 1879. It seems that ou Easter Sunday, 
Cichla got upon an exteusive spree in the course 
of which he offered a wager that he could drink a 
tumliler of whisky and also eat the glass — put the 
entire thing out of sight and digest it. The bet 
was accepted and the foolish fellow proceeded to 
win it by drinking the whisky and then pounding 
up the glass which he mixed with the tallow of a 
candle, he swallowed the mixture of glass and 
grease. The potion did not take immediate ef- 
fect, liut on the following day he was seized with 
horrible pains as the glass began to lacerate his 
bowels. He started for home but f<'ll l>y the road 
side and laid all day unattended, suffering inde- 
scribable tortures. Toward night he was discov- 
ered and carried home by neighbors and a physi- 
cian secured, but as might be expected nothing 
could be done, and the glass continued its cruel 
and deadly work of grinding the poor wretch's 
inwards until Thursday afternoon when deatli in 
mercy carried him off. A post mortem examina- 
tion disclosed that his stomach anil intestines had 
been literally ground to shreds. The deceased 
left a wife and family. 

An Accident. — In September, 1879, while IMr. 
and Mrs. Touack's little boy and girl were playing 
in the haystack they conceived the idea of sliding 
down the side, and while practicing this daugLM-- 
ovs pastime the little girl missed her footing and 
slid down striking on her head and instantly 
breaking her neck, dying in a few moments. 

Another accident similar to this occurred a few 
weeks later near the same place, in which a Bo- 



hemian, whose name we are unable to ascertain, 
while threshing grain, fell from a strawstack and 
was instantaneously killed. 

THE VILLAGE OF VESSLET. 

This is one of the latest candidates for recogni- 
tion as a growing village. It was laid out, platted, 
and lots put into the market in 1880, so that as 
yet it is but an infant, although it must be admit- 
ted that it is a lusty one for its age. The sight 
of the new town is mostly on section fifteen. It 
may be said to Vie a Bohemian enterprise, and 
has stores, a church, schoolhouse, and other 
village accessories, which, with a rich surrounding 
country, makes it already a promising place. 

The name first given to the village, and which 
is still retained by the Post-office, was Wesely, but 
it is said that seemed to grate harshly upon the 
ears of the high ecclesiastical authorities, as it 
sounded too much like the name of a destinguish- 
ed dissenter, and so the W was bisected and S 
added, and two letters transposed, but it is pre- 
sumed that the bones of the illustrious Methodist 
will moulder in the grave just as cpiietly, and his 
influence on the present and succeeding gener- 
ations be just as active as though all this had 
never happened. 

Business Interests. — Thomas Lapic started a 
saloon in the spring of 1874, which is still in 
operation. Another saloon was opened in 1881. 
.Tames Toaps has a shoemaker's shop where cus- 
tom work and repairing are specialties. 
Albert Naalc has a provision store. 
Charles Mosher, in 1880, put in a stock of goods, 
and still continues in trade. 

Albert Wasejpher erected a forge in 1875, and 
he still carries on the blacksmithing business. 

A. Charlaud built a blacksmith shop in section 
thirty -three in 1870, and started a fire and kept it 
aglow for about one year when he jold to Joseph 
LaVoye who is still hammering away there. 

In 1880, James Drozdu opened a saloon on 
section thirty-three which is in full blast, to use a 
furnace phrase. 

The Post-office was established on the 1st of 
July, 1879, and Albert Wasejpher was commis- 
sioned Postmaster. 

In 1882, Maertz and Semoter, erected a building 
20x6Cr feet with tenements overhead, and put in a 
stock of goods in great variety. Mr. Semoter at- 
tends to the business, his partner living in New 
Prague where he is also in mercantile business. 



550 



HISTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



A harness shop is in course of construction. 

Mathias Trinda, in January, 1879, opened a 
saloon which is still in operation, in a building 
24x50 feet with a hall in the second story. 

John Tomek constructed a blacksmith shop 
in 1877, and the sparks are still flying about his 
anvil. 

Voe Machacek started a blacksmith shop in 
188(1, but at the end of eighteen months discontin- 
ued the business. 

Prank Sticka started the saloon business in 
1877, which, after a tew months was turned over 
to Joe Vrana, who is still behind the bar. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Thomas Barrett, deceased, was born in Ireland 
in 1825, and in 1847, came to America, locating 
in Xeuia, Ohio, where he was employed on the 
railroad a few years, then removed to Wisconsin 
and engaged in farming. In 1855, he came to 
Eice county and took a claim on section twenty- 
three iu this township, but did not settle here. 
He went to Muscatine, Iowa, and thence in a year 
to Iowa City, where, in 1858, he married Miss 
Honora Lacey. They went to Memphis, Ten- 
nessee, where Mr. Barrett worked on the railroad 
while his wife kept a boarding house, and from 
there to Madrid, in the same State, purchased a 
pair of mules and worked at grading, but finally 
returned to Memphis. He remained in that city 
until it was taken by the Union army during the 
late war, then removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where 
he engaged in taking rafts of lumber from the river. 
In 1805, he came to his farm here and began to 
improve it, building a log house in which he re- 
sided until 1871, when he erected the present 
edifice in which his family still live, having since 
built a granary. He died on the 20th of May, 
1874, and left a family of sis children ; William, 
Thomas, John, Henry, Joseph, and Edward. 
Edmund died at three years of age and the only 
daughter when seven months old. 

Petek O. Berg is a native of Norway, l)orn the 
18th of September, 1842, and attended school in his 
native country. He was married in 1871, to 
Olivia Lar.sou and the same year came to America) 
landed at Quebec, and came directly to North field, 
Minnesota, thence moved to Dakota county, mak- 
ing his home there until 1874. On removilig to 
Wheatland, he jmrcliased wild land in section 
twenty-five and immediately began to improve it 
and built his ])resent house. Mr. and Mrs. Berg 



have had sis children, three of whom are living, 
Laurets, Bernt, andlngea. 

Flavien Bbn.tamin, Jr., was born in Iberville 
county, province of Quebec, Canada, on the 11th of 
July, 1850. He sj^ent his youthful days at the 
public schools, and in 1864 came to Minnesota 
with his father, who bought land on section thirty- 
three, Wheatland, and has since made his home 
with him. His mother died just previous to their 
removal. Our subject was married in the 20th of 
February, 1882, to Miss Jennie Cody, daughter 
of the late John Cody of St. Paul. He has been 
elected to many local ofiices of trust; is the pres- 
ent Town Clerk, and has been the Clerk of his 
school district since its organization. 

Thomas Brown dates his birth in Ireland, on 
22nd of October, 1827, and early iu life engaged in 
agricultural pursuits. In April, 1848, he emigra- 
ted to America, landed in Boston, and went from 
there to Wabau, iu the same State, where he en- 
gaged in farming two years and in a tannery one 
year. He was married in 1851, to Miss Ellen 
Brown, and soon removed to California, spending 
three years in mining, then returned to Wabau, 
Massachusetts, and again engaged in a tannery. 
In March, 1857, he came to Wheatland, located a 
claim in sections thirty-four and thirty-five and 
built a house which was subsequently destroyed 
by fire, after which he erected a shanty and in 
1869, his jjresent house. In 1864, he was drafted 
into the army but was esempted. He has a family 
of six children, Michael, Thomas, Johanna, Pat- 
rick, Catheriue, and Mary. 

Patriok Cody, deceased, one of the first settlers 
in Wheatland, was a native of Ireland, born the 
19th of January, 1808. He attended school until 
eighteen years old, when he came with his parents 
to America, and located at Port Kent, where Pat- 
rick learned of his brother the trade of making nails, 
which was, at that time, done by hand. At the 
espiration of three years he went to Beauharnois 
county, province of Quebec, Canada, where he en- 
gaged in farming, and remained during the re- 
bellion, taking ])art in it, for which he was arrested 
and barely missed being transported. He after 
ward returned to New York and located in Clinton 
county where he made his home on a f^rm until 
1854, when he removed to St. Paul, Minnesota. 
In 1855, he came to Rice county, staked out a 
claim in this township in sections twenty-nine and 
thirty-two and built a claim shanty of logs, mov- 



WIIEATLji2fD TOWNSHIP. 



551 



ing bis family here in the spring of 1856. In 
1875, he built the frame house in which he resided 
till his death on the 10th of January, 1880. He 
was married on the 0th of June, 18:!'2, to Miss 
Sarah Graham, a native of Ciunberland county, 
England. Their children were; Jane, now Mrs. 
John Patterson, living in St. Paul; Andrew, vpho 
died in infancy; John, who died in 186.3, in his 
twenty-fourth year; Willie, who died in infancy; 
Patrick, who died in 1864, in liis twenty-fourth 
year; Ann, now Mrs. Joseph Dubois, living in 
St. Paul; Sarah, William, who is married and 
lives on the farm adjoining the homestead; and 
Blary, who died in 1871, in her nineteenth year. 
Mrs. Cody still resides on the homestead with her 
sou, Edward, and daughter, Sarah. Mr. Cody 
was warm-hearted and hospitalile; no weary 
traveler, whether rich or poor, ever passed his 
door and found the latch string pulled in, and the 
old settlers who have often times enjoyed his hos- 
pitality sincerely mourn his loss. 

Peter Fabee, a native of France, was born the 
7th of October, 1847. After receiving his educa- 
tion he worked in a flour-mill, and in 1867, went 
to Marseilles, where he was employed in the same 
occupation for a few months. In 1871, he en- 
listed in the French army, serving eight months 
and receiving an honorable discharge. In the 
latter part of 1871, he went to Lyons, engaged as 
miller nearly a year, afterward removed to Paris, 
and in 1873, emigrated to America, landing in 
Quebec, Canada, and from there went to Mon- 
treal, where he found employment at his traile. 
One year later he came to Minnesota, and for 
three months resided in Cannon City, then went 
to Dundas and engaged in Archil)akr3 Mills sis 
months. He came to Wheatland and conducted 
St. Amond's Mill fourteen months, subsequently 
erected a building on section thirty-two and 
opened a store and saloon, which he conducted 
until 1880. In 1876, he went to the Centennial 
at Philadelphia, and afterward to France. He was 
married in the latter year to Miss Louise (Jrotliy, 
who has borne him two children; Louise and Al- 
bert. In 1879, Mr. Fabre built a Hour-mill aud 
in 1881, a saw-mill, and has since conducted them 
both. 

Michael Fitzpateick, one of the pioneers of 
Kice county, was born in Ireland in 1817, and 
was brought up on a farm. In 18-12, he emi- 
grated to America; went from New York City to 



Corning where he engaged un tlie railroad and in 
one year went to Great Bend and afterward to 
Kentucky. After working at railroading in the 
latter State eleven months he returned to Corn- 
ing. In 1854, Miss Bridget McCall became his 
wife, and two years later they came to Minnesota, 
located a claim iu Wheatland, section twenty- 
three, which is still their home. Their children 
are; Catharine, Michael, Mary, Lizzie, Susan, 
Bridget, Margaret, and Ellen. 

Patrick Gorman was tiorn ui Ireland in 1831, 
aud when eight years old his father died, and two 
years later Patrick came to America witli his 
mother. They landed at Quebec and went from 
thence to Rouse's Point, New York, living in or 
near the place four years. Our subject resided 
in many different places in that State, including 
Binghamton, Great Bend, and New Milford, un- 
til 1855, when he removed to Scranton, Pennsyl- 
vania, and engaged in railroad work one year. In 
1856, he came to this State, located in Eagan 
town, Dakota county, and for nine seasons was 
engaged in boating on the Mississippi and Min- 
nesota rivers. He served in the late war from 
1864, until June, 1865, in the Tenth Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, Company K. In 1870, he 
bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in 
this township, moved his family here and imme- 
diately began making improvements. Mr. Gor- 
man was married in Binghamton, New York, to 
Miss Mary Mehan and the issue of the imion was 
seven children, six of whom are living; Elizabeth, 
Annie, James, Blargaret, Katie, and Maria. His 
wife died in Dakota county and is buried at Men- 
dota. His present wife was Miss Mary Flynn whom 
he married in 1871. They have had six children, 
four now living; Cornelius, Daniel, Honora, and 
Mary. Susan died in 1882, aged two years and 
four mouths, and Edward died in 1875, at the age 
of one year and six months. 

Thomas Hoenek is a native of Ireland and 
dates his birth in 1830. He was raised to agri- 
cultural pursuits and in 1850, came to America, 
going from New York to New Jersey, and after 
working in a saw-mill five years, removed to Chi- 
cago, Illinois, There he was employed in a gas 
manufactory six months, then came to St. Paul, 
and in 1857 pre-empted a quarter in section five, 
Wheatland, where he remained long enough to 
establish his claim and returned to St. Paul. In 
1861, he married Miss Mary Fox of his native 



552 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNT r. 



country, and the same year settled permanently 
on bis farm. He has eight chiklren ; James, 
Thomas, Mary Jane, Patrick, JRobert, John, Ma- 
tilda, and Ellen. 

Thomas Lambekt, deceased, one of the oldest 
settlers of Wheatland, was born in Quebec, Can- 
ada, on the 16th of November, 1823. He was 
employed on boats on the St. Lawrence Eiver un- 
til 1847, when he came to the States to settle and 
for two seasons was engaged on a boat plying on 
the Mississippi River from St. Paul to St. Louis. 
He made a claim at Little Crow village, but soon 
sold and went to We.st St. Paul, bought a tract of 
land and built a house. He was married in 18.50, 
to Miss Rosalie Osier and they had three children; 
Hercules, Mary, and Edward. In 1855, he re- 
moved to Wheatland and staked out a claim in 
section twenty-nine, building a log house. He 
assisted new-comers in selecting land and put up 
shanties for many of them. In 1856, he moved 
to Mendota and opened a stock of goods, but did 
not make a success of it, closed out in about six 
months and returned to this place, locating on his 
son's land in section thirty-two. He built a frame 
house in which he lived a few years, afterward 
erected a large log house in which he kept board- 
ers. His wife died in 1858, and a few months 
later he married Cecil Guartiu who survives him. 
Mr. Lambert enlisted in the Second Minnesota 
Cavalry, was transferred to the Eleventh Minne 
sola Volunteer Infantry, Company B, sent south, 
and at Gallatin, Tennessee, was taken sick and 
never after fully recovered his health. He died 
on the 12tb of March, 1882. Mrs. Lambert bore 
her husband thirteen children, seven of whom are 
living; Ro.salie, Amelia, Mary, Benjamin, Orelia, 
Sophrenia, and Zereme. 

Edward H. Lambert, son of the subject of 
our last sketch, made his home with his parents 
until 1878, when he was joined in matrimony 
with Miss Zereme Piston and now resides on his 
farm in section twenty-nine. 

Murdoch McLennan, deceased, one of the 
pioneers of this township, was born in Scotland 
in 1809, While young he was engaged in herd- 
ing sheep and afterward opened a provision store 
which lie conducted about ten years. He was 
united in marriage in January, 1848, with Miss 
Catharine Lyon, and in 1857, they emigrated to 
America, coming directly to Rice county and lo- 
cating a claim in Wheatland in section twenty- 



three. He had six children; Arabella, Ellen 
Murdoch, John, Janet, and Kenneth. Mr. Mc- 
Lennan died on the 5th of November, 1865, and 
his wife in March, 1862. The children now oc- 
cuj)y the homestead. 

JoriN Montour is a native of Canada, born 
the 18th of November, 1843, and was brought up 
on a farm. In 1857, he came to Minnesota and 
after one year's residence in St. Paul came to 
Wheatland, bought land in section nine and built 
a log hou.se. He was married in 1861, to Miss 
Lilda Lackepell, Mrs. Montour died leaving five 
children; Jessie, Mary Louise, Peter, Moses, and 
Mamie. In 1880, he sold his former farm and 
purchased in section thirty -four where he still re- 
sides. 

THEorHii/US O'Dette was born in Montreal, 
Canada, on the 13th of October, 1812. In 1831, 
he married Miss Elmira MontviUe, and in 1851, 
removed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, remained 
five years and came to Minnesota, taking land 
near Mendota. He worked on Gen. Sibley's farm 
one year, afterward made improvements on his 
own, and in 1864, entered the Second Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, Company D, serving till 
June, 1865, and after his discharge returned to 
Mendota. He contracted a disease while in the 
army from which he has never fully recovered. 
In 1866, he traded his land in the latter place for 
a farm in this townsliip in section twenty, where 
he still makes his home. Of eight children born 
to him five are living; Emma, Mary, Vallaire, Ed- 
ward, and Johanna. 

Philip Plais.ance, a n.ative of Canada, was 
born in Litbiniere, Quebec, on the 25th of Sep- 
tember, 1835, and attended the public schools of 
his native village. He afterward clerked in a 
store three years and in 1855, came to Minnesota, 
arriving at Mendota the 19th of October; pre- 
empted land in this county in the townshij) of 
Erin on which he lived until his claim was estab- 
lished, then returned to jNIendota. He clerked in 
a store six months, after which he engaged in 
farming and in 1857, purchased land in Wheat- 
land, to which he removed two years later. He 
was married on the 5th of July, 1858, to Miss 
Sophia Corbin, of his native country.^ In June, 

1864, he enlisted in the Eleventh Minnesota Vol- 
imt«er Infantry, Company B; served till May, 

1865, when he was discharged and returned home. 
The same year he liuilt a log house, and in 1875, 



WITEAri.AND TOWNSniP. 



553 



his present frame house. Mr. Plaisance has filled 
local offices and served three terms in the Legisla- 
ture. Of thirteen children born«to him two died 
in infancy, and those living are; Ootavia, Philip, 
Joseph, Mary, Thomas, Arthur, Delia, Denis, 
Amanda, Emma, and Alice. 

William Quinn is a native of Ireland, born iu 
1837, and when seventeen years old came to 
America, landed in New York and went from there 
to Philadelphia, remaining six months. He then 
removed to this State, lived one year iu Sauk 
Centi'e, afterward went to Lousiana, w,here for one 
winter he was engaged in building levees, and the 
next spring removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 
September, 1862, he enlisted in the Fifth Ohio 
Volunteer Infautry, Company 0, and after being 
in camp five months, joined the army of the Ten- 
nessee, and served till the close of the war, being 
taken prisoner once in East Tennessee and held 
five days. He was discharged in .Juno, 1865, and 
in 1867, came to Wheatland, locating in section 
one on the land formerly owned by his brother. 
In 1869, he married Miss Mary J. Gordon, who 
died in 187(1, and his present wife was Miss Mary 
McKenna, who l)ecame Mrs. Quinn iu 1871. The 
result of the later uuiou is Ave children; Sarah, 
James, John, Thomas, and William. 

C. A. Remillard was born in the proviuce of 
Quebec, Canada, on tlie 25th of March, 1847, and 
when seventeen years old, having then received 
his education, he came to New York, where he en- 
gaged on the Erie Canal one summer and iu the 
winter worked on a farm. In the spring he went 
to Vermont and after working two years iu a saw- 
mill came to St. Paul, Minnesota, thence to North- 
field, engaged on a farm, and in the fall returned 
to St. Paul, where he clerked iu a store one year. 
then moved to Minne.^ipolis and subsequently to 
Lake Sujierior and worked on the railroad three 
months. The nest winter he spent in this town- 
ship and the following two years worked in a saw- 
mill in Minneapolis in the summer and in the 
pineries in the winter, then returned here and en- 
gaged in St. Amond's saw and grist-mill. In 

1874, Miss Margaret Berry became his wife. In 

1875, he opened a saloon on section thirty-tliree, 
conducted it three montLis and moved to Erin; 
spent four years there, and in 1881, engaged in 
mercantile business iu section thirty -three, which 
he still c niilu'^ts. He is at ])resent .Justice of the 
Peace and also Postmaster, appoiuted in 1881. 



His children are Emma, and Clare and Henry, who 

are twins. 

Alhekt Smisek was born in Bohemia iu July, 
1852, and received his education in his native couu- 
I try, coming to America in 1867, with his sister. He 
I was employed three years on a steamboat on the 
Mississippi Kivor, and now owns and resides on a 
farm in this township in section fifteen. He was 
was married on the 19th of May, 1873, to Miss 
Elizabeth Pasak, who has borne him five children; 
Albert, Michael, Frank, Joe, and Mary. 

Olif M. Strate is a native of Norway and dates 
his birth the 26th of August, 1849. He received 
his education and engaged in farming in that 
country until 1867, when he emigrated to Ameri- 
ca. He came to Minnesota and settled in Eureka, 
Dakota county, remaining until 1876, then came to 
this county and bought a farm iu section twenty - 
five; has most of his land cleared and owns a good 
house. He was joined iu marriage in 1876, with 
Miss Mary Alickson. They have three children; 
Betsy Maria, Magnus Bernhart, and Dorothea 
Ragna. 

James Tonek was Ijorn in the western part of 
Ireland, in 1818, and grew to manhood on a farm. 
In 1849, he married Miss Elizabeth Durfee, and in 
1851, they came to America, landed at New York 
and went directly to Willimantic, Couneticut, 
where Mr. Toner engaged in the paper mill of L. 
M. Page. In 1856, he removed to York, Wiscon- 
sin, engaged in farming until 1869, when he came 
to Hastings, Minnesota, and in two years to 
Wheatlanil, liuying wild laud in section twenty- 
five which is now nearly all cleared. His children 
are; Mary, John, James, Michael, Kate, and 
Thomas. 

James WiLBV, one of the early settlers of Wheat- 
land, was born in Ireland in 1817, and when 
yormg engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1852, 
he came to America, went from Ni^w York, the 
place of landing, to New .Jersey, and engaged in 
fanning two years, afterward went to Manistee, 
Michigan. He was there employed in a saw-mill, 
and in 1854, married Miss Bridget Branan. In 
1856, lie removed to St. Paul, and the next spriug 
to this township, locating a claim iu section 
twenty-six and in 1869, l)uilt his present frame 
house, having previously lived in log houses. Of 
nine children born to him, .sis are living; Patrick 
Johnnie, Mary, Thomas, Margaret, and Martin. 



554 



HISTORY OF RIGE COUNTY. 



ERIN. 



CHAPTER LXIV. 

DESCRIPTIVE — EARLY SETTLEMENT EVENTS AND 

INCIDENTS — POLITICAL FOWLEKSVILLE EDU- 
CATIONAL — BIOGRAPHICAL. 

The township bearing this memorial name 
leaves no doubt as to the nationality which first 
settled it, and naturally would keep thronging in; 
and the name indicates the class of people by 
whicli it ia now almost entirely settled. As to the 
general features of the surface and scenery, what 
has been said of Forest and Shieldsville would 
apply very readily to this township, except, how- 
ever, that Erin is a more strictly timber town, and 
has fewer lakes than either of those named; in 
fact it has no lakes of any importance wholly with- 
in its borders, although many small streams tra- 
verse the valley of the timber to become affluents 
to the Cannon River. Tuft's Lake on the south 
extends partially over sections thirty-four and 
thirty-five, forming the largest body of water in 
the township, while a small chain of lakes extend 
the sheet eastward and forms a southern bound- 
ary to section thirty-six. In the northern part of 
town Phelps' Lake infringes on portions of sections 
live and six,entering from Wheatland; and one mile 
to the east a small body of water covers a few 
acres of land in section four. In the center of 
section ten is located a pond known as "Logue 
Lake," from which flows a small stream which 
woiids its way eastward to Circle Lake in Forest 
townsliip. Another small brook, which joins the 
one mentioned, rises in section twenty-five, and 
flowing northward completes the unison in sec- 
tion thirteen. 

The soil is mostly a rich dark loam, with, how- 
ever, a frequent tendency to a lighter nature, and 
sand; well adapted to the common crops of this 
latitude, and ricli for all varieties of indigenous 
grasses for grazing. The entire town, with the 
exception of a few natural meadows, was origin- 



ally forest, the noted body of timber known as the 
"Big Woods" claiming the greater portion of the 
territory, bift now a great deal of this has been 
removed and many fine and valuable farm 
are being cultivated, where originally the wilder- 
ness was almost impenetrable; and the hand of 
industry, which has wrought the change — con- 
verted the dense, uninhabitable region into homes 
and fields of plenty — is still at work, and proba- 
bly, by the time another generation passes into 
the "days of old," additional changes shall have 
been wrought, quite as marvelous. 

Erin is constituted as originally surveyed by 
government officers, and has, therefore, thirty-six 
sections or 23,040 acres, of which very little is no* 
taxable. In 1860, the population was barely 300, 
five years later, it had increased to 385; in 
1870, to 527; and in 1880, at the last census, to 
846. In 1870, the values in Erin, as given to the 
census takers, were as foUows: real property, 
$78,000; personal property, $42,350; total, $120,- 
350. The total assessed value, real and personal 
for the same year, was .$57,187. In 1882, after 
taxes had been equalized, the values were assess- 
ed as follows: real property, $72,251; personal, 
$25,357; total, $97,608. This shows an increase 
of assessed value in the last twelve years of $40,- 
421. 

To furnish an idea of what was said of this 
township in early days, here is a sketch of it made 
in 1868, by F. W. Frink, and published in j^am- 
phlet form; it is as follows: "As its name indi- 
cates, this town, like Shieldsville, is peopled almost 
entirely by emigrants from the Emerald Isle. In 
its general features of surface, and scenery also, 
it resembles the town last mentioned, which it lies 
next to on the north. Erin, however, has fewer 
lakes, in fact none situated wholly within its bound- 
aries, more of meadows and brush prairie and less 
of heavily timbered land than the town of Shields- 
ville. Of its whole area 19,528 acres are taxable 



ERIN TOWNSlirP. 



555 



lands, 1,960 acres beloug to railroads,280 to Gov- 
ernment, and 1,130 acres are unsold School lands. 
Non-resident lands are held at from §2.50 to S5 
per acre." 

The above would answer very readily for the 
present, except that the unsold land is now about 
all occupied by actual settlers. Of its comjjari- 
son, in the clipping, with Shieldsville, it is incor- 
rect; but that is treated in the former part of this 
article. The price of land now ranges from $i) 
per acre upwards. 

EAKLT SETTLEMENT. 

The earliest actual settlement of tliis sub-divi- 
siou of Rice county was commenced early in the 
year 1855, and was, therefore, a little behind the 
majority of towns, as most of them received a set- 
tler or two in IS.ii. As the name of the town im- 
plies, there were none but the descendants of the 
old loved Emerald Isle to be recorded in the 
pages of its early history ; and, in fact, for a num- 
ber of years, until a good share of the government 
land was taken, there was not one resident of the 
township of other than the Celtic origin; as it is 
said, the arrival of pioneers of other nationalities, 
with a view to securing homes, being regarded by 
many of the citizens as an encroachment upon 
their rights and domain. 

In the spring of 1855, as if premeditated, a 
party of pioneers, from various directions, burst 
in upon the tranquility of the town, in the south- 
eastern part, with the determination to secure 
homes and promote civilization. The balance of 
the county had already received a number of set- 
tlers. Faribault was quite a town and near it 
already was heard the sound of the water-wheel 
and the buzz of the saw; but Eriu was yet con- 
sidered "backwoods" ;ind no pioneer had consent- 
ed to accept the hardship, privation, and toil the 
opening of the timber would necessarily incur. 
This party had decided to risk it, and here they 
were in June, 1855: Jeremiah Healy, Sylvester 
Smith, John Burke, James Cummin gs, John BIc- 
Manus and Owen Farley, the most of them bring- 
ing their families. 

About the first of this party to locate and select 
a claim was Jeremiah Healy, and as he was an 
important personage among the early pioneers, 
we will give a short sketch of his life: Jeremiah 
Healv was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1819, and re- 
mained at the place of his birth until the year 
18i2, when he came to America and located at 



Dubuque, Iowa, where, in April, 1849, he was 
married to Miss Hannah McCarthy. He re- 
mained here until 1855, when he came to Erin 
and located in the southern part of the town, 
where he put up a log shanty l(;x24 feet, the first 
in the township. Mr. Healy had left his family 
in his former home, and after he had prepared a 
place for them returned and brought them out, 
bringing also a, number of head of stock and one 
colt. He remained in Erin until the time of his 
death which occurred on the 25th of July, 18G8. 
Of his family of children, nine are still living. 
His widow lives in Faribault with her two sons, 
E. J. and J. F. Healy, twins, who are in the mer- 
cantile business. Anotiier son, Jolm Healy, is 
still on the old place in Erin. 

After Healy had located, Sylvester Smith was 
next to select a place, which he did in sections 
twenty-five and thirty-six. He was a native of 
Ireland and had stopped for a time in Iowa, get- 
ting into Kice' county with a yoke of oxen and 
immediately erected a small log shanty. Soon 
after his arrival he manged to secure a grindstone, 
and for a number of years the settlers for six 
miles around would come to his place to sharpen 
their knives and farming cutlery. He also was 
fortunate enough to secure the first grain cradle 
in the township. When he first arrived with his 
family, consisting of his wife and two children, 
there were only three houses between his place 
and Faribault. 

Mr. John Burke, of the same nationality, plant- 
ed his stakes on the claim of his choice, but only 
remained for a few years when he left for parts 
unknown to us. 

James Cummhigs next secured a place on sec- 
tion twenty-seven and put up a small log shanty 
at once, as he had brought his family, and com- 
menced pioneering with barely enough to get. 
along with, and by thrift and enterprise has now 
become a well-to-do and iutluential farmer, still 
living on the old place. One of his sons is now 
a Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk, and an- 
other is school clerk of the district in which he 
lives. 

John McMauus, another son of the Emerald 
Isle, a single man, took a claim in the southern 
part of the town, near his fellow countrymen, and 
still remains in the same vicinity. He was joined 
in wedlock shortly afterward, making one of the 
first marriages in the town. 



556 



HISTOBT OF RICE COUNTY. 



The last member of this party, Owen Farley, 
settled on section twenty-six, where he still re- 
mains. 

This entire party came in with ox teams and all 
settled in the south and southeastern part of the 
township. Those of them who still remain, al- 
though coming with little or nothing, are now 
farmers in comfortable circumstances, and with 
fertile and valuable farms. 

In the same year, a little later in the season, the 
southwestern comer of the town received a settler 
and commenced building up a neighborhood as 
efficiently as the southeastern part. 

James McBride, another descendant of "Tlie 
Old Sod," drifted in and anchored himself in 
section thirty-one, where his moorings are still 
fast. He brought in considerable stock and com- 
menced pioneer life by putting up a log shanty. 
Shortly after McBride arrived in the fall, E. 
Clarken put in an appearance and located on sec- 
tion thirty, where he still remains, having made 
himself what he is, a wealthy farmer, since his ar- 
rival in Erin. 

This was the extent to which the township was 
settled this year, carrying the settlement up to 
the winter of 1855-56, which proved a very trying 
and severe one to the meagre settlement, as they, 
as yst, had had no time to prepare for it. A Mr. 
Condon was frozen to death while on his way to 
his claim near J. Oumming's place. He had gone 
to Shieldsville for groceries and jjrovisions to sup- 
ply the wants of his family, and on his way home 
lost the road, became discouraged and benumbed 
by cold, and gave up to the drowsiness which in 
freezing means death. This misfortune was the 
third death that occurred in the township. Many 
of the settlers, lunvever, anticipating a hard time, 
had avoided the danger by going to St. Paul for 
the winter, and returning the following spring. 

The next year the settlement became more rapid 
and all parts of the town received a share of the 
incomers. Many came who have since removed 
with the restlessness of Americans, to the far 
West, there to help, no doubt, in the civilization 
and cultivation of a land fully as rich as this has 
proved to be. Among the arrivals this year many 
will be mentioned. 

Charley McBride arrived in 1856, and made 
himself at home on sections nine and sixteen 
where his lamp still holds out to burn. His ready 
wit, ever willingness for a joke, no matter who 



the "butt" of it was, and altogether his good nature 
and sociability made bim a noted character 
throughout the entire county and stamped him as 
the "prince of good fellows." Wherever the 
happy "phiz" of Charley is, there is sure to be 
fun and a good time generally. 

Andrew Kelly, of Celtic origin, drifted in and 
dropped anchor in section twenty-six where his 
anchorage still remains intact. He came in com- 
pany with his brother, Frank Kellv, who took a 
quarter section adjoining his farm. Frank was 
married at an early day, and lived here until 
about 1862, when he mysteriously disappeared^ 
and nothing has ever since been seen or heard of 
him. Many theories, and they could be only 
mere speculative ideas, have been advanced as to 
the cause of his disappearance, but they are all 
unsatisfactory, as nothing can be conclusive where 
there is not the slightest shadow of fact for its 
foundation. His son still holds the old homestead 
in section twenty-six. 

D. and John Caliban came in 1856, the latter 
being still on his place. J. O'Keilly and father 
came about the same time; the latter is now de- 
ceased and the former is in St. Paul. The Ash 
brothers also arrived about the same time. They 
were Peter and Thomas, the former took the place 
where he now lives, in section fourteen, and the 
latter left without obtaining any land. 

Section thirty- three, in the southern part of the 
town, was the recipient of T. Flaunagan, an 
Irishmen, who still "holds the fort" here, and 
about the same time of the year '56, Henry Smith 
secured a home in section twenty-seven. 

Four Mnlcahy brothers, Patrick, Timothy, Dan- 
iel, and Dennis, natives of the Emerald Isle, put 
in an appearance this year and took farms near to- 
gether, on and about section twenty-nine. The 
first two, Patrick and Timothy, died at an early 
day; Dennis removed to Wells township abont 
1867, while Daniel still lives on the original pre- 
emption. 

In section eight, the same year, Edward P. Oar- 
roll took the northeast, and Patrick Sheehan secur- 
ed the southwest (juarter where they now reside 
in comfortable circumstances. Just south of these 
parties, in section seventeen, B. Foley and An- 
drew Devereux each secured IGO acres and still 
flourish on their places, both having been promi- 
nent men in the township. 

John Doyle, originally from Ireland, planted 



EUTN TOWNSHIP. 



r,r,7 



his stakes on an eighty acre piece of land in the 
southern part of section five, and still occupies the 
place. 

Hugh and Patrick McEntee, fatlier and son, 
came in IHbl], and the former took the farm in sec- 
tion twenty-four, on which he now lives, and after 
a few years Patrick got married and purchased a 
jjlace in section ten. E. Kiernan pre-emjjted a 
jjlace in 1856, which joins Patrick's farm. 

There were many arrivals this year besides those 
noted already, among which may be mentioned 
John Gorman, who remained on his farm until 
1870, when he removed to Fairbault where he is 
now "Mine host" at the Northwestern Hotel; the 
O'Sullivan brothers, Patrick, John, and James, 
who are still prominent men in the town ; James 
Warren, who paid the debt of mortality in 1873, 
leaving his widow and one son upon the place; 
Dennis Dooley, Michael Richardson, Chas. Ma- 
guire, M. Kallaher, John Quinlan, E. Maher, and 
T. McBreen, all of whom settled this year, and 
still remain in the township, well-to-do, influential, 
and comfortable farmers. 

This carries the settlement up to a time when 
the influx became so rapid and constant that it is 
impossible to note them in sequence; but many 
arrivals since this date are noted in another place 
under the head of "Biographical," to which place 
we refer the reader. In 1860, the populaticm of Erin 
had grown to 306, and almost all of the govern- 
ment land was taken. It should be noted in this 
connection that General James Siiields had a great 
deal of influence in developing this township, and 
especially can the tide of Irish incomers be at- 
tributed to him, as he had located just on the line 
dividing this town from Shieldsville, and his ad- 
vertisements in eastern papers in\'iting others to 
join him, attracted the attention of his country- 
men, and they thronged in. A great many of the 
claims occupied by the settlers mentioned above, 
had been selected before the parties had arrived, 
by Jeremiah Healy, who was the first to actually 
secure a farm. By observation, he had jiicked up 
the rudiments of surveying and his knowledge 
was very useful to the pioneers in laying out their 
future homes. There have been as many as sis- 
teen or twenty of them, in early days, stopping at 
Mr. Healy's log cabin — free of charge — while they 
were looking for farms. 

EVENTS AND INCIDENTS. 

Early Bikths. — The first child born in the 



township was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah 
Healy, in the latter part of 185.'), in the southern 
part of the town. The minor arrival was chris- 
tened Sarah, and she afterwards m.-irried Mr. .John 
Dudley and is now living in Faribault. 

The next event of this kind was in 1856, when a 
child named Catherine was born to Mr. and Mrs. 
John Burke. She now lives in Iowa. 

Another early birth was James, a son of Mr. 
and Mrs. E. Clarken; the boy grew to manhood in 
Erin and n<jw lives in St. Paul. 

Mathew Smith, who now lives in Wells, wab 
born in Erin at an early day. 

Marriages. — In this line the township has a 
peculiar history, one in fact, which is almost with- 
out a parallel. It is, that since the original set- 
tlement of the town, almost thirty years ago, un- 
til the present time, only one marriage has taken 
place within the limits of the town, this being the 
oci-asion, in 1878, when Mr. George Levoy and 
Miss Annie Berry were united in the holy bonds 
of matrimony by Father Eobierrie, at the house 
of School district No. 68. The bride was the 
daughter of John Berry. Of course this does not 
signify that the residents of Erin have refrained 
from taking partners to their joys and sorrows, 
indeed, such is not the case, but by some queer 
freak of the "god of chance" parties matri- 
monially inclined have always had the conjugal 
knot tied at some point out of the limits of the 
town. 

The first marriage of residents in the town oc- 
curred in the winter of 1856, at Faribault and 
were .John Quinlan and Bridget Martin. The 
ceremony was performed by Father Eavoux and 
the ha])py couple still reside in their country's 
namesake township. 

As early as 1857, the marriage of Mr. John 
McManus to Miss Eliza Kelly took place at the 
village of ShieldsviUe, and after the couple had 
taken the floor preparatory to listening to the 
last words of the ceremony, it was discovered that 
there was no ring to place u]X)n the liride's finger, 
and as this article was indispensible in the code, 
for a moment it lo(.)ked as though the young couple 
were doomed to single life yet a short time, or 
until the needed finger ornament was brought 
forward. Happily, the officiating minister con- 
ceived an idea that he at once executed, which 
relieved them of the dilficulty; he took the key 
from the door and placing it upon the l)ride'8 
finger pronounced them man and wife. 



558 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Another early marriage was that of Thomas 
Casey to Catlierine Kelley. They now live in 
Wells township. 

Early Deaths. — Undoubtedly the first death 
to occur in Erin was Mary Ann, child of Sylvester 
Smith, who was called away in October, 1855. 
She was buried in Shields ville. "This child's 
grandfather, Martin Smith, father of Sylvester 
Smith, was the second death, laying down the 
burden of life's trials and uncertainties in 1855, 
at the age of sixty- five years. His remains were 
also interred at Shieldsville. 

The next death was Mr. Condon, in the early 
part of 1856, hy freezing. He is mentioned else- 
where. 

In 1858, while Edward Kiley and Sylvester 
Smith were in the timber chopping wood, a limb 
from one of the trees fell, and striking Edward 
Riley on the head, killed him instantly. 

FiKST Crop. — When Sylvester Smith first came 
to the town in company with a few others, in 1855, 
they made their way with ox teams through the 
timber, having to ciit their own roads. Their 
nearest place for supplies was at Hastings or St. 
Paul. In 1856, they broke a little ground and 
put in and raised a small crop of corn and pota- 
toes. The first crop of wheat was raised in 1857, 
and it was marketed at Hastings at 50 cei'ts per 
bushel, the trip l)eing made with ox teams, and 
occupying five days, camping on the way and 
cooking their meals by the wayside. 

First Election. — The first precinct election 
ever held, embracing Erin, was held at Shields- 
ville in 1855; the precinct comprising what is now 
known as Erin, Shieldsville, Wheatland, and 
part of the towns of Forest and Wells. 

McBride and the R.ats. — Charley McBride 
can undoubtedly claim the honor of bringing rats 
iuto this town.ship, from what we can learn. It 
seems that Mr. BIcBride, while in the East, sent 
several boxes of clothing, consigned to a commis- 
sion warehouse in Hastings, and finally, after 
much trouble, succeeded in getting them to 
Shieldsville. Upou arriving there he selected the 
one which upon opening was discovered 
to contain two rats. He hastily slammed 
the cover shut, and shouting to several 
of liis friends near tuld them to get sticks and he 
did likewise. Friends all gathered round the 
box, spit on their hands, held their sticks up ready 
to flatten the first rat into a grease spot and thus 



nip the rat business in the bud. All were in ex- 
pectation. Every one held his breath, gripped 
his stick tighter, and determined to do or die; the 
deep silence was oppressive, as the box lid was 
being raised. It came up with a rush, and with 
a yell of vengeance the crowd of clubs made a 
downward swoop! But, alas! As the foolish ex- 
pression deepened on the countenance of the aston- 
ished vengeance seekers, it was easy to guess the 
cause, — llie rain were f/oiie. McBride, as usual, 
laughed immoderately, and to this day when a 
rat is seen it is called "McBride's pet" by those 
who remember the incident. 

But this did not injure McBride's reputation, 
for his many good deeds overbalanced by far this 
dark one. One of the latter was to bring in with 
him some geese, and "McBride's geese" were for 
years the only ones in the region, and from the 
product of this small flock, has many a feather 
bed been made, that has given rest to not a tew 
weary travelers, who can testify to the hospitality 
of these natives of the Emerald Isle. This same 
Charley McBride also brought the first horse team 
into Erin township. 

Clergy in Erin. — The town of Erin was first 
encroached upon in the month of May, 1855, and 
among the first to build a log cabin was Mr. Jer- 
emiah Healy who, amidst the trials and privations 
of pioneer life, had succeeded in preserving a few 
seed jjotatoes and planted them near his cabin, 
and about the time the potatoes were in bloom 
Father Ravoux, the first missionary in this part of 
the country, came traveling along on his Indian 
pony, and discovering this cabin with the inmates 
and a few scattering neighbors, he concluded to 
stop and hold the first service here, and when 
about to retire respectfully declined to sleep in- 
side of the cabin, but taking his saddle for a pil- 
low, and spreading his blankets, made his bed be- 
tween the rows of potatoes, and there, with the 
sky for a mantle, slept sweetly until the rising 
sun kissed the morning dew. 

Erin in the Late War. — This town did its full 
share in the war of rebellion and we have suc- 
ceeded in getting the list of volunteers who par- 
ticipated in it from the township. The following 
is the list: Daniel Caliban, John Caliban, 
Charles Lipman, Tore Coran, Antoine LaDuc, 
David Tierney, James McLaughlin, John Mc- 
Bride, James O'Neill, Arne Logue, Michael 
Logue, Jerry Lyons, Thomas Grady, Herman 



ERIN TOWNSHIP. 



559 



Kampen, John Meehan, Martin Kallaher, Andrew 
Devereus, Dennis Mulcahy, Patrick Quinlan, and 
Edward Martin. 

POLITICAL. 

This town was organized in common with 
the balance of the townships in Bice county, 
when the Territory was made a State. The 
first town meeting was held on the llth of 
May, 1858, at the residence of P. Kyan. The 
meeting was called to order by the election of 
Thomas Flanuagan as chairman, and William 
Kerrott, secretary. A motion was then made by 
D. Dooley to name the town " McBride," then one 
to call it " Healy " in honor of Jeremiah Healy, 
but both of these were lost. A motion was next 
made by Mr. John Gorman that the township 
should be called "Erin," in honor of their na- 
tivity, and this was carried by a majority of seven. 
They then proceeded to the election of the fol- 
lowing officers: Supervisors, John Conn iff. Chair- 
man; Timothy Foley, and Sylvester Smith; As- 
sessor, Dennis Dooley; Collector, John Gorman: 
Justices of the Peace, Thomas Flanigan and B. 
Foley; Constables, Michael Richardson and John 
Smith; Overseer of the poor, Charles McBride; 
Overseers of roads, Patrick Ryan, Martin Duffy, 
and Edward darken. 

At the town meeting in spring of 1882, the fol- 
lowing officers were elected : Supervisors, Patrick 
Sullivan, Chairman, John Quinlan, and Patrick 
Mangan; Town Clerk, Thomas Cummiugs; Jus- 
tices of Peace, Thomas Cummiugs and Andrew 
Devereux; Treasurer, Owen Farley; Constables, 
Edward Rouin and Thomas Carroll; Assessor, 
Michael Carroll. There is no town hall in Erin, 
and elections and town meetings are held at the 
residence of Michael Carroll. 

FOWLEESVILLE POST-OFFK^E 

This office was established in 185(), with Bar- 
tholomew Foley as Postmaster, and the office at 
his house. In 1857, John Smith was appointed 
Postmaster and the office was removed to his 
house in section eighteen, where it remained for 
eight years, until Charles Cooke became Postmas- 
ter, when it was again changed and kept in Bern 
ard Tague's house in section sixteen. Here it was 
kept for a short time when Edward Carroll was 
made Postmaster, and it was removed to his resi- 
dence in section eight. Four years later Edward 



Kiernan was appointed to the office and the name 
clianged, to be finally, in 1880, discontinued. 

BDncATION.\L. 

In Erin we find rather less than the average 
number of school districts in the towns through- 
out the county, there being only five. The dis- 
tricts are all, however, efficiently managed, and 
the educational advantages here are at par with 
the general run of neighboring towns. The school 
buildings are neat and substantial, and the schools 
are well attended, employing one teacher in each 
district, a short sketch of which are given below. 

District No. 4fi. — This was the first district 
organized in the township, having been etl'ected 
about 1857, and a log schoolbouse rolled together 
in the southeastern part of section fifteen. The 
school grew rapidly, and in 18G5, Miss Powers 
taught a term with thirty juveniles on the benches. 
In 1872, the old log schoolhouse was dispensed 
with and their present house erected near the 
center of section eleven, at a cost of $300, where 
Miss L. Douley first distributed knowledge. The 
pressnt school officers are: Messrs. Daniel Call- 
ahan, Patrick McEntee, and Edward Kiernan, 
respectively director, treasurer, and clerk. The 
last school was taught by Miss Anna L. Kiernan, 
with twenty-five scholars present. The land on 
which the schoolhouse stands was generously 
donated by Mr. Daniel Caliban. 

DisTKicT No. 49, — The first school in this dis- 
trict was taught in the summer of 1860, in the 
log house of Dennis Dooley, and Bridget Fitzger- 
ald first taught the young idea how to shoot. 
The first school board consisted of Messrs. Dooley, 
Coffey, and Mehan. In 1863, the schoolhouse 
was erected of logs in the eastern part of section 
thirty, the land being donated by E. darken. The 
first school was attended by twelve pupils, and it 
has increased until there are now about twenty 
enrolled. 

District No. (38. — First came into existence in 

1858, when the first school was taught in the win- 
ter by Andrew Devereux in John Gorman's log 
house in section fifteen. Shortly afterwards Pat- 
rick Sheehan deeded the district one half an acre 
of ground in section eight and a log house was 
put up. This was about a half a mile north of 
the present site, to which it was removed in 

1859. In 1873, the present frame building was 
erected at a cost of $400, on the same site in the 
southern part of section eiglit. The j)resent 



500 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



school board consists of Messrs P. Sheehan, B. 
Foley, and P. Cassidy; the school now enrolls 
about forty-two scholars. 

District No. 69. — The first school in this dis- 
trict was taught in a log house on Anthony Kel- 
ly's land, in the summer of 1857, with Mrs. Kyun 
as teacher. Tlie winter school was taught by 
Anthony Kelly in a little log hut that stood on 
the Warren place, tlie inhabitants having agreed 
that it should be held part of the time in one end, 
and the remainder of the time in theother end of 
the district. In 1859, the district was divided, 
and this obtains the original number. A log 
building was put U]) this year on the site of the 
present building, the school ground having been 
donated to the district liy Andrew Kelly. This 
house was burned to the ground on the evening 
of election in 1870. It seems that on the day fol- 
lowing, E. J. Healy, now a merchant of Fari- 
bault, was to commence teaching a term of school 
having been hired by the school board under the 
bitter ojjposition of some of the residents and one 
member of the board, and the building was un- 
doubtedly burned by some of the lawless to pre- 
vent the school being taught. In this design, 
however, they signally failed, for Mr. Healy went 
to work, plastered a log building on theMcCul- 
lough place, and two days after the fire, school 
was called to order in this building and kept for 
five months by the plucky teacher. At the time 
of reorganization this was a very large district, 
and the first school was attended by about twenty- 
five scholars. At present the register shows about 
twice that many enrolled, and the present officers 
are: Director, Patrick Mangan; Treasurer, B. 
Kiley; and Clerk, H. Cummings. 

District No. 98. — This district comprises as 
its territory portions of the townships of Erin 
and Forest, and its schoolhouse is located on the 
line betweeu the two towns in section twenty-five. 
The district is in good standing, well attended, 
and ably managed, having been organized some 
time during the sixties. Their present school 
structure was erected at a cost of about .$400, be- 
ing a neat frame building. 

ISIOGKAPHIC.^L. 

Daniel C.vi-niAx was born in Ireland in 1823, 
and when young engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits. In 1851, he came to America and for five 
years resided in New York, engaged in brick 
making. He was married in that State in 1852, 



to Miss Ann Simpson, a native of Ireland. For a 
time after leaving that place he was engaged in a 
stone quarry in Eock Island, Illinois, quarrying 
some of the stone for the first bridge built across 
the Mississippi. In the spring of 1856, he came 
to this county and located a farm in section 
eleven, Erin, which has since been his home. He 
has held local offices and has taken an active part 
in organizing the schools. He was in the army 
from 1864 until the close of the war, being with 
Sherman in his famous March to the Sea. Mr. 
and Mrs. Caliban have have had seven children, 
four living; Arba, aged twenty-nine years, is the 
wife of Thomas Cahill, clferk in the State House at 
St. Paul ; Bessie, Miles, and Mary. 

James Cummixgs was born in Ireland in 1806, 
and lived in his native country until 1846. He 
then came to America, landed in Quebec, Canada, 
and was engaged in railroading one year, then 
came to the States and followed the same business 
in Vermont two years. He carried on a farm for 
six year^in Clinton county. New York, and then 
moved to St. Paul where he was engaged in the 
construction of tlie Catholic Church. Since 1856, 
he has been a resident of this place, he being one 
of the first sis to settle here; his farm is Ijcated 
in section twenty-seven. He was married in his 
native land in 1845, to Miss Alice Kirk. They 
are both members of the Koman Catholic church 
in this place. They have had nine children, three 
of whom are living and at home; Thomas M., who 
is Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk; William 
H., aged twenty-four yeans, and Annie J., aged 
nineteen years; Mary died in Canada at the age 
of one year; Patrick died in Vermont when an 
infant, James died in Vermont at the age of two 
years, John died iu this place when thirteen years 
old; James, second, died after coming here, and 
Ellen died in infancy. 

Edward Cl.vrken was born in 1825, in Ireland 
where he received his education and resided until 
twenty-two years old. After coming to America 
he located in Maryland and remained eight 
months, then in Virginia and engaged in rail- 
roading and mining for eight years. He was 
married in the latter place and his wife is a na- 
tive of Ireland. They have had ten chDdren, 
nine of whom are living, eight at ho3e and one 
in St. Paul. Mr. darken came with his family 
to this place in 1856, and has since made his 
home in section thirty, where he owns one hun- 



ERIN TOWNSHIP. 



561 



dred and sixty acres of land. He is a member of 
the school board aud also of the Catholic church. 

John Cokley was born in Ireland iu 1842, aud 
lived in his native country uutil the age of nine 
years. He emigrated to .'America with his par- 
ents iu 1851, and located in Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he was educated and afterward 
taught school, remaining in the State sixteen 
years. His father died in the latter place, and iu 
October, 1866, he and his mother came to Kice 
county, Minnesota, and located a farm in section 
thirty, Erin township, which is still their home. 
Mr. Corley was united in marriage at Shieldsville 
in 1869, to Miss Margaret Maloney, a uative of 
Maine. She died on the 5th of September, 1870, 
aged twenty-two years, leaving one child, Mary 
Bertha, who died at the age of three months. He 
has been a member of the board of education for 
several years aud is at present school treasurer. 
He and his mother, the only members of the fam- 
ily now living, are both members of the Koman 
Catholic church. 

Andkew Deverehx was born in County Wex- 
ford, Ireland, iu 1836. The Devereux family 
are of Norman descent and have lived in Wex- 
ford, Ireland, for centuries. The father of the 
subject of this sketch, Patrick Devereux, was a 
farmer in good circumstances and emigrated to 
Canada in 1850, lauded in Quebec, and after a so- 
journ of two days settled on a farm of two hun- 
dred acres, presented him by his brother A^'illiam, 
about twelve miles from Presoott, upon which 
they lived five years. The family consisted of 
five children, Andrew being the eldest. The sec- 
pud, Robert, was shot and instantly killed while 
herding cattle in this place. The deed was done 
in November, 1861, by a villain named Lydou, 
and the death of Mr. Devereux was mourned l)y a 
large circle of friends. William, the third child, 
died in Ireland at the age of seven years; John, 
the fourth son, is still living and owns a farm in 
tills township, his father living with him; Mary, 
the youngest and only daughter, married a man 
named Bernard Cassidy and lives in the city of 
Stockton, California. After a residence of five 
years iu Canada Mr. Patrick Devereux returned 
the farm to his brother, sold out his effects and 
came to the States, settling in Iowa, twelve miles 
south of Dubuque. There Andrew commenced 
to shape his own fortune, working at farm labor 
during summer months and attending school win- 
36 



ters. He remained with his father until August, 
1856, when he came to Minnesota territory and 
after traveling over the greater portion of the 
State finally located in Erin, where he built a 
shanty and also made claims for several of his 
countrymen. At the beginning of the winter he 
returned to his home in Iowa and commenced the 
study of surveying, which he completed in six 
months. He then came again to this place in 
comjjany with his brother Robert, for whom he 
made a claim adjoining his own, and where, as 
previously mentioned, he lost his life. In the win- 
ter of 1857, Mr. Devereux taught the first term of 
school ever held in the township and the following 
summer worked as a deck hand on a Mississippi 
steamer. At the close of navigation he went 
south as far as Lake Providence in Louisiana 
where he acted as foreman for a contractor, repair- 
ing levees. The following summer he spent at his 
father's and iu September, 1860, the whole family 
moved to Minnesota. In August, 1862, he en- 
listed in Company H, of the Tenth Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry and was appointed duty Ser- 
geant. He spent part of the winter in camp at 
Swan Lake, Nicollet county, and from thence was 
sent to LeSueur to attend a military school taught 
by Lieut. Col. S. P. Jenuisou. In the spring of 
1863, he joined Sibley's expedition and partici- 
pated in several engagement.s with the Indians, 
driving them across the Missouri River, but they 
soon returned, however. The, regiment returned 
to Fort SneUing and then south, having their 
winter quarters at St. Louis where they remained 
six months, and in the spring of 1864, joined the 
First Brigade of the First Division of the Six- 
teenth Anny Corps, commanded by Major Gen- 
eral A. J. Smith, and was engaged in all the bat- 
tles in which the division took part. He was hon- 
orably discharged at Fort Snelling in September, 
18()5, with the rank of First Sergeant, and imme- 
diately returned to his farm. On the 3d of June, 
1866, Mr. Devereux was married to Miss Mary 
Cassidy and is now the father of sis children; 
Robert, aged fifteen years; Margaret, thirteen; 
William F., eleven; Mary Jane, nine; Kate, five; 
aud John B., fifteen months. 

Denis Dooly was born in 1820, in Ireland, 
where he recieved his education and learned the 
carpenter, trade. In 1842, he came to Canada, 
where he found employment at his trade and re- 
sided fourteen years. He was married there in 



562 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



1843, to Miss Mary Allen, a native of Ireland. In 
September, 1856, Mr. Dooly became one of the 
pioneers of this place, locating a farm in section 
thirty-two, where he has since resided. He has 
been a member of the school board for several 
terms, and always takes an active part in school 
matters. Mr. and Mrs. Dooly have had seven 
children, five of whom are living and all in this 
State; Patrick, thirty-five years of age; Mary Ann, 
thirty-two; Louisa, thirty; Daniel, twenty -eight, 
and Hattie, twenty-six. One child died in Canada 
and one in Shieldsville, Minnesota. 

Timothy P. Foley, a native of Minnesota, was 
bom in Erin township in March, 1860. His father 
was born in county Cork, Ireland, and is of a very 
ancient family. He emigrated to America in 
1845, landing in New York City where he worked 
at the stone mason trade two years, at the end of 
which time he engaged in agricultural pursuits 
for six years. He moved from New York to Iowa, 
and three years later he came to Minnesota and 
pre-empted land in this township. He returned 
to Iowa and married a young lady by the name 
of Donahoe, a native of county Wexford, Ireland. 
She is a lineal descendant of the O'Donahoes, 
formerly valiant Knights of Ireland, who upheld 
Christianity while in its infancy in that country, 
their gleaming swords finally establishing the 
Christian religion there. Mr. and Mrs. Foley 
moved to his new home in Minnesota and imme- 
diately began improvements on his farm and the 
surrounding country, petitioning for the first pub- 
lic road in the township. He established a Post 
oflice which he kept a number of years, and also 
held other local offices. Of a family of ten chil- 
dren, nine are living; EHzae, the eldest, is a dress- 
maker living in Minneapolis, aged twenty-four 
years; Timothy, twenty-two; Mary Ann, twenty; 
John,eighteen ; Catheriucsixteen ; Bridget, thirteen ; 
Thomas, eleven ; Bartholomew, nine; William, the 
youngest living, is six years of age, and Margaret 
E., the youngest of the family, died at the age of 
ten months. Timothy, the subject of this sketch, 
received a good common school education and is 
now engaged in farming. 

Thomas Flanio.vn, one of the early settlers of 
this townsliip, was born in Ireland in 1823, reared 
on a farm and received a common school educa- 
tion there. In August, 1844, be came to America, 
was engaged in a tannery in New York City one 
year, after which he removed to Rhode Island and 



was employed in a cotton factory in all its differ- 
ent departments. While in that State he was 
married in May, 1848, to Miss Ellen Hughs, a na- 
tive of Ireland. In April, 1857, they came to 
Rice county and settled in this township in sec- 
tion thirty-three. He has a fine farm, well im- 
proved; has been chairman of the board of Super- 
visors several terms, a member of the school 
board, Justice of the Peace, and was Justice of the 
precinct at the organization of the town. Mr. and 
Mrs. Flanigan have had nine children, five of 
whom are living; Cilia, aged thirty years; Clarry, 
twenty-three; Eliza, twenty-one; Joseph, nine- 
teen, and Ella, seventeen. Three children died in 
Rhode Island and one in this place. 

Anthony M. Kellt, another of the early settlers 
of tins place, was born in Ireland in 1814, and at- 
tended the common school in his native country. 
In May, 1840, he was married to Miss Judith 
Ganghan. Just five years later they came to 
America and located in Indiana where he was en- 
gaged in farming and surveying on railroads. He 
was subsequently employed as overseer in an 
asylum in Indianapolis. In 1856, they came to 
this place and located in section twenty-eight 
which is still their home. Mr. Kelly has been 
Justice of the Peace, Town Treasurer, Assessor, 
and a member of the school board, taking an ac- 
tive interest in all educational matters, having 
taught the first winter school in his district. Of 
ten children born to him, five are living; Bridget, 
born in 1845;Thomas M.,in 1850; Kate E., in 1853; 
William A., in 1857; and Joseph P., in 1859; one 
daughter died in Ireland aged four years; John 
died in Indianapolis at the age of seven years; 
one in infancy; Philip and Blary Ann, in this 
place, of diphtheria. The family are all members 
of the Catholic church. Joseph P. was elected 
Justice of the Peace just as he attained his ma- 
jority. 

William Keeeott was born in February, 1810, 
and raised on a farm between Newry and Lough- 
brickland in county Down, Ireland. He received 
a fair business education in various private schools 
kept by itinerant teachers and assisted in all de- 
partments of farm labor until the age of seven- 
teen years. He then entered the employ of Wil- 
liam Francis Hart, Esq., his father's landlord, as 
under steward and gardener at Greenogiie in 
county Dublin, discharging those duties five and 
a half years, until the death of his employer. He 



EHIN TOWNS III P. 



563 



was afterward engaged as foreman and salesman 
in Livingston's nnrsery and public gardens in tho 
suburbs of the city, and later aoqnirod tho jxisi- 
tion of steward in a popular semiuiiry at Port 
Bella from Avhich place he departed for Liverpool, 
England, on the 11th of May, 1835, and sailed for 
America the 18th of the same month. He landed 
in New York on the 24th of June and enjoyed the 
first 4th of July with friends in Albany. Coming 
westward by way of the Erie Canal he found em- 
ployment for some time in Rochester, and then 
engaged in the construction of new locks at Lock- 
port on the latter canal, thence to Canada and 
settled at the first lock on the Grand River, as- 
suming the duty of Deputy Collector, Look-mas- 
ter, and section Superintendent on the first divis- 
ion of the said canal, discharging these duties for 
twenty years with marked success and satisfaction 
to the civil officers and directors. He was mar- 
ried on the 20th of May, 1839. On the 15th of 
May, 1856, they moved to Minnesota, and on the 
9th of June following filed a claim in this town- 
ship. By his advice his parents' family followed 
him in the fall, coming in the steamer "Lady 
Franklin" which sunk causing tlie loss of all their 
effects and scattered the family of six boys and 
two girls to struggle for self-support. In March, 
1858, Mr. Kerrott organized an election precinct 
in the town of Wheatland, and conducted the elec- 
tion ; afterward organized the town of Eriu and was 
its first Town Clerk. His wife, having a distaste for 
the privations and struggles of frontier life, made 
a visit to friends in Chicago where she died. In 
October, 1859, Mr. Kerrott went to New Orleans; 
in 1860, worked on levees at Lake Bolivar, Mis- 
sissippi; in 1861, was in Tunica county, thence 
north to Blemphis and took passage for Colum- 
bus, Kentucky, landing iinder fire of the Rebels 
at Fort Pillow, where he acted with the sappers 
and miners for some time. He returned to Mem- 
phis and remained until it was occupied by Fed- 
eral troops, being present at the naval conflict he- 
fore the city surrendered. He was watchman of 
Government freight transportation and also Su- 
perintendent of a wood yard on Wolf Island. In 
1866, he accepted employment at the National 
• Cemetery on the M. & O. railroad but two years 
later returned to Minnesota and has since lived in 
this county always holding some office of trust — 
Town Clerk, Justice of the Peace, etc., every one 
of which was vacated on his own motion, having 



no blot or stigma to stain the vista of fifty-seven 
years. 

Ch.veles McBride, one of the first farmers to 
settle in this township, is a native of Ireland, bom 
in 1812. He was married in 1830, to Sarah Mar- 
tin. Two years later they emigrated to America, 
located in Westchester county. New York, and re- 
mained in the State six years. They afterwards 
resided in New Jersey one year and in Iowa nine 
years, engaged in farming. In the spring of 1856, 
Mr. McBride came to Erin, liringing the first horse 
team in the township, and settled in section nine 
where he still lives. His wife died in 1858, and is 
buried in Shieldsville cemetery. She bore him 
eight children, seven of whom are living. He 
married his j)resent wife. Miss Alesia McHall, a 
native of Ireland, in 1861. The result of this 
union is ten children, six of whom are living. His 
children all live in the State and six are at home. 
He and his wife are members of the Roman Catho- 
lic church. Mr. McBride took a very active part 
in organizing schools in an early day; he hired 
and paid the teacher who taught the first school 
in this township; has been a member of the board 
of supervisors and of the school board, each sever- 
al terms. 

Patrick McENTEEwas born in Ireland in 1844! 
and lived in his native country until 1852. He 
came with his parents to Virginia where he atten- 
ded school, completing his education, after coming 
to Minnesota, in St. Paul. The family settled 
in section twenty-four in this township in 1856, 
and our subject remained at home until 1869, 
when he was married to Miss Mary Ann Dooley, a 
native of Canada, the ceremony taking place in 
Shieldsville. The same year he moved to section 
ten which he still makes his home. He has been 
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors two terms, 
a member of the school board several terms and in 
1880, took the census. His parents still live in 
this township, his father aged seventy-five years 
and his mother ten years younger. He has two 
brothers and two sisters in this place, one sister 
in St. Paul, and one in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. 
McEntee have had seven children, three of whom 
are living; William, Patrick, and Agnes. 

Edw.\ed Ruinn was born in Canada in 1840, 
and his native place claimed him as a resident 
until the age of twenty-six. He was united in 
marriage in 1862, with Miss Catherine McKinna, 
a native of Ireland. They have a family of nine 



564 



HISTORY OP RIGB COUNTY. 



children; Timothy, nineteen years of age; Pat- 
rick, seventeen; Catherine, fifteen; Julia Ann, 
thirteen: Mary, eleven; Margaret, nine; Louise, 
seven; Teresa, five, and Edward J., three, all 
living at home. Mr. Ruinu at present fills the 
oflBce of Constable. 

Sylvester Smith, one of the first settlers in 
this township, was born in 1814, in Ireland where 
he received his education. He came to America in 
1842, located in SuUivan county. New York, and 
remained in that State ten years. He was mar- 
ried in New York City, in 1851, to Miss Sarah 
Brady, a native of Ireland. They resided in West 



Virginia three years, then came to this place and 
settled in section twenty-five, which has since 
been their home. He has been a meniber of the 
school board several terms, and was one of the first 
to organize and maintain the school in this sec- 
tion, it being by subscription; has also been a 
member of the board of Supervisors two terms. 
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had seven children, five 
of whom are living; John, Matthew, Julia, Mary, 
and Annie. Mary A., died in infancy in 1855, 
and was the first death in the township, and Sarah 
E. was drowned in the lake while bathing, in June, 
1875. 



NORTHFIELD 



CHAPTER LXV. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION' — BAELY SETTLEMENT — ITEMS 

OF INTEREST — POLITICAL WAB EECOED— -SCHOOLS 

INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES — RELIGIOUS. 

Northfield township is situated in the extreme 
northwestern portion of Rice county, adjoining 
Dakota county on the north, Goodhue county on 
the east, and contiguous to the townships of 
Bridgewater and Wheeling on the west and south; 
embracing as .its area, including the city of North- 
field, forty-four sections of land, or 28,160 acres, 
almost all of which is under a high state of culti- 
vation, and admirably adapted to all agricultural 
purposes. 

The surface of the township is varied and diver- 
sified. It is really a prairie town, smooth in 
places, but everywhere is noticeable the rolling 
tendency. As you approach the eastern line, along 
Prairie Creek, the laud is more broken and hilly, 
covered with a heavy growth of timber. Here are 
many ledges of barren rock extending along the 
line of timber and prairie where it breaks its sur- 
face to make room for the stream. Along the en- 
tire western and southern boundaries the surface 
is more broken and hilly, and as you retreat from 
these you enter th;; prairie land which is undulat- 
ing and beautiful. The soil on the prairie is a 
dark, rich loam, and in the timber, or in the hilly 
Land, it is of a lighter color. 



On sections twenty-six and thirty-four is located 
what is known as the "Big Woods," although they 
are now small and insignificant in comparison with 
what they were in former years. Throughout the 
town, where there is no natural timber, the far- 
mers have cultivated domestic groves, which are a 
great help in beautifying the township. One in 
particular is worth mentioning, on the farm of 
Samuel F. Johnson, in section thirteen. The 
grove consists of maple and Cottonwood, covering 
ten or twelve acres, set in symetrical rows about 
twelve feet apart, and visitors pronounce it one of 
the finest in the State. There are many fine farms, 
well watered, well cultivated, and supplied with 
excellent buildings, and it can unhesitatingly be 
said that this is the finest township in Rice conn- 
ty. 

There are only two streams of any note passing 
over the surface of this sub-divesion, the Cannon 
River, passing through the city of Northfield, and 
Prairie Creek. The latter rises in Cannon City, 
enters Northfield at the extreme southwestern 
point, and flows through the southern tier of 
towns until it reaches the northeastern part of sec- 
tion thirty-four, where it is joined by another 
small stream and makes a northward turn, keep- 
ing this direction with a little inclination to the 
west until it reaches section one, when it leaves 
Northfield and enters Goodhue county. In sec- 
twelve Prairie Creek is joined by Spring Creek, 
which rises in section thirtv-six and flows north- 



NOBTIIFIELD TOM'NSHIl'. 



565 



ward through the eastern tier of sections until it 
joins the more powerful stream. 

A sketch of Northfiekl published in 1808, wlieu 
the territory was a part of the town that now 
comprises the corporate limits of the town of 
Northfiekl, says: 

"NoBTHFiELD, the northeastern town of the 
county, contains one congressional township and 
eight sections of land. Of its area eighty acres 
belong to the government, two hundred and 
eighty acres to the railroad, and one hundred and 
sixty to the University. This town presents great 
inducements for the investment of capital in farm- 
ing, its surface is beautifully diversified with 
prairies, groves, and running streams. The "Big 
Woods " skirts the town on the west, and furnishes 
an inexhaustible supjily of timber. Its popula- 
tion is principally of American origin, and its for- 
eign born citizens mostly Germans and Nor- 
wegians. The station of the Milwaukee & St. 
Paul railway is in the town of the same name, sit- 
uated in the northwestern part of the townsliip." 

Since the above was written the city of North- 
field has been set off and organized as a separate 
government, leaving the area of the township as 
stated elsewhere in this article. The same report 
states that the population of both in 1860, was 
880, and in 1865, 1,502. In 1870, the population 
of both town and city was 2,381. 

The government and unsold land mentioned in 
the above report is now occupied by actual set- 
tlers. The statement as to the nationality of the 
inhabitants will apply to the present time. 

In 1870, the values in Northfiekl, city and 
township, as given to the census takers were as 
follows: Keal property, 8984,180; personal, 
S340,325; total, SI, 324, .505. The total assessed 
valuation for the same year, real and personal, was 
S716,890. In 1882, the County Commissioners in 
equalizing the taxes of the county made the fol- 
lowing report of the assessed valuation in North- 
field: Personal property, town and city, S527,- 
473; real property, $979,459; total assessed value, 
$1,506,932. Showing an increase since 1872, of 
S790,042. Of the figures given for 1882, the 
total assessed valuation in the city was $1,050,265, 
of which S445,841 represented the personal, and 
and .S604,416 the real property. The total as- 
sessed valuation in the township, exclusive of the 
city, for 1882, was $446,667, of which $71,632 
was personal and .§375,035 real property. 



EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

This subdivision of Rice ciiunty commeneed its 
era of picmcering in 1854, about the same time as 
did almost all of the prairie towns, this kind of 
land being more inviting to the incomers and more 
easily sulnlued and made ready for agriculture. 
The first to come into the township and actually 
settle and take a farm was Mr. D. Kirkendahl, or, as 
it is sometimes spelled, "Kuykendahl", who was a 
native of Germany but recently from Pennysl- 
vania. He took a farm just where part of the city 
now is, and commenced western life in a tent 
where the college buildings now are, and where, 
in a few weeks, he put up a log cabin. His sell- 
ing out to Mr. North and leaving is noted in the 
history of the city. 

Mr. Kirkenhahl had been here just twelve days 
when Mr. Alexander Stewart made his appearance. 
He was a native of New York, having stopped for 
a time in Wisconsin, which latter place he left on 
Ihe 16th of May, and arrived in Northfield on the 
16th of .Tune, 1854, and found Kirkendahl safely, 
but temporarily, lurased in his tent. Mr. Stewart 
brought bis family, and all he had in the world 
which consisted of three pair of oxen, four cows, 
and some loose cattle, besides the usual household 
articles and "nick-nacks." A tent was pitched on 
his present place in which he lived four weeks 
while he did some breaking and preparing land, 
and then he erected a log shanty 14x18 feet, and, 
as he says, "one story low." This he covered with 
a half roof of shakes, the remaining half being 
open for two months, no floor was put in and in 
this shape the family moved into their new home 
and remained there until after the fall work was 
finished. Then Mr. Stewart went to St. Paul and 
procured some lumber with which he made some 
badly needed repairs. Shakes of black oak were 
brought into use to make a good roof, which was 
covered with sod, and this sheltered the inmates 
for nearly two years when, on the occasion upon 
which Elder T. R. Cressey, the pioneer Baptist 
minister, was a guest of Mr. Stewart's, a heavy 
rain storm came up and speedily made mush of 
the sod whicli had become rotten, and soon trans- 
formed the little cabin into a mud pile. This 
made it painfully apparent that there was still 
room for improvement, which was speedily furn- 
ished and afterwards a pleasant and neat dwelling 
was erected to take the place of the cabin, which 
still stands. Mr. Stewart stUl resides on his farm 



566 



HISTORY OF RICE GOUNTT. 



and is undoubtedly the oldest settler in the town- 
ship or city. This little commencement was the 
basis upon which grew the entire northern settle- 
ment of the city and townshij). Two weeks after 
Mr. Stewart's arrival, Jonathan Alexander and 
. family made their appearance and selected the 
farm upon which they now live, near the last 
named pioneer's place. He brought considerable 
stock, about ten cows and ten head of loose cattle, 
one horse, and was pretty well fixed with world's 
goods. A tent was pitched which served as shel- 
ter while a good shanty was erected; this was run 
as a hotel and tavern, or an old fashioned inni 
from the time of its erection for a number of years, 
and many a weary traveler has here found shel- 
ter. Mr. Alexander lias one son who took a farm 
as early, if not before he did, and both still oc- 
cupy them. 

J. D. Hoskins and Henry Tralle were about the 
next to arrive. Hoskins was a native of the state 
of Maine and secured the place now occupied by 
Captain Ames. Tralle was a native of Germany 
and took a farm which he sold in 1855 to 0. N. 
Stewart. This was about the extent to which the 
northern part of the town was settled this year, 
and carried it up to the winter of 1845-55, which 
was a very mild one and the settlers experienced 
no trouble in getting through in safety. In the 
meantime, and before cold weather had actually 
set in, another native of the old "fader -land" had 
arrived and settled south of this little neighbor- 
hood, in the person oi Frank Frahnkoop, who still 
lives iu the town. 

In 1855, the immigration actually set in and as 
many of the arrivals as can be remembered wQl be 
given here. 

John S. Way, whose nativity dates in Caledo- 
nia county, Vermont, came through this township 
from St. Paul where he had arrived in May, and 
reached Northfield in June, 1855. He put up 
some hay and iu September secured the claim he 
now occupies in section seven, and put up a log 
house which is still standing and in use for an ice 
house. Mr. Way is now a member of the board 
of County Commissioners. 

Next among the arrivals in the spring of 1855, 
we notice the names of C. P. Whittier, who now 
lives in Northfield, John Bingham, the White 
brothers, H. H. Merrie, T. H. Olin, who still lives 
on the second place he secured, and who is men- 
tioned elsewhere; Sylvanus Bunday, who took 



land in section eleven; Ransom and George 
Smith, brothers just from Ohio; J. W. North, and 
W. W. and James Willis, also from Ohio. After 
this the settlement was carried on so rajjidly that 
it is impossible to trace it in sequence. The city 
of Northfield was commenced,and although slowly 
at first, gained steadily until we find it what it is 
to-day. The settlement of the township thicken- 
ed, new modes of cultivation and agriculture have 
been adopted, and now we find one of the richest 
and most fertile farming localities in the State, 
with the fai'mers all in most prosjierous and com- 
fortable circumstances. Since the time mention- 
ed, and on various dates, the following are a few 
of those who have arrived and now help fill the 
northern part of the town: Daniel Goodhue, P. 
Tosney, S. V. Ward, Thos. Lawler, James Lynn, 
the Bunday s, Duncan Ferguson, Thomas De 
Lancey, Colville Oarlaw, Wells Blackman, John 
Miller, B. F. Woodman, Thomas Wilson, Charies 
S. Martin. J. C. Oouper, W. R. Green, C. W. Ly- 
man, E. Spaar, Culver Hibbard, John Eiddell, 
John Law, A. T. Barrows, S. M. Persons, Benja- 
min Ogden, Nels Woodworth, G. Bacon, W. N. 
Woods worth, Franklin Kelly, etc., etc. 

In the meantime a settlement had been started 
and was growing rapidly in the southern and 
central part of the township, and we must call the 
reader back to the date of its beginning. About 
the first to come and select a claim was J. D. 
Jones, a Scotchman, who had stopped for about 
ten years in Wisconsin, and who arrived in the 
township in the spring of 1855. He made his 
way to East Prairie and took a farm iu section 
thirty-five op Prairie Creek, and found that he 
had arrived just about the same time as a party 
of Norwegians who wiU be mentioned hereafter. 
He erected a small shanty and returned to Mil- 
waukee, where he remained for a time but subse- 
quently came back to his claim. 

In the same spring, 1855, a party of Germans 
made their way into the township and became 
domiciled. Gottlieb Pray, or as it is sometimes 
spelled, "Prehn," F. Sommers, Mr. Crintz, and 
Gottlieb Lackel, were members of the party. 
Gottlieb Pray (or Prehn) took a farm in section 
twenty-two, where he dug a hole in the side of a 
hill aud commenced pioneer life. Soon afterward 
a log house was erected, and he lived on his 
place abt)ut fourteen years when he went to Illi- 
nois where he died; his son still occujiies the old 
homestead, in comfortable circumstances. 



NORTH FIELD TOWNSHIP. 



567 



F. Sommers secured a home in section ten, and 
put ujj a little shantj' covered with dirt, and be- 
gan " stayin " there. He still occupies his place 
in a well fixed home. 

Mr. Crintz took the farm now occupied by Mr. 
H. Harris in section sixteen, where he erected a 
house and lived until the time of his death, which 
occurred in 1875. His first team consisted of a 
couple of milch cows. 

Gottlieb Lackel made a pre emption in section 
seventeen, and after living there a few years went 
to Cannon City, and from there to Faribault where 
he now lives. All of these parties had their fam- 
ilies with them and had but very little of the 
world's goods. There are now, however, those who 
remain, among the "solid men" of this part of the 
connty. There is some dispute as to the date of 
their coming, by outside parties who claim they 
did not come until 1856, but we give it as re- 
ported to us by one of the members of the party, 
and we believe this to be correct. 

T. H. Olin also arrived this year, being a na- 
tive of New York. He made a claim near Mr. J. 
D. Jones' place, and, as he was afraid some one 
might jump it, he placed a man named Sanford 
upon it to comply with the statutes, so it would be 
sate. Sanford proved to be a treacherous fellow, 
and after he had been on the place a short time 
began to consider it his, and when Mr. Olin re- 
turned from an eastward trip to claim the land he 
had selected, Sanford pretended not to recognize 
him, and although he had been paid for attending 
it he refused to give it up, and as Mr. Olin was a 
lover of peace, rather than make trouble he went 
several miles north and purchased a claim where 
he now lives. Olin had put up, at a cost of $100, 
one of the first houses in the township on this 
land, hauling the lumber from Hastings, and to be 
cheated out of the whole thing was a severe blow 
financially. Sanford, after six or seven months, 
decided that this was an unhealthy locality for 
him and he finally sold his claim to Mr. Thorpe 
for §600, and went to Hastings where all of his 
money was stolen from him and he and his fam- 
ily commenced working their way eastward. He, 
during his stay, had made considerable money by 
locating parties on land, for which he charged ex- 
orbitantly; but, after E. L. Fuller arrived, a 
town plat was secured and this work was done 
free of charge. 

On the 24th of May, 1850, E. L. Fuller, a na- 



tive of the Empire State, made his appearance 
with his family, some stock, and household goods, 
and took the claim he now occupies on sections 
twenty-two and twenty-seven. The first thing he 
did was to pitch a tent, in which he lived until his 
log house was erected. Charles Ferrall, a native 
of New York, and a man from Wisconsin, Bich- 
mond Clinton, came at the same time; the former 
took land in section twenty-seven, where he re- 
mained four years, and after spending a short time 
in Northfield finally found his way back to his 
native State. Richmond Clinton secured a home 
adjoining section twenty-two and remained there 
until his death, which occurred in April, 1864. 

In June, 1856, .1. D. .Tones, wlio is mentioned 
above, returned to the township, having spent 
some time in Milwaukee, and commenced board- 
ing with Mr. Fuller's family, as he was a single 
man, while he did his breaking. Mr. Jones still 
lives on his farm which is one of the finest in the 
county, surrounded by all the luxuries and com- 
forts of an eastern home, and is one of Kice 
county's prominent men. 

George and William Thorpe, of Vermont, ar- 
rived on the 4th of July, 1856, and celelirated the 
day by taking farms north of Mr. Jones. One of 
them pin-chased Olin's farm of Sanford. Wil- 
liam died some years ago, but the property is yet 
in the family. John Dixon, late from Michigan, 
drifted in about the same time and pre-empted the 
northwest quarter of section twenty-eight, where 
F. Koester now lives, and lived on it for six 
years. He erected a log house, and his wife 
taught school, but he finally returned to Michi- 
gan from whence he came. Some old settlers 
think Mr. Dixon did not come until one year later 
than '56, while others claim this date is correct. 

About the next to come in and take a home was 
Lambert Watts and family, from Vermont, who 
made their way with a team of horses and settled 
on the northeast quarter of twenty-seven. They 
still live in the township. Mr. William Eoss and 
family, from Pennsylvania, showed up about this 
time, the whole party being on foot. They set- 
tled on a farm in section twenty-one, and the fam- 
ily held the claim while the father and son went 
out to work until they had earned enough to buy 
a t«am. They remained on the place for fifteen 
or sixteen years, until they became in comfortable 
circumstances, and then removed westward; one 
son is now in Bridgewater township. 



568 



BISTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



In the fall of 1857, Philip Miller and family, 
wife and two children, Germans, drove into the 
township behind a team composed of one ox and a 
cow, and au old fashioned home-made wagon with 
wheels without tires. They first settled in section 
fifteen where they remained for a number of years 
and then piirchast'd the valuable farm they now 
occupy in section twenty-one. 

The same year a man named Gregory came and 
settled, but has since gone. A man whose name 
is forgotten came early and took a place in sec- 
tions seventeen and eighteen and after occupying 
the same a short time sold, in the fall of 1857, to 
Joseph Cannedy who now occupies it. 

Mr. David H. Orr had heen in the town before 
this on a prospecting tour, but returned to stay 
in 1858. 

A small colony of Norwegians had arrived in 
1855, and it is claimed that some came the year 
previous. They all settled in the southern part 
of the town, mostly along Prairie Creek. As 
many of those whose names are remembered will 
be given, viz : Halver Quie, Hans Hanson, Einde 
Erick, Shure and Ingelwet Igebretson, Toske Bun- 
day, Sever AslaJison, Ole Lockrun and two broth- 
ers, Helger Hanson, Lars Knuteson, Nels Oleson, 
John Hanson, Andrew Johnson, Guttorm Sever- 
son, Eson Clemmerson, Sever Oleson, Ole Sever- 
son, and a man whose name has slipped from 
memory. In the summer this remarkable indi- 
vidual was called the " Old Saw- mill " because, as 
it is claimed, he and his daughter with a whip- 
saw cut up all the lumber used by this small 
army for building purposes; in the winter he 
spent his time cobbling and was then called the 
"Old Shoemaker." He has since gone west. 
This crowd was joined the following year by Os- 
mund O.smundson, Captain John Hanson, who 
could talk English, as could Halver Quie, and 
Toske Bunday, and were known as the "Interpre- 
ters." Many others came at various times, and 
probably a few of those who are mentioned as 
coming in 1855, did not reach their farms until 
the spring of the following year. 

The above list embraces most of Hje early set- 
tlers, but of course it is not intended to be a com- 
plete roll of all the pioneers, for only a census 
taken at that time and carefully preserved could 
do that. 



ITEMS OP INTEREST. 

It is claimed that Elder T. K. Cressey, the pion- 
eer Baptist preacher, held services in the house of 
Alexander Stewart in September, 1854. This was 
among the first serWces in the county. The first 
Methodist and Congregational services were also 
held in the same place, the first by the Kev. Mr. 
Curran, and the last by Rev. Mr. HaU. 

There has been three railroad lines surveyed 
through the township, along Prairie Creek, but 
all have proved failures. 

Earlt Bikths. — About the first birth in the 
county, and undoubtedly the first in the township, 
was the arrival of James, a son of Alexander and 
Hannah Stewart, at their residence in section 
thirty-one, near the City. The boy died some 
years ago. 

Willie Ferrall, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles 
Ferrall, was born in the year 1857, grew to 
manhood, and is now a mail distributor in Minne- 
apolis at a salary of 11,100 per year. A number 
of Norwegian children were born very early. 

Marriages. — The first marriage of parties from 
this town was John, a son of Jonathan Alexander, 
who went east shortly after his arrival in the town 
and was married while there to Miss Ann TolifF, 
and together they returned to their new home in 
the West. They still live in the township. Their 
marriage must have occurred late in 1854. 

About the first marriage within the limits of the 
township took place in 1855, at the residence of 
the bride's parents, and the high contracting par- 
ties were Mr. John Lamphier and Miss Athea 
Alexander; the ceremony being performed by the 
Congregational minister, Eev. Mr. Hall. 

William Bierman and Miss Christine Pray (or 
PrehuJ were joined in the holy bonds early in 
1857, by Squire Frost, the happy couple going 
and returning from 'their place of union on foot. 
They are now weU off. 

In the same fall August Pray was mar- 
to Miss Bierm.an, at the "dug out" of the groom's 
father, by a German minister. They are still liv- 
ing on the place where they ^yere made one, sur- 
rounded by all the comforts of life. ^ 

Deaths. — Two cliildren of Herman Jerkins died 
in the fall of 1856, and were buried on the old 
Kuykendahl (or Kirkendahl) place. 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



509 



POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. 

The first meeting of the township w:is nndouht- 
edly hekl on tlie 11th of M;iy, 1858, in common 
with the bnlauoe of Kice county's subdivisions; 
but the first twenty leaves have in some manner, 
and owing to someone's carelessness or vandalism, 
been torn from the clerk's book, and the original, 
and therefore the most interesting part of the 
township records must be guessed at. It is one of 
the duties of the township clerk to see that the 
town records are preserved, and to mutilate them 
himself or to allow any one else to mutilate or 
destroy any portion of them, is as open to penal- 
ty as to make a false entry on them. Men should 
be placed in office who can be depended uj^on, and 
bonds required for the faithful perfi>rmance of 
duties, while the board should promptly investi- 
gate matters of this kind with an eye to ascertain- 
ing who the real culprit is. It is probable, how- 
ever, in this case, that the books have been torn 
while moving from one office to another. 

The first meeting shown by the records was held 
on the 1st of April, 1862, in Lyceum Hall, in 
Northfield, and O. H. Rawson was appointed mod- 
erator, and George W. Butterfield, clerk. The 
moderator then declared, the polls open, the ballot 
box being in charge of N. G. Clary, G. Gregory, 
and Linus Fox. After the polls were closed it 
was found that there had been about ninety votes 
cast, and the following officers were declared elec- 
ted: Supervisors, John S. Way, Chairman J. A. 
Hunt, and George C. Thorpe; Clerk, George W. 
Butterfield; Treasm-er, M. P. Skinner; .Justices of 
the Peace, Charles Taylor and Linus Fox ; Asses- 
sor, Elias Hobbs; Constables, Dwight Bushnell 
and John Vanater. The government of the town- 
ship was continued by these gentlemen, and has 
been kept uji by their successors in an efficient 
manner. 

At the town meeting in 1882, in the spring, the 
twenty-fourth annual reunion of the voters, the 
following officers were placed in charge of town 
matters: Supervisors; J. J. Alexander, Chairman, 
N. S. Cannedy, and A. T. Huseby; Clerk, John G. 
Koester; Treasurer, C. J. Orr; Assessor, Charles 
J. Sherpey; Justice of the Peace, J. D. Jones; 
Constable, J. C. Sommers. Meetings are now held 
in the Hall over Mr. D. H. Orr's cheese factory, in 
the southwestern portion of section fourteen; but 
the project of erecting a town hall is now being 
entertained by the officials. 



War liEoonD. — In February, 1864, a request 
was mad(> by the free holders of the locality for a 
special town meeting, to issue bonds for the pur- 
pose of comi)eusating volunteers wlio should en- 
list to fill the ([Uota assigned the town. This call 
was signed by Charles Taylor, J. A. Hunt, Linus 
Fox, S. L. Bushnell, William Thorpe, H. Scriver, 
E. Lathrop, and E. Lockwood. Accordingly the 
requisite papers were issued, and on the 26tli of 
February, 18G4, the special meeting came to order 
in the Lyceum hall, and T. H. Olin was chosen 
moderator. The records then says they voted the 
sum of $2,000, or as much thereof, as, in the dis- 
cretion of the board, should be necessary to pro- 
cure volunteers. Bonds to be issued at 12 per 
cent interest. The proceedimgs are signed by the 
Supervisors, who were, John S. Way, J. A. Hunt, 
and G. C. Thorpe; E. Lathrop was Clerk. Then, 
on the 7th of the following March, the Treasurer 
was directed to let bonds be issued in favor of the 
following volunteers, at the rate of interest men- 
tioned above, and to the amount as set opposite 
their names, as follows: 

Kleber Wilkinson S 100 

William A. Bowe 100 

James A. Philbrick 125 

Henry Pratt 100 

Frank Groom 100 

William C. Haycock 100 

William A. Bickett 100 

Robert S. Keane 100 

E. B. Hale 100 

William H. Wood 50 

Frank Schofield 100 

Andrew L. Emory 100 

Total $1,175 

This order was signed by the last above mention 
ed supervisors. 

Shortly after this, in July, 1861:, another re- 
quest was made by the following named freehol- 
ders, for a special meeting for the purpose of vot- 
ing money to volunteers: Charles Taylor, William 
Thorpe, J. A. Hunt, E. Lockwood, M. W. Skin- 
ner, Robert Silk, Urill Butler, E. Slocum, John 
Simmons, S. L. Bushnell, J. L. McFee, John Van- 
ater, and H. .Jenkins, jr. The requested meeting 
was held in the store of H. Jenkins, jr., and Hiram 
Scriver was elected moderator. After the usual 
preliminaries it was voted that .156,000 should be 
issued in bonds at 12 per cent, interest, to those 



570 



HISTORY OP RICE COUNTY. 



who should volunteer to e»list to fill the town's 
quota. The Supervisors at that time were D. H. 
Orr, William Thorpe, and N. Wheaton. 

Another special meeting whs held on the eighth 
of November, 1864, at which the sum of $200 was 
voted for relief to the families of volunteers, and 
C. A. Wheaton, W. J. Sibbison, and I. S. Field 
were made a committee to investigate and distrib- 
ute the relief. 

Still another special meeting was held on the 
21st of January, 186.5, at which $8,000 was voted 
to pay bounties to volunteers, the meeting being 
held at Lyceum Hall in North field, and the report 
is signed by William Thorpe, D. H. Orr, and M. 
Wheaton, Supervisors. 

I EDUC.iTIONAl. 

District No. 28. — The first organization that 
embraced the territory now comprising this num- 
ber was organized in 1857 as district No. 13, with 
a schoolhouse in the township of Bridgewater. It 
was subseqiiently set off and organized under its 
present number, embracing the territory 
in the eastern part of town, south of the 
city of Northfield. The present schoolhouse was 
erected in 1867, at a cost of $1,200, being a good 
and substantial stone building in section nineteen. 
The first school was taught the winter following 
by Miss Putney, with an attendance of iifty schol- 
ars, the district embracing at that time a great 
deal of territory; the attendance is now about 
twenty-five. 

DisTBicT No. 34. — This district effected an or- 
ganization in 1857, at the residence of William 
Thorpe. The first school was taught at the resi- 
dence of John Merrill soon after organization. 
In 1859, a schoolhouse was erected, a frame build- 
ing in the eastern part of section twenty-six,which 
still answers the purjjoso of a schoolhouse. This 
district embraces the territory in the southeastern 
part of the township. 

UisTiiicT No. 47. — The first school taught in this 
district was by Mr. R. L. CUnton in 1859, at a 
residence erected by the teacher. This primitive 
structure has since rotted down and its builder 
passed to the great hereafter. In 1866, a neat and 
commodious stone school building was construct- 
ed in the center of section twenty-two, which is 
still in use. 

District No. 62. — Miss Carrie Fields was 
the first teacher in this educational subdivi- 
sion, school being held at the residence of Mr. 



Hoyt Field, in section eleven, in 1861. The present 
owner of the place on which this building stood 
is Mr. Sylvanus Bunday. The district was organ- 
ized and a school building erected in 1862, which 
was afterwards burned down. It has now an ex- 
cellent stone edifice in the southeastern corner of 
section eleven, which is well filled with the neces- 
sary apparratns, and is one of the most healthy 
and ably managed districts in the township. 

Districts No. 63 and 70. — This is a consoli- 
dated district, embracing territory in the counties 
of both Rice and Dakota. No. 63 represents the 
territory belonging to Northfield township and 
comprises the northeastern part. It was organ- 
ized in 1861, and in the fall of the following year 
a neat school structure was erected by both dis- 
tricts in the northern part of section thirty-five. 

District No. 75. — This educational subdivision 
commenced its existence in 1867, and inaugurated 
this dignity by immediately building a school- 
house in the southern part of section thirty -four. 
The first school was taught by Miss Sarah Raw- 
son, now Mrs. A. P. Morris, of Northfied, with ten 
juveniles on the benches. The school now enrolls 
about twenty-five. 

District No. 78. — Was organized in 1865, at 
the residence of Philip Cobum. The first school 
was taught the same year in a part of his house by 
Maretta Alexander, now Mrs. Charles Holt, for the 
sum of three dollars per week, sometimes there 
being only two or three pupils present. In 1870, 
the schoolhouse was erected in the northern part 
of section ten. The average attendance at pres- 
ent is about twelve. 

District No. 94. — The first school in this dis- 
trict was taught by Miss Edith Clark, now Mrs. 
Alichael Coburn, at the residence of Solomon 
Clark in section seventeen, in the summer of 1868. 
School was afterward held in an old granary un- 
til the present frame building was erected in the 
northeast corner of section seventeen. Miss Clara 
Kingston taught the last term in the old granary, 
with an attendance of about thirty scholars. 

SoANDiNAViiN Seleot School. — This school 
is located on section twenty-six, in the southern 
part of the town; it is kept in a smal' building, 
14x16 feet, erected for the j^urpose, and its object 
is the teaching of church catechism in the lan- 
guage of tlie nationality who sustain it. 



NORTIIFTELD TOWNSHIP. 



571 



INDUSTRIAIi ENTERPRISES. 

Prairie Creek Cheese Factory. — This is one 
of the princ'ipiil manufacturing iutlustries in this 
part of the county. It was established on the 1st 
of May, 1871, by David H. Orr, in the southwest- 
ern corner of sactioa fourteen. Mr. Orr liad some 
misgivings as to the success of his enterprise, so 
he erected a building that he could use as a barn 
in case the matter failed to come up to his expec- 
tation; but in this he was happily disappointed, 
as he has been very prosperous and successful in 
his undertaking, as will lie seen by the fact that 
the article manufactured by this factory took 
the first premium at the Minneapolis fair. 
The premium money, $100, offered by Mr. Gilson, 
then projjrietor of the Nicollet House, Minneapo- 
lis, was for some unknown reason, withheld, al- 
though the judges decided that it was due Mr. 
Orr, so he got the name and honor but not the 
gain. This factory also took the first premium at 
the American Institute in New York, and Mr. Orr 
now holds the diploma as an evidence of his suc- 
cess. Altogether the establishment is one which 
is justly a credit to the town and county. 

James' Cheese Factory. — This enterprise was 
established in the fall of 1871, by Mr. M. D. 
James, who erected a suitable building in the 
southeastern part of section five. It was contin- 
ued as a cheese-making establishment until 1881, 
when it was sold to the Ellis Brothers, of Boston, 
who at once transformed the same into a creamery, 
or butter-making establishment. New and 
thorough machinery, churns, etc., have been put 
in, and everything equipped m first-class shape. 
Owing to the lateness of the season and the price 
asked for cream, it has not yet commenced run- 
ning. 

GERMAIN IIETHODIST CHURCH. 

This society may be said to have effected an or- 
ganization when their first services were held in 
Mr. Drentlaw's house, in 1855, by the Bev. Mr. 
Soloman, with ten in the congregation. After this 
services were held in private houses until their 
church was erected in 1867 or '(58, in the western 
part of section twenty-two, which they still use. 
It is a very neat and commodious structure, hav- 
ing cost about .SI, 500, and Mr. Charlas Ebel gen- 
erously donated three acres of laud which is util- 
ized for a cemetery. The present pastor is Kev. 
Mr. Plagenhart, the membership numbering about 
sixteen. 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Thomas Arthur was born in the seaport town, 
New London, Connecticut, on the 6th of Febru- 
ary, 1825. Since the age of twelve years he has 
maintained himself. In the fall of 1854, he came 
to this township and built a shanty on the present 
site of the elevator, which is supposed to be the 
first building erected within the present city lim- 
its of Northfield. He was married to Miss Eunice 
Brown in October, 1849. She died in October, 
1867, leaving three children; Homer J. A., 
Thomas W., and Katy, deceased. He married his 
present wife, Zelia Brown, on the 29th of Janu- 
ary, 1870. The latter union has been blessed with 
three children; Cora May, and two who died. Mr. 
Arthur located on his present fann a few years 
since and now has it under good cultivation. 

John W. Birch, a native of New York, was 
bora near Sarati.iga Springs on the 16th of May, 
1830. His parents came to Michigan when he 
was four years old and located in Ann Arbor, 
where John received his education and grew to 
manhood. In 1856, he came to this county and 
settled in Bridgewater township, where he was 
among the first settlers. He came to his present 
farm in the spring of 1874. On the Ist of May, 
1856, he was married to Miss Louisa Lockerby. 
They have a family of seven children, four sons 
and three daughters. 

William Bierman was born near the present 
city of Chicago, Illinois, on the 11th of August, 
1834. When he was quite young his parents 
moved to the northeastern part of the State, in 
Will county, where he grew to manhood. He has 
always made farming his occupation, coming to 
Minnesota in 1854, and first located at Prairie 
Creek, Kice county, where he remained until com- 
ing to this township in 1865. He has a fine 
farm, all under improvement. His wife was for- 
merly Miss Gustina Prehn, a native of Germany. 
They have nine children; Mary E., O-scar I., Ed- 
ward, John L., Charles, Asa, Arthur, Martha, and 
Jennie. Mr. Bierman's mother came to Minne- 
sota with him but returned to Will county,Illinois, 
where she died and was buried near her husband 
who ilied several years previous. 

John Beytien, a native of Germany, was born 
in Mecklenburg on the 12th of July, 1844. When 
fourteen years old he came with his parents to 
America, direct to Minnesota, and settled in 
Bridgewater township. In 1867, he was married 



572 



BISTORT OF BICE COUNTY. 



to Miss Sophia Sanders, wlio was born in his na- 
tive place. They have two children; Anna M., 
and Matilda C. ' They came to Northfleld in 1873, 
and own a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, 
well improved. Mr. Beytien has been a member 
of the school board since coming here. 

Sylvantis Bt'nday was born in Orleans connty, 
New York, ou the 4th of August, 1834. In 1841, 
his parents came west and settled on a farm near 
Racine, Wisconsin, where Sylvanus was raised and 
received his education. He came to Northfield in 
1855, bitt returned to Wisconsin the following 
year. On the 1st of November, 1857, he was 
joined in matrimony with Miss Ellen Spear. They 
have seven children; Ida E., Alice M., E. Clar- 
ence, Marvin I., Hattie A., Ernest S., and Tesslie 
W. Mr. Bunday came again to this place in 1865, 
and located on a farm in section eleven which is 
still his home. 

Nathan S. DAVENroRi is a native of Vermont, 
born near St. Johnsbury on the 17th of January, 
1843. He was brought up to agricultural pur- 
suits, remaining at home until the breaking out of 
the war when he enlisted and served one year. 
He came to this place in August, 1865, and has 
since made it his home. His marriage took place 
in 1871, and his wife was Miss Alice E. Orr, of 
New York. They have been blessed with a fam- 
ily of three children, two boys and one girl. 

Asa Fkench was born in Springfield, New 
Hampshire, on the 21st of November, 1814. 
When young he was engaged in farming pursuits 
in Vermont, and in 1836, married Miss Louisa 
Coggswell of his native State. In 1850, they 
came west to Illinois, and in 1859, to this place. 
He owns a fine farm adjoining the city of North- 
field and displays the taste of a genuine Vermont 
farmer in the management of the same. Mr. and 
Mrs. French have had eleven children, ten of 
whom are living. 

Otto Fuller was born in Monkton, Addison 
county, Vermont, on the 25th of March, 1836. 
He remained at homo until the age of twenty-two 
years when he married Miss Minerva Willoughby, 
who was born near his home. They came west 
the same year, located in Wisconsin, and in 1861, 
came to this place. Mrs. Fuller died in July, 
1866. Mr. Fuller's present wife was formerly 
Mrs. Lucy Stam, a native of Maine. The result 
of this union is two children; Wyron and Oas- 
tara. 



Duncan Ferguson was bom in Dundee, Can- 
ada East, on the 27th of March, 1826. He at- 
tended school in his native place.and when twenty- 
one years old weait to New York but returned in 
1852. In 1855, he made a trip to California and 
remained there, engaged in mining, for six years. 
He located his present farm in 1861, and the fol- 
lowing year commenced making improvements 
and has since made it his home, having two hun- 
dred acres under cultivation. He was married ou 
the Ibt of November, 1863, to Miss Barbara Spink, 
also a native of Canada, born on the 22d of No- 
vember, 1841. They have three children; John 
A., Mary E., and Nellie A. Mr. Ferguson's par- 
ents are both from Scotland. 

W. R. Green, a native of New York, was born 
in Morristown, St. Lawrence county, on the 13th 
of December, 1846. Since the age of sixteen years 
he has earned his own living, and when eighteen 
came to Minnesota and was employed on farms in 
Dakota connty until February, 1864, when he en- 
listed atSciota inCompany I of the First Minneso- 
ta Heavy Artillery. He was under Capt. Kearney, 
sent south and remained in service eight months, 
when he was honorably discharged at Fort Snell- 
ing. He was married in. December, 1873, to Miss 
Elizabeth Miller, who was born near his home in 
New York. They came to this place in April, 
1876, and own a good farm in section three. They 
have two children. 

Asa D. Howe, deceased, one of the pioneers of 
this place, was born in Vermont on the 7th of 
February, 1816. He was brought up on a farm in 
Ohio, where his parents moved when he was quite 
young. In 1855, he came to Minnesota, spent a 
tew days in Saint Anthony and then located a 
farm in Northfield township, upon which his 
widow now lives. He died on the 26th of Febru- 
ary, 1863, and is buried in the Northfield ceme- 
tery. Mrs. Howe has had ten children, only three 
of whom are living, two sons and one daiighter. 

J. S. Haselton, a native of New York, was born 
near New London in Sullivan county, ou the 31st 
of January, 1819. There he attended school and 
learned the cabinet maker's trade, at which he was 
engaged seven years. He afterwards spent some 
time teaching penmanship. In 1843, he married 
Miss Esther B. Webster, who was boiii near Con- 
cord, New Hampshire, on the 2d of October, 
1820. They had three children all of whom died 
in their infancy. In 1855, they came to Minneso- 



KORTir FIELD TOWNS n/ P. 



573 



ta, and until 1868, resided in Hamilton, Dakota 
oouuty, then came to this townsliip wbore they 
own a good farm. Mr. Haselton has held various 
local offices, and in 1878, was elected by the Re- 
publicans to the State Legislature. 

A. P. J.\MEsoN, a native of Maine, was I]om in a 
small village inWaldo county on the 30th of March, 
1829. In 1850, he was married to Miss Aravesta 
U. Fuller of his native State. Two years later 
Mr. Jameson went to the goldmines of California, 
returned to Maine in 18G0, and soon after came 
west and settled in this township, where he owns 
a farm of two hundred acres. In 1876, he made a 
trip to the mining regions in the Black Hills but 
returned to his farm] in August of the same year. 
He has a family of five children. 

John D. Jones, the second settler in the south- 
east half of this township, was born in southwest 
Liverpool, South Wales, in March, 1823. He 
came to America and landed in New York in June, 
1842, from thence to Newark, Ohio, where he re- 
mained two years. He then followed Horace 
Greeley's advice and came west to Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin, in June, 1844. The following year 
he pxirchased a valuable tract of land from the 
government at the land office at Milwaukee, and 
since that time has been engaged in the real es- 
tate business. Having a desire to improve his 
education he attended the acadsmy at Waukesha 
and also the business department of the Carroll 
Collej.e. Mr. Jones assisted in locating the La 
Crosse railroad from Milwaukee to the Mississip- 
pi River. He came to Minnesota territory in May, 
1855, and after several days' explorations located 
his present farm about midway between the Can- 
non rivers. He was married in Milwaukee in July, 
1865, to Margaret Oliver, who was born in his 
native land. They have two sons; Burton F. and 
Oliver W. For eight years Mr. Jones has held 
the office of Justice of the Peace. In his boy- 
hood, previous to 1842, he visited Great Britain 
and since has seen the fields in many States, and 
it is his opinion that none is ijuite equal to the 
fertile soil of Minnesota* He has a fine farm and 
has been very successful as an agriculturalist. 

Samuel F. Johnson was born near Brasher 
Falls in St. Lawrence county, New Yurk, on the 
19th of April, 1831. He was reared on a farm 
and learned the trade of a sawyer in the mills 
near his home. In 1852, he came to Little Fulls, 
Morrison county, Minnesota, and was employed 



at his trade iu the mills of Fer_.^uson and Tiittle 
for two years. He then returned to his native 
State and in 1856, in Vermont, married Mies 
Weltha Hall, who died on the 15th of April, 1866. 
The following year he married Miss Hannah Daw- 
■ son, and tlie same year returned to Minnesota, to 
this township where he owns two hundred and 
forty aci'es of land, all well improved. His wife 
died on the 5th of SeptemVier, 18 77, and is bur- 
ied in the Northfield cemetery. The maiden 
name of his present wife was Ellen Dawson. He 
is the father of four children, the three eldest; El- 
don L., Hartland C, and Herbert G., by his first 
wife, and Asa M. by his present. Mr. Johnson 
has held most of the town and school offices and 
in 1876, was Chairman of the board of Su]iorvis- 
ors. He was President of the Rice County Fair 
in 1882. He devotes considerable time to stock 
raising. 

John Livingston was born near the village of 
BiDghamptim in Boone county. New York, qn the 
26th of March, 1837. When he was eight years 
old he moved with his parents to Wisconsin, lo- 
cated a farm in Eock county and remained until 
1857, when he came to this township. In 1861, 
he enlisted in the army, served .aliout fifteen 
months and was discharged for disability. He 
then returned to this place, and in the fall of 1867, 
purchased his present farm. Miss Matilda Hoyt 
became his wife in 1868, and the union has been 
blessed with three children; Lynn, Mary E., and 
Clara B. 

T. H. MuKP.Ai" is a native of Pennsylvania, 
born near the village of Milton in Northumber- 
land county on the 1st of July, 1825. He was 
married in 1847, to Miss Mary J. Taggart, who 
was born in the latter State on the 11th of July, 
1827. The same year they came west and lo- 
cated in Kalamazoo county, Blichigan; remained 
until 1854, and came to Minnesota, settling at 
! White Bear Lake. They came to this place in 
1868, and own a fine farm in section two. Mr. 
Murray's parents are both dead, his father dying 
thf 17th of March, 1869, and his mother the 21st 
of July, 1879, and are buried in the cemetery at 
White Bear. Mi's. Murray's father died in Feb- 
ruary, 1851, and her mother on the 11th of De- 
cember, 1858. 

1). H. Ork, a native of Madison county. New 
Y'ork, was born on the 27th of August, 1825. He 
received an academic education at Oneida Castle, 



574 



HLSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



after which he taught school, spending his leisure 
time studying. In 1857, he came through North- 
tield to Watonwan county and pre-empted a 
claim, but soon after returned to this township 
and staked out his present land. He lived on his 
farm one summer then returned to New York, and 
in 1861, volunteered his services in the war but 
was not accepted on account of poor sight. He 
was married in 1862, to Miss Catherine Tiffany, 
and immediately returned to his farm in this 
place. They have had five children, four of whom 
are hving. 

Alvah M. Olin, a native of AVisconsin, was 
horn in Waukesha, Waukesha county, on the 
1st of August, 18i3. At the age of twelve years 
he came with his parents to this State and lo- 
cated within the present city limits of Northfield. 
Alvah received his education here and afterward 
taught school. In 1868, he married Miss Sarah 
E. Jameson, who was born in Appleton, Maine, on 
the 19th of June, 1844. She came with her 
brother to Minnesota in 1860, and when sixteen 
years old engaged in teaching school, which she 
continued until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Olin 
have had two children, one of whom is living, 
Gertrude E., born on the 7th of May, 1872. Mrs. 
Olin's mother died on the 19th of April, 1873, and 
is buried in the Northfield cemetery. Her father 
died in the East. 

John Riddell was born near the village of 
Brockville, Canada, on the 23d of December, 1828. 
He received a good education and in 1849, moved 



to New York, but soon returned to his native 
place. On the 7th of October, 1852, he married 
Miss Margaret Dodds, a native of Glasgow, Scot- 
land. They have had six children, five of whom 
are living. In the fall of 1857, they came to 
Minnesota, located first at Cannon Palls, then in 
Stanton, Goodhue county, and in 1864, came to 
this place. Mr. Riddell owns a good farm, part 
cultivated and part timber. 

J. C. SoMMBKS, a native of Illinois, was born in 
Monee, Will county, on the 28th of March, 1854. 
His parents located in this place when he was an 
infant of one year. He remained at home until 
his marriage on the 20th of July, 1879, with Miss 
Sarah M. Holmes, adopted daughter of Mr. Stall- 
cop. She was born in Wisconsin. Mr. Sommer's 
farm is three miles southwest of the claim taken 
by his father. He has one child. Amy Grace, born 
on the Ist of October, 1880. His father, who was 
born in Germany, still lives in this place and his 
mother died on the 19th of September, 1875. 

Daniel B. Satlor was born in Armstrong 
county, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of April, 1851. 
His parents came to Minnesota in 1861, and lo- 
cated in Warsaw, Goodhue county, where they 
still reside. Daniel was joined in wedlock in 
September, 1875, to Miss Janette King, who was 
born in the latter place. They came to North- 
field and Mr. Saylor purchased a farm in section 
one, upon which he has since lived. Mr. and Mrs. 
Saylor have two children; Adaline B. and Bertha 
Ann. 




SIIIELDSVILLE TOWWSiriP. 



575 



SHIELDSVILLE. 



CHAPTER LXVI. 

GENEBAL DESCRrPTION EARLY SETTLEMENT — TOWN 

GOVERNMENT-SCHOOLS — EA RLY EVENTS-SHIELDS- 

VILLE SHIELDSVILLE MILLS — OATHOLIC CHURCH 

— BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Sbieltlsville is one of the townships in the 
western tier, situated just north of Morristown. 
On the north is Erin; on the east Wells, and on 
the west LeSueur county, embracing as its terri- 
tory thirty-six sections, or 23,0-40 acres, of which 
a greater portion is under cultivation. 

There are no cataracts or water- powers, but it is 
abundantly supplied with lakes. The largest of 
these is Cedar Lake, in the southeastern part of 
the town, covering portions of sections twenty-five, 
. twenty- six, twenty-eight, thirty-four, thirty-five, 
and thirty-sis. A number of islands dot the 
placid surface of water. West of this lake one 
mile is Mud Lake, covering about 320 acres of 
section twenty -eight. Rice Lake floods about the 
same number of acres in sections sixteen and sev- 
enteen, and east of this one mile a small body of 
water known as Hunt Lake occupies a part of sec- 
tion fifteen. In the northern portion of the town- 
ship is Tuft's Lake, and another small body of 
water infringes on the territory from Erin. These 
lakes are almost all connected by small rivulets 
and streams, sluggishly and lazily wending their 
way through the marsh lands and lakes, to even- 
tually mingle with the Cannon River as it rolls on 
to the Atlantic. 

To the eye Shieldsville presents a view of un- 
dulating surface, with here and there a tendency 
to hilly, timber, marsh, and meadow land. The 
wild forest, the tranquil and glassy lakes, embed- 
ded in the midst of the hills, and the sluggish 
course of the lazy streams as they wind their 
pathway between the sister lakes, combine to 
make Shieldsville a pleasant and picturesque 
spot. 



All through the township the early pioneers 
found beautiful groves of oak, and all sturdy va- 
rieties of timber, interspersed with maple and 
walnut; and in the shady aisles of this miniature 
forest, clear sparkling springs bubbled up, fur- 
nishing, without stint or measure, that best of 
beverages — pure, clear, cold water — and forming 
the fountain heads of many affluents to the Can- 
non River. A great deal of the timber has now 
been removed, but enough remains to furnish an 
idea of the delightful prospect which lured early 
explorers in search of this kind of laud, to found 
homes in this locality. 

The town is well adapted to agricultural pur- 
suits, and has a large cultivatadarea, yielding, be" 
sides the usual cereals, all the crops common to 
this latitude, and in the low lands, an alniiidant 
yield of hay. Fruit culture is also attended to 
in a moderate and limited way, with fair results. 

A sketch of this township published in 18(58, by 
F. W. Frink, says: •'Shieldsville, the town join- 
ing Morristown on the corth, is another township 
of timber land. Its area of taxable lands, exclu- 
sive of town lots, comprises 17,816 acres. About 
2,500 acres of its surface is occupied by lakes, of 
which there are eight, either wholly or in part 
within the township. It has also bewteen 1,500 and 
1,600 acres of railroad lands, 434 acres still be- 
longing to the government, and 480 acres of un- 
sold school lands within its limits. Its popula- 
tion is made up chiefly of emigrants from Ireland, 
with but few adults American born within its 
boundaries. Non-resident lands in the township 
may be had for from .'$2.50 to $5 per acre." 

Since the above was written some changes have 
taken place; the unsold land mentioned has long 
since almost all passed into the hands of actual 
Settlers; and instead of S2.50 to $5 per acre, can- 
not now be purchased for less than from .flO to 
»;25 ])er acre. The statement as to the inhabit- 
ants will ajjply readily to the present writing, ex- 



57C 



niSTOBT OF RICE COUNTY. 



cept that the American jiopwlation has grown 
more rapidly than the foreign born. In 1860, the 
population of Shieklsville was 343; in 1865, 384; 
ill 1870, 562; and in 1880, the last census gave 
the township 771, and village 118; total, 889. 

As to the vahies in Shieldsville, the census 
taken in '70"reports that the real property amounts 
to $109,750; personal, $39,725; total, 149,425; the 
total assessed valuation for the same year was 
.$68,880. In 1882, after the County Commissioners 
had equalized the county taxes, the assessed vahie 
of property in Shieldsville was as follows: real 
property, $90,159; personal, $23,010; total, 113,- 
169, showing the creditable increase in assessed 
value since 1870, of .S44,289. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

As in Erin township, the early settlement of 
Shieldsville was due almost entirely to the des- 
cendents of the Emerald Isle, and was known in 
early days as General Shield's colony. About the 
first to arrive in the township was General Shields, 
a native of Ireland, who laid out the village of 
Shieldsville and at once took steps towards col- 
lecting his countrymen about him. He arrived in 
1855, early iu the spring, and after staying long 
enough to lay out the village, he retraced his stfejis 
to St. Paul, returning the same year with a num- 
ber of Irishmen, many of whom settled in Erin 
and were identified with the early growth and set- 
tlement of that locality. Sliields then commenced 
a period of advertising in the papers of the East, 
stating that he had located here, and was desirous 
of being joined by his countrymen, and began 
raising colonies. This had a telling effect, as it was 
not long until they began crowding in on foot, by 
horse, ox, and cow teams, and taking farms, until 
by the fall of 1856, the town was pretty well set- 
tled, and the government laud,of the better quality, 
was scarce. Most of those who were in at this time 
will be mentioned. 

The first to be treated in tliis connection will be 
the man after whom lioth town and village were 
named. 

(lENERAL James Shields. This distinguished 
man was early identified with the settlement of 
Eice county. He was born in Atmore, Tyrone 
county, Ireland, on the 12th of December, 1810, 
came to America iu 1826, and studied law until 
1832, when he went to Kaskaskia, IllLniois, to prac- 
tice the profession. In 1836, he was in the legisla- 
ture of that State, and in 1843 was Judge of the 



Sujireme Court. In 1845, he was appointed com- 
missioner of the Laud Oflice. His military career 
commenced as a lieutenant in the Florida war. 
When the Mexican war broke out. President Polk 
appointed him as a Brigadier General, his com- 
mission bearing date of the 1st of July, 1846, and 
for distinguished services at Cerro Gordo, where 
he was dangerously wounded, was breveted Major 
General. He was again wounded at the battle of 
Chepultepec. In 1848, the General was appoint- 
ed Governor of Oregon Territory, which he soon 
resigned, and in 1849 was elected United States 
Senator for six years. At the expiration of his 
term of service he came to Minnesota and started 
the village of Shieldsville, but was soon induced 
to join the proprietors of the town of Faribault, 
where he was agent and attorney for the townsite 
company. 

He was elected to the United States Senate for 
the short term terminating in 1860, at the expira- 
tion of which he went to California. When the 
Kebellion was inaugurated he received the ap- 
pointment of Brigadier General by President Lin- 
coln, was assigned to a command and gained a 
victory at Winchester, where he was severely 
wounded. After the war he took ujj his 4'esidence 
in Missouri, where he remained in private life until 
1877, when he was elected to fill a vacancy caused 
by the retirement of Senator Armstrong, and 
served to the end of that Congress, and afterwards 
devoted his time to lecturing until his death,which 
was on the 1st of June, 1879, at Ottumwa, Missouri, 
and rather suddenly. 

General Shields was a man of ability, with 
a good share of ambition and a desire for public 
life, and the fact that he was wanting in that pop- 
ularity which in a Republic is so essential to suc- 
cess in this regard, led him to leave a handsome 
projierty in Faribault in search of pastures new. 
To show why he oam« to be looked upon with dis- 
favor, it is stated that when supplying deeds to 
citizens who had purchased lots which they had 
paid for at a good round stipulated price, he ex- 
acted $5 for each deed, when he was under obli- 
gation to furnish them impliedly for nothing. 
Such transactions, together with his want of pub- 
lic spirit, and utter deafness to charitable appeals, 
always alienated his term of oflice. The General 
was a brave man and a good soldier, and with a 
liberal disposition he would have had all the ele- 
ments for popular support. 



SIIIELDSVILI.E TOWS sill I'. 



■i77 



John Nagle, another native of the Emerald 
Isle, had arrived in America in 1848, and located 
in New York State, where he remained until 1855, 
when he came west and arrived in Shiehlsville at 
the time the first settlement was made in Erin, in 
June, 1855. The majoritj of the party he came 
with located in the latter town, but he made hia 
way to section eleven in Shieldsville where he still 
lives. Mr. Nagle has held various offices in the 
township, and is one of the oldest settlers now 
in the town. A few others came through, and 
some stopped for a time in Shieldsville, but the 
majority in this year settled in other localities. 

Bernard Hunt, another Irishman, had stopped 
in Illinois for a time, and in June, 1856, made 
his appearance in Shieldsville and jire-empteil a 
j^lace a short distance north of where he now is. 
He remained for about a year and came to the 
southwest quarter of section fourteen where he still 
remains. The lake, to which his farm lies adja- 
cent, was named by the Indians as Eagle Lake, 
but it has now changed to Hunt Lake by common 
consent. Among others who came in '56, Michael 
Gavin and family were prominent and settled near 
Hunt Lake, where Mr. Gavin's widow still remains, 
he having died several years ago. 

James Murphy and several sons, James Carpen- 
ter, J. Roach, and Mr. Gillispie, all came, took 
farms, erected log cabins and remained a short 
time; but have now all removed to other portions 
of the Northwest. 

Michael Delaney came in the spring of 1856, 
and secured a habitation in section ten where he 
remained until called away by the "grim messen- 
ger," and his widow still lives on the place. 

Roger Madden arrived about the same time and 
commenced a settlement in the eastern part of sec- 
tion twenty -one, and Thomas Minton took 160 
acres adjoining in the same section, on which farm . 
both still live in comfortable circumstances. 

Patrick Hagarty and William Blahoney each 
took a farm near Cedar Lake in sections twenty- 
three and twenty-seven where they still live. 

Thomas O'Donnell joined this settlement and 
took 160 acres in section twenty where he still 
lives. Patrick Smith located a couple of miles 
west of these settlers, in section twenty-nine, at 
the same time, and Patrick Murphy helped close 
up the gap by taking a farm in section twenty- 
two. John Fitzgerald carved a place for settle- 
ment, from the woods in section eight. All of 
37 



these parties still occupy their homesteads, and 
are in comfortable circumstances. 

Thomas Roach came into section seventeen the 
same year, (1856), and remained a sliort time; 
the place is now owned by Mr. Davis. Daniel 
Savage located near Rice Lake and remained there 
until he paid the debt of mortality some years ago, 
and his sons now occupy the farm. John Buck- 
ley also made a claim near the same lake and has 
also been removed to the "other shore." His son 
runs the homestead now. Daniel and David Gon- 
sor made their apjiearance and took pre-emptions 
east of Hunt Lake, the latter of them going into 
Wells some years later, and the former is dead. 
John Kelly now owns the place originally taken 
by Daniel. James Murphy, deceased, located in 
section ten, where Mr. DuLac now resides. 

NOTES AND ITEMS OF INTEREST. 

About the first birth in this township took 
place, in 1856, in the log cabin of Bernard Hunt 
on section twenty -two, and on the 28th of July 
was ushered into existence this gentleman's son, 
John J., who still remains with his father. In 
February of the following year, a brother of John 
was born. He was named Thomas and still lives 
at his birth place. 

D. F. Hagarty was born early in 1857, on sec- 
tion twenty-two, and still lives there. Other early 
births may have occurred but they have escaped 
the memories of those interviewed. 

E.^KLY Marriages. — The earliest marriage of 
parties from this township occurred in Hastings, 
in 1857; the high contracting parties being Mr. 
Michael Gavin and Miss Mary Ann Rogers, who 
returned to the township and lived here until Mr. 
Gavin's death in 1809; and the widow still lives in 
the township. Another early marriage was that 
of James Carpenter to Ellen MeOohey, of St. 
Paul; the ceremony taking place in that city in 
1857, the groom meeting the bride there. The 
happy couple came back to Shieldsville and still 
reside here in comfortable circumstances. 

Hawley's Death. — In early days, as early as 
1857, an outlaw named Hawley made this part of 
the county his stamping ground, and as he had 
committed many depredations for which he was 
wanted bv the officers of the law, he was of course 
about as quiet in his movements as possible. His 
strategy, however, was ineffectual, as the author- 
ities in Faribault someway became cognizant of 
his whereabouts, and a party sent out in search 



578 



HTSTORT OF BICE COUNTY. 



of him, iinally found him near Shieldsville, and 
surrounding him with clubs and butcher knives, 
belted him over the head, and carved him up as 
they would butcher a hog. The only parties whose 
names can be remembered as in connection with 
this lawless execution, are Messrs Bentley and 
Russ, whoever they are. This was among the 
first deaths in the township. 

Another early death was that of Miss Bridget 
Harrison, a 10 or 17 year old girl, who was called 
over the dark river in 1858. 

The Indians. — During the Indian outbreak, in 
1802, this township had many serious and amus- 
ing anecdotes to divert the minds of the citizens 
from agricultural duties. Although up to this 
time there had been plenty of redskins passing to 
and fro through the town, yet they had not been 
especially troublesome, except as to their begging 
propensities, and General Shields had permitted 
them to use as a camping ground, a spot adjoin- 
ing the vilhige known as the General's Island. 
When the actual outbreak occurred, the dusky 
skinned hunters were wiley enough to see that the 
whites were afraid, and they began to get arrogant 
and defiant, and finally the whites decided to have 
them go. So a small force, of probably 100 men, 
gathered together, and going to the Island told 
the disturbers that they must go. This they re- 
fused to do, at first, ofiering as an excuse that 
they had a letter from the General with a permit 
to occupy the same as their home. Words were 
bandied, and the spokesman of the pioneers in- 
formed them that if "General Shields was 
tliere, a gun would be put in his hands 
and ho would l)o, forced to fight," imply- 
ing that General Shields was not lunning 
that campaign. This ended the matter of words, 
and on a slight show of fight on the part of the 
Indians, the pioneers "lit" into the camp and be- 
gan knocking the tee-pees right and left, which set- 
tled the matter as far as resistance was concerned. 
The baggage was then taken from the squaws and 
placed on tlie backs of the bucks, and the "In- 
juns" grural)liiigly left, more enraged at having 
to carry the baggage than to leave the camp; they 
no doubt placed the baggage where they thought 
it belonged — on the squaws — as soon as out of 
sight of the "palefaces." 

Anotlicr time a party of fifty armed pioneers 
drove a baud of 1,500 Indians from the hills near 
Mud Lake, and forced them to leave the town- 



ship, although at one time — as one of them told 
us — there was not a man in the crowd but would 
have given a number of years of his life to have 
turned heels and run for the woods, and the same 
party says that a good deal of the valor and 
bravery exhibited on that memorable day was 
due to the strength of the whiskey they had been 
freely imbibing. On the way for volunteers to 
this raid, the party would go to a neighbor's 
house and tell him they wanted him ; if he came 
willingly, well and good; if not, he would be 
"grabbed" and "yanked" into the ranks, where 
an oath was administered to all, that "the first 
man who turned to run was to receive a death 
ball by the first who could draw a bead." Well, 
it is unnecessary to state that no one ran. 

Mazaska Lake. — This body of water extends 
into four townships, Erin, Forest, Wells, and 
Shieldsville, being located in the four corners, and 
infringes on Shieldsville in the northeastern part. 
The old Indian chief "Eastman," claimed that the 
lake received its name in honor of his son, and 
was for years called "Mazuka," which was the 
name of his boy; but in after years the name be- 
came demoralized, so to speak, common pronun- 
ciation slightly altered it, and finally the map 
men desingated it under the name of "Ma- 
zaska," and it still retains that cognomen. 

TOWN GOVEBNMENT. 

This township was created as a government 
within itself when the territory of Minnesota was 
admitted to the Union as a State, in 1858, and the 
first town meeting was held on the 11th of May, 
that year, at Shieldsville village. After the usual 
preliminaries the township was organized by the 
election of the first officers, as follows: Super- 
visors, Joseph Hagerty, Chairman; Patrick Gun- 
niff, and Patrick Smith; Constables, Michael Han- 
Jey and Patrick McKenua; Justices of the Peace, 
Timothy Doyle and James Roach; Assessor, John 
Finley; Town Clerk, John H. Gibbons. It was 
voted that the town should be named Shieldsville, 
in honor of General James Shields, with a slight 
show of enthusiasm. Money was voted then to 
defray town expenses for the coming year. 

SHiEt.D.sviLiiE DURING THE WAK. — This town- 
ship did its share in sustaining the government 
thrcmgh the war of the rebellion, and in furnishing 
men. We find that on the 2d of March, 1864, a 
special town meeting was held at which the sum 
of $3,000 was voted for the purpose of raising 



SIIIELDSVILLE TOWNSHIP, 



579 



volunteers or substitutes to fill the quota of the 
town. The officers at this meeting were Joseph 
Hagerty, Chairman; Richard Leahy, and Patrick 
Smith; Maurice O'Hearu was clerk. 

Again, on the 25th of January, 1865, another 
sjjecial meeting was held at which the sum of 
$4,000 was voted for the same purpose. The offi- 
cers at this time were, Joseph Hagerty, Chair- 
man; Patrick Murphy, and John Healy; Patrick 
McKenna was clerk. 

At a subsequent meeting 9500 was levied to 
pay interest on the bonds, making in all the sum 
of $7,500. 

The following is a list of the volunteers who 
participated in the war as near as can be arrived 
at: J. Buckley, P. Harris, Patrick Smith, J. Ma- 
loney, J. Foran, P. Houlahan, J. Gilson, C. Ma- 
hony, M. Hanley, John Hagerty, .Joseph Hagerty, 
and John Healy. 

The financial and public government of the 
township has been tranquil and pleasant, good 
and efficient officers having had control of the in- 
terests of the people. 

SCHOOLS. 

District No. 32. — This was among the first to 
receive an organization in the township, and is 
generally known as the Shieldsville school, as it 
is the educational sub-division embracing the vil- 
lage and immediately surrounding country. It 
commenced its existence in the spring of 1858, 
and the following officers were elected: J. Hag- 
arty, Patrick Hanlin, and Tim Shields. The first 
school was taught in an old shanty erected by 
•James Tuft, by James Bentley, there being 
about twenty-five scholars present. This build- 
ing was then designated as the schoolhouse, and 
used for school purposes until 1865, when a new 
log house was erected in the village. The first 
school in this house was taught by Mr. Wall with 
an attendance of 120 scholars between the ages 
of four and twenty, and it was used as their 
school building until 1881, when the present 
frame edifice was constructed upon land donated 
the district by Gen. James Shields. The size of 
the building is 28x40 feet, well furnished, and 
cost $1,000. The present school board is as fol- 
lows: Christ. Gibnick, Director; Thomas Laiig- 
don. Treasurer; and William lierrott, Clerk. Miss 
Hagerty was the last teacher, with seventy pupils 
on the register. 

DisTKioT No. 53. — The first school in this dis- 



trict was taught by Mr. O'Connor in a log shanty 
on Mr. Hugh Byrne's place, in 1863. The teacher 

of the first school is now in the Insane Asylum, his 
mind having become deranged. The organization 
was effected in 1863, and the Messrs. Patrick 
Smith, John Healy, and John McGancy were 
made first officers. In the spring of 1866, a site 
was purchased in the northern part of section 
twenty-nine, and the school building now in use 
was erected at a cost of about $600, being a neat 
and substantial frame building. The present 
school board is Thomas Mintrum, Director; A. 
Hanlin, Clerk; aid P. H. Byrne, Treasurer. The 
school now enrolls about forty pupils. 

District No. 70. — This district effected an or- 
ganization in 1860, and a log schoolhouse was 
erected the same year in the northeastern corner 
of section eight,on land belonging to Michael De- 
laney. The first officers were Messrs. M. Delaney, 
Carpenter, and James McDonnell. Miss Bridget 
Kelly taught the first school in the house just 
erected, with twenty pupils on the benches. In 
1864, the schoolhouse was burned and another log 
structure was put up on the same site. In 1879, 
this house also was destroyed by fire, and the pres- 
ent frame house was built at a cost of four $400, 
size 18x24, but upon the spot occupied by the for- 
mer buildiugs. The present school officers are 
Messrs. James Carpenter, James McDonnell, and 
John Fitzgerald. The last term of school was 
taught by Miss Eose Tague with about forty 
scholars in attendance. 

District No. 71. — This district was originally 
in connection with the adjoining districts, but in 
1801, was set off and has since been a government 
for school purposes in itself. The organiza- 
tion was really effected on the side of the road 
near the spot where the school house now is, as 
the citizens were selecting a site for a school 
building, and Richard Ijahey was the first clerk; 
the names of the other officers have been forgot- 
ten, and the early records have either been lost or 
destroyed, at least they are not in the hands of 
the present clerk. The school structure was at 
once erected of logs with a chip board roof, at a 
nominal cost, and it is now in use, having been 
greatly repaired. The first teacher was Miss 
Laura Snyder, who agreed to instruct the fifteen 
pupils for .$10 per mouth and board herself. Since 
organization the district has always had from 
seven to nine months school each year, and the 



580 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



scholars Lave steadily increased until at the last 
term, tauglit by Miss Rosa Ward, thirty pupils 
were enrolled, the teacher receiving the sum of 
S20 per month for her services. The present offi- 
cers are: C. Mahony, Clerk; Oscar Hearn, Direc- 
tor, and D. LeMieux, Treasurer. The school 
house is located near the center of section twen- 
ty-six. 

District No. 84. — Was organized late in the 
sixties and the first officers were : B. Hunt, Direc- 
tor; T. MoDowney, Treasurer, and Michael CTa\in, 
Clerk. This district was formerly merged into the 
territory of district number seventy -one. When it 
was set oli' a schoolhouse was at once erected, at a 
cost of about .U300, size lGx22 feet, which is still 
in use, having been improved to a considerable 
extent. The first school was taught by Miss Mary 
Ann McDowney, immediately after the school- 
house was built, with fourteen scholars present, 
and she was compensated with $25 a month. The 
last term, taught by Miss Judge, had an attend- 
ance of about twenty-six scholars. The present 
officers are: Messrs. B. Hunt, William Judge and 
Patrick Harrison. The location of the building is 
the northeast corner of section fifteen. 

SHIELDSVILLE VILLAGE. 

This is the only village in the township, or in 
this part of the county. It is situated in section 
(me of Shieldsville township, between Lake Maz- 
aska and Tuft, and on one of the most beautiful 
town sites in the country. It is not a large vil- 
lage, in fact it is among the smallest in Eice coun- 
ty, but it has all the concomitants to distinguish 
it from a "four-corners." The population at the 
last census, in 188(1, was 118. 

The village was platted by Gen. James Shields 
and James Tuft, who.se coming here is recordeed 
elsewhere, in the fall of 1855. This was General 
Sliield's second trip to this vicinity and with him 
came Jerry Healy, John Burke, James Clarking, 
S. Smith, and others, some of whom settled in the 
town of Erin. 

In 1850, Francis Maloney and others erected, 
with a saw and hatchet astheir tools, the first store 
building in the village, and the firm of Johnson & 
Ilanlin, now both dead, soon after opened a gener- 
;il merchandise store there. After running for a 
time it was sold to Josepli Hagerty and brother, 
who, after continuing for about fifteen years, went 
out of the business. 

The first business house, if such it may be term- 



ed, was started early in 1856, by Conner & Mat- 
thew, in a little log hut, and the principle article 
handled was whiskey. 

In the fall of 1856, or early the year following, 
Mr. Francis Maloney opened a general merchan- 
dise store in a large 30x40 log structure, and in 
connection with the general requirements of life, 
dealt out a large amount of stimulant, etc. Dur- 
ing the Indian outbreak, he prepared himself for 
tte red skins by keejiing a large bottle of strych- 
nine for each barrel of lisuor, so as to be able to 
treat the expected visitors in a vengeance like 
way. Mr. Maloney continued in business until 
1873, when he retired, although he still remains 
in the village, one of the oldest settlers in the 
town. 

Mr. John Fox made his appearance, and about 
1858, opened a blacksmith shop, which he ran for 
a time and then retired to Minneapolis, where he 
now is. 

James Stack came early and also opened a shop 
which is yet conducted by his sons. 

Mr. M. Cochran was another blacksmith, who 
hammered away for a time and then sold his shop 
to Thomas Casey, who still runs the establishment. 

James Connell runs a wagon shop, which was 
started some years ago. 

Patrick LcKenna arrived, and opened a general 
saloon establishment, and still runs it at this writ- 
ing, in connection with a hotel he has since erec- 
ted. 

Some time in the seventies, Thomas Coleman 
came and bought out John Murphy who had 
started a general merchandise store two years prior, 
and Mr. Coleman still continues the business, 
handling a little of the festive beverage over the 
bar. 

Messrs Mathew and Thomas Brown, some time 
ago, started a general merchandise store which 
they still continue, carrying a large and complete 
stock. They have a substantial and large build- 
ing, a good trade, and the finest general merchan- 
dise establishment in this part of the country. 

The village now contains the following: one 
excellent steam saw -mill with a capacity of sawing 
6000 feet of lumber per day ; a neat church ; a school 
house ; two stores ; a Post-office; four saloons; a 
hotel; two blacksmith shops; one wagon shop; 
and a number of dwelling houses. It has a fine lo- 
cation on the high land between two beautiful 
lakes, which are surrounded by high wooded 



SUIELDSVILLB TOWNSHIP. 



581 



Bhores and a rich farming country. These lakes, 
Hke all others in Rice coimty, abound with iisli of 
various species. It is distant about ten miles 
northwest from Faribault. 

Catholic Choeoh of ShieldsviijLE. — The his- 
tory of this parish covers a jjeriod of twcnty-si.x 
years, having been organized in 18.5(5. embracing 
the territory of Shieldsville and Erin townships, 
and a portion of Wells and Forest. In 1857, the 
old church building was erected at a cost of 
Sl,200, which lasted until 1878, when their pres- 
ent excellent stone structure was built at a cost of 
about $16,000. This church was completed in 
1882, and is one of the finest in the county, hav- 
ing a seating capacity of 620 persons, with stand- 
ing room for over a hundred. A parsonage was 
also erected at a cost of about .SI, 000. The pas- 
tors who have officiated here are Rev. Mr. Keller, 
Father McCuUogn, Father Sales, Father Robert, 
and Rev. J. J. Slaviu, the present pastor. 

A cemetery ground was laid out by this society, 
at the time of organizing the church. It occupies 
ten acres just south of the village, in which there 
about 200 graves. 

When the first church was erected it was left 
without seats, stove or any furniture. It remain- 
ed in this shape until 1867, when Catherine Dem- 
ing returned to the village after an absence of 
eight years, and with vim and energy that was 
commendable, she, in company with a few other 
ladies, got up a pic-nic and ladies fair from which 
was netted the snug little sum of iJlOO, and with 
this the church was finished, a floor, stoves, and 
seats being put in. Since th.it time the church 
has grown rapidly, and now the rent of pews 
alone is a revenue sufficient to keep the house in 
repair and beautify the grounds. 

Shieldsville mills. — -This enterprise was 
founded in 1856, when the Delaney Brothers 
erected a saw mill on the same site the present 
mills occupy; and putting in a moderate steam 
power and a circular saw commenced running with 
a capacity of 2,000 feet per day. It did 
not prove an entire success and in 1858, 
General James Shields and others took pos- 
session of the property; and putting in new 
and more modern machinery, increased its capac- 
ity to 6,000 or 7,000 feet per day. In this shape 
it was continued until the IGth of April, 1864, (in 
the meantime the firm of Russell, Tenny & Co. 
had purchased it) when it was destroyed by fire. 



together with 25,000 feet of valuable lumber. 
Soon afterward the firm of Hagerty, McAvoy & 
O'Hearn erected the (jresent mill with a capacity 
of 6,000 feet per day. This firm continued the 
business for about two years, when Mr. Hagerty 
went out and the other two gentleman managed 
the establishment until 1877, when Dooley, Tack 
& McAvoy attached a two run grist and feed-mill 
to the concern. Since that time the mill has been 
managed by difi'erent^firms until 1881, when the 
present firm of Patrick and DanielDooloy, under 
the firm name of Dooley Brothers, purchased it 
and still continue the business. 

The mill makes good fiour, with a capacity of 
250 bushels per day, not as much in quantity as 
other mills in the county, but equal in quality. 
The saw-mill is equipped so as_to be able to saw 
6,000 feet of lumber per day. The establishment 
is run by steam and is in good condition. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Thomas Coleman was born in Ireland in 1843, 
and lived in his native country until the age of 
seven years. He then came to America with his 
parents and located in Dunkirk, New York, where 
he attended school; five years later moved to Ga- 
lena, IlHuois, and completed his education. In 
1856, Mr. Coleman's father came to Shieldsville 
and was one of the first settlers in the place. 
Thomas was married here in February, 1863, to 
Miss Ann Murphy a native of Ireland. She died 
in 1876, and in 1877, lie married his present wife, 
formerly Miss Eliza Bramau, a native of Wiscon- 
sin. He had three children by his first wife, two 
of whom are living, and also three by his present 
wife, two living. Mr. Coleman has held the office 
of Assessor and was commissioned Postmaster in 
1878, still holding the latter. 

John Finley, one of the pioneers of tliis place, 
is a native of Ireland, born in 1820. He was mar- 
ried in 1845, to Miss Mary Tuey and resided in 
his native place until the age of thirty-two years. 
He came to America and first located in Rockland 
county. New York, engaged in brick making. 
In 1856, he moved to this place and located in 
section three, where he still resides. He has been 
Chairman of the board of Supervisors six years. 
Justice of the Peace six years, and has been a 
member of the School board several terms. He 
and his wife are members of the Cathohc church. 
They have had four children, tln-ee of whom are 



582 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



living; James, .aged thirty-five years; Ann, 
twenty-nine years, and John, twenty. 

Patrick MoKenna is a native of Ireland, born 
in the parish of Ardstree, county Tyrone, on the 
15th of April, 1829. He received a common 
school education and at the age of seventeen years 
emigrated to America, locating in Quebec, Cana- 
da. He was engaged in rafting timber for ships 
five months, then removed to Toronto and worked 
on a farm a year and a half. In 1848, he had 
charge of a sail vessel which he run during sum- 
mer montlis for four years and during the winters 
was in the lumber business. On the 23d of Sep- 
tember, 18i9, he marricnl Miss Susan McKenna. 
They reside! on a farm tour years in Canada 
West and in October, 1856,came to the territory of 
INIinnesota and directly to Shieldsville. There 
were then but four white families in the place. 
They moved to Erin township but soon returned 
to this place, bought lots, built a house and start- 
ed a grocery store. In 1876, Mr. McKenna erect- 
ed a hotel called the North Star, which he now 
keeps. He held the office of Town Clerk, Asses- 
sor, and Constable all at the same time for twelve 
years; in 1874, was elected Justice of the Peace 
and still holds the office and in July of the same 
year was appointed Notary Public by Gov. Davis. 
Mr. and Mrs. McKenna have had fifteen children, 
seven of whom are living; John, thirty years of 
age; Charles, twenty-five; James P., twenty-three; 
Catherine, twenty-two; Mary Ella, seventeen; Ed- 
die, thirteen; and Daniel, ten. The family are all 
members of the Catholic church. 



John Nagle, one of the earliest settlers of this 
place, was born in Ireland in 1830, and resided 
there until eighteen years old, attending school. 
He came to America in 1840, and settled in Wash- 
ington coimty, New York, where he was engaged 
in farming until 1855, when he moved to Shields- 
ville. He was married in New York to Bridget 
Murphy, who has borne him six children, four of 
whom are living; Richard, aged twenty-five years; 
Thomas, twenty- three; John, twenty -one, and 
Mark H., eleven. Katie died in May, 1882, at 
the age of twenty -seven years. She was the wife 
of James Finley. Dennis died in infancy and 
both are buried in the cemetery at this place. Mr. 
Nagle has been a member of the school board sev- 
eral years and always takes an active part in all 
school matters. His second son is studying law 
at Faribault. 

Rev. John J. Slevin was born in county 
Longford, Ireland, on the 4th of March, 1855. 
He attended St. Mary's Seminary in his native 
place and afterward All Hallow's College at Dub- 
lin and was ordained Priest on the 24th of June, 
1878. He, then came to America to St. Paul, 
Minnesota, from whence he was sent by the Bish- 
op to Shakopee, where he built a parsonage cost- 
ing .«1,600. In 1880, he came to Shieldsville, 
since which time the Catholic church has been 
completed at a cost of $1,600. Father Slevin has 
four brothers and four sisters in Ireland and one 
brother and one sister in the state of Missouri. 
His father died in Ireland in 1882. 



^^ 




o-^ 



MonmsTowN township. 



583 



MORRISTOWN, 



CHAPTER LXVII. 

DESCBIPTIVE — EAELT SETTLEMENT EELIGIODS 

EDUCATIONAIj INDUSTRIAL BNTEEPEJSES VIL- 
LAGE OF MOBRISTOWN — BIOQEAPHICAL. 

Morristown is the southwestern corner township 
of Rice county ; being contiguous to the counties 
of Le Sueur and Waseca on the west and south, 
with the towns of Shieldsville and Warsaw on the 
north and west. It is comprised of tliirty-six sec- 
tions, or 23,040 acres of which 20,503 exclusive of 
town lots, are taxable lands; 900 are covered by 
its lakes, and a large part of the balance is under 
a high state of cultivation. 

The Cannon River crosses the township from 
west to east, and seemingly divides the different 
classes of laud, as all the territory north of the 
river is covered with timber of common varieties, 
while that to the south is principally prairie land 
interspersed with fine groves of timber, combining 
to make a beautiful and picturesque country, 
which, in connection with its fine soil, excellent 
water and water power, soon attracted the atten- 
tion of those seeking homes. The soil is mostly a 
dark loam, with a blue clay subsoil, this apj)ly- 
ing particularly to the prairie, while in the tim- 
ber, a tendency to sandiness is visible, and a sub- 
soil of clay or gravel. 

The township is abundantly watered by rivers, 
creeks, and lakes. The Cannon River has been 
mentioned above, it enters the town in the form 
of Lake Sakata, which it forms in sections nine- 
teen and twenty. A mineral spring bubbles up 
on the south side of this lake, which, although 
not at all notorious, is supposed to be valuable for 
medicinal purposes. Sprague Lake is a small 
body of water covering portions of sections twenty- 
eight and twenty-nine. Pat's Lake lies nestled in 
the midst of the timber in the northeastern part 
of the town. Mormon Lake, so-called because in 
an early day the Mormons used it for baptismal 



purposes, occupying a few' acres in the south- 
western part of section twelve; while IJonesett 
Lake is located just north of it. Devil's Creek 
rises in Mud Lake, in Shieldsville, and flowing 
southward, is joined by several small streams be- 
fore it joins Cannon River. Dixon's Creek finds 
its source south of the boundary, and wending a 
northern course mingles its waters with those of 
the Cannon in section twenty-three. Horseshoe 
Lake infringes on tlie town in the northwestern 
part, and is the source of a small stream which 
connects it to Cannon River by way of .section 
eighteen and seventeen. 

A sketcli of this township published by F. W. 
Frink in 18(J8, says: "Morristown, the south- 
western township of Rice county, comprises with- 
in its boundaries both prairie and timbered lands, 
with a larger proportion of the latter. All the 
country north of the Cannon River, which enters 
the township in the shape of a lake, a little south 
of the center of its western boundary, and flows in 
the first two niiles of its course in a northeasterly 
direction, thence southeasterly to near the center 
of the township, and froai thence until it leaves it 
on its eastern boundary in a direction north of 
east, being lieavily timbered. South of the Can- 
non the land is chiehy prairie and meadow, with 
frequent groves of timber intervening. But a 
small proportion of its inhabitants are foreign- 
born, and a majority of those are Germans. It 
contains 20,-503 acres of taxable land, exclusive, 
of town lots, the remainder of its area is divided 
as follows: about 900 acres occupied by its lakes, 
five in number, 80 acres of unsold school lands 
427 acres of railroad land, 360 acres belonging to 
State University, and 320 acres still belonging to 
the government. Uiiimjjroved lands of either timber 
or prairie ar;' held at prices ranging from iSS to S15 
per acre." The above is still true in regard to 
population, but the unsold land mentioned has 
long since passed into tlie hands of actual settlers; 



584 



HISTORY OF BICE COUNTY. 



and the price varies from $15 per acre upwards. 
In 1860, the population of 'Morristown was 438; 
in 1865, 822; in 1870, 1,084: and in 1880, as per 
last census, 1,939, of which 517 represented the 
village, and 1,422 the township. 

As to the values in Morristown, from the census 
returns of 1870, we glean the following returns 
of property, as given to the census takers: Real 
property, i*356,225; personal, •'^162,905; total, 
8519,130. For the same year the total assessed 
value in Morristown was $100,611. In the year 
]882, after taxes had been equalized, the total as- 
sessed value was $323,181; of which $69,362 rep- 
resented the personal, and $253,819 the real prop- 
erty. This shows the creditable increase of 
1153,570 during the past twelve years. The val- 
ues in the village of Morristown, as assessed for 
1882, are as follows: Real property, .$43,100; 
personal property, $24,546; total, $67,646. 

Cannon ViLLEV Railboad. — This line was sur- 
veyed through the town several years ago, but no 
actual work done until the spring of 1882, when 
grading commenced in earnest. At the present 
writing the line has been finished, except the lay- 
ing of iron, and it is expected by the time this 
work shall have been issued that the iron horse 
will be treading the pathway, and doing the work 
heretofore done by cumbersome stages. The road 
enters the town from the east, in section thirteen, 
and passing through the township and village in 
a westerly direction, leaves to enter LeSueur 
county through section thirty. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

As to the date of the steps and early movements 
leading to the subsequent development of this 
thriving township, it will agree with a majority 
of the sub-divisions of Rice county. It required 
no prophetic vision to foresee the Tiltimate concen- 
tration of cajutal and energy which have placed 
this naturally favored spot among the foremost 
and most prosperous inland towns, and given to 
it superior manufacturing and industrial facilities, 
and when the Cannon Valley railroad which is 
now being constructed reaches and connects it 
by rail with the leading markets of the Northwest, 
marvelous things m:iy be expected. 

The earliest settlement was made in the fall of 
1853, when John Lynch and H(!nry Masters came 
from St. Paul in a buggy, and on reaching the 
town determined to stay, and erected a log house, 
taking claims in sections twenty-three and twenty- 



four, just east of where the village now is. 
ters was a native of Illinois, and the following 
spring returned to his old home and brought back 
a team. In January, 1855, he was joined in wed- 
lock to Miss Anna Randall, by Walter Morris, this 
being the first marriage in the township; be re- 
mained until 1865, when he removed to the 
Southwest, now living in Kansas. Mr. John 
Lynch was a native of the Emerald Isle, and is still 
a bachelor, yet lives in the town on section four- 
teen, having never been out of the county since. 

Shortly after the settlement of Messrs. Lynch 
and Masters, in the spring of 1854, Andrew Story 
with his wife Mary E., and son Charles, four 
months old, made their appearance, Mrs. Story 
bemg the first white woman to set foot in the 
town, and took a claim in section twenty-two, just 
west of the settlement above mentioned. On the 
21st of August, 1855, a child was born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Story, the first in the town; it was chris- 
tened EUie, and is now a married woman, residing 
in Kansas. The Story family remained in Morris- 
town until 1862, when they removed to Kansas 
and ai-e now living in Osborne county in that 
State. 

During the month of August, 1851, William 
and Bartemus K. Soule, brothers of Mrs. Story, 
came on from the East and selected claims south 
of Mr. Story's place. William took a farm in sec- 
tion twenty-three, but was too young to hold it 
and was bought out by Mr. Morris in the spring 
of 1855; he then went to section thirty-three 
where he now lives. His brother took a claim in 
section thirty-four and remained there until 1861, 
when he enlisted and went to the war; returning 
he settled in Chippewa county, Minnesota, where 
he now resides. 

In the mouth of Septemlier, 1854, three broth- 
ers named Benson, Marshal, John, and C. M., 
natives of Vermont, having stopped for a time in 
Indiana, arrived in the township. Marshal se- 
cured a home in section twenty-one, where he re- 
mained mitil 1865; then left and now lives in 
Waterville. John drifted into the southwest 
quarter of the same section and remained on it 
for ten years; he now sojcmrns in Idaho Terri- 
tory. C. M. secured a place on section twenty- 
three, but as he was too young to hold it, some 
one jumped the place, and in 1855, he took a farm 
in section twenty where he yet remains. 

An incident in connection with the settlement 



WUiRISTOWN TOWNSHIP. 



585 



of the Benson brothers is worthy of notice. A 
man by the name of Drake, sometime during the 
summer of 1855, at the place now known as 
Watervillo, thought he would be able to divert 
the travel from the present site of Morristown by 
constructing a road south of the old Indian trail. 
About the time he had completed hia road, the 
Bensons went to work and constructed a .good 
wagon road along the old Indian trail, and 
Drake's road was ever after untraveled. The 
Benson road was probably the first improved high- 
way in the county. 

The f(.illowing spring the Messrs Morris located 
on section twenty -three, and the village of Morris- 
town was brought into existence. Their meander- 
ings are noted at length in another column. They 
were followed by Robert Pope, a native of Cana- 
da, who made a claim on section twenty-nine, 
where he remained until 1857, when he joined his 
amative Mormon brethren in Utali. Mr. Wilson 
soon after made himself a habitation in section 
thirty, where he remained until 18G6, and left. 
Joseph Ladous, of France, joined him and took a 
quarter section number thirty, where he died 
in 1856, and his family, in 1857, went to Utah. 

Mr. David Springer and family also came early 
in 1855, and took a habitation in section twenty- 
three, remaining there for a year and then return- 
ed to Pennyslvania, his native State. 

Joseph Dixon and family, in company with his 
father-in-law, made their appearance about the 
same time. Their child, Clarissa Dixon, boni on 
the ■24th of August, 1855, in John Lynch's cabin, 
was the second while child born in the township, 
and is now Mrs. Albert Wolever, in the village. 

Others came and have since gone, and the in- 
flux became so great that it is almost impossible 
to note them. The prairie land was taken very 
rapidly, and in 1857, but few farms of much 
value were left in the timber. Many of the early 
and most prominent arrivals are noted under the 
head of ''Biographical," io wliicli we refer the 
reader. 

Jonathan Morris. — This early pioneer and im - 
portant personage in the early history of the 
township bearing his name, was a man of consid- 
erable note in various places before he came to the 
West. He was born in the state of Pennyslvania, 
on the 9th of January, 1804, and when four years 
of age his father died, and his mother moved the 
family to Ohio in 1809. lu this early day the 



means of education were limited, and it is a fact 
that the subject of this sketch did not know his 
letters at the time of his marriage. He had fine 
natural alnlities, however, and by energy and hard 
study, acquired a good general idea of the com- 
mon branches of education, and entered the minis- 
try of the Christian or Disciple faith, preaching 
for twenty-five years through the states of Indi- 
ana and Ohio, and was uudoubte<lly the medium 
of 10,000 conversions. In the meantime his mar- 
riage had been blessed with children, and in 1853, 
in company with his sou Walter, he came to St. 
Paul, Minnesota, where the son remained during 
the winter, in the State Executive Department, and 
he went to Hastings. In the following spring, 
— 1854, — he joined his son, who had left the de- 
partment at St. Paul, and purchased an interest in 
the town site of Faribault, removing to the latter 
place. Here they remained until the following 
spring when they started up the Cannon River 
in search of a mill site, as related elsewhere, and 
located at Morristown, where he remained until 
the time of his death which occurred on the 27th of 
November, 1856. He left a wife and seven child- 
ren to mourn his loss. His widow still lives in 
Morristown with her son Walter Morris, and men- 
tion is made of the parties elsewhere. 

POLITICAL. 

Morristown effected an organization in 1858, the 
first township meeting being held on the 11th of 
May, of tliat year, at the Delaware House. After 
the usual preliminaries, James R. Davidson was 
appointed moderator, and William P. Heydon, 
clerk. The meeting then proceeded to the election 
of town officials for the ensuing year, resulting as 
follows: Supervisors, Isaac Hammond, Chairman, 
"Henery" Bassett, and John D. Benson; Clerk, 
Charles D. Adams: Asssessor, John S. Pope; 
Collector, D. G. Wilkins; Overseer of the poor, 
Reuben Morris; .Justices of the Peace, Walter 
Morris and W^illard Eddy; Constables, Wil- 
liam P. Heydon and Samuel Clark; Over- 
seers of roads, O. K. Hogle and Nathan Mor- 
ris. All of these officers qualified except Samuel 
Clark and Jolin S. Pope, but their places were 
soon filled. 

On the '24th of August, 1864, bonds were voted 
at a special meeting, to pay the sum of S25 to each 
man who woidd volunteer to enlist in the army, 
under the Presidents' call for 500,000 men; the 
bonds to bear 12 ]3er cent interest. The proposi- 



586 



HISTORY OF BICE COUNTY. 



tion carried by a vote of 58 for, to seven against; 
the committee men were, 0. D. Adams, T. McOlay, 
and Isaac Pope. 

On the 9th of February, 1865, a sjjecial meet- 
ing was held at which it was voted that bonds to 
the amount of S300 should be issued to each man 
who would volunteer to enlist, and fill the quota. 
This was under the Presidents' call for 300,000 
men. This supplied the deficiency and no draft 
was made. George Bassett and William Adams 
were among those who volunteered, and they 
found graves iu southern soil. 

At the twenty-fourth annual town meeting, held 
in the spring of 1882, the following officers were 
elected who still are incumbents: Supervisors, 
.John Hile, Chairman, Samuel J. Chapman, and A. 
H. Greene; Clerk, Walter Morris; Treasurer, Chris- 
tian Hershey, Jr.; Justices of the Peace, Isaac 
Hand and J. N. Powers; Constables, Isaac Newell 
and Chas. H. (irant, Jr. 

KEIjIGIOUS. 

The first religious services in the township were 
held by Kev. Jonathan Morris, of the Disciple 
faith, at his residence, where the village now is, in 
1855; the same fall he organized his church at 
the same place, with ten members, and continued 
holding services iu his house until 1856, when the 
congregation became too large for the limited ac- 
commodations, and a frame church was erected at 
a cost of .S350, with a seating capa 'ity of 150. 
This building was destroyed by fire in 1874, and 
since that time they have had preaching in vari- 
ous places. The membership at the time the 
church was burned was- 100, with Walter Morris 
as minister. 

Episcopal Chubcu. — The first services by fol- 
lowers of this belief were held in the Morristown 
hotel in 1858, by Rev. J. L. Breok. Organization 
was effected shortly after with thirty members, 
and in 1864, they erected their present church at 
a cost of .$2,600 in the village, it being a neat and 
commodious structure, capable of seating 200 per- 
sons. The Eev. Mr. Bills, of Faiibault, is the 
present pastor, there being twenty members, and 
services are held once in two weeks. 

Methodist Denomination. — This society was 
organized at the house of Hilton Bloomer, on sec- 
tion thirty-four, in 1856, by Rev. A. V. Hitch- 
cock, and the first services were held just previous 
to it by the same minister iu the boarding house 
of Walter Morris, in the village. At organization 



there were eight members of the society. As soon 
as erected, the denomination used the Christian or 
DiscijDle church building until it was burned in 
1874, and they then commenced the erection of 
their church, in the village, which has already cost 
.f 600, and is not yet finished. Rev. J. Whitney is 
the present pastor, and services are held every 
Sunday evening; Sunday school every Sabbath, 
and prayer meeting Thursday evenings. The so- 
ciety is in good financial as well as spiritual con- 
dition, evidently considering true inward worth 
as of more value than mere outward show and 
pomposity. 

United Brethren Church. — Effected an or- 
ganization at the house of Hiram Erickson, on 
section eighteen, where the first service was held, 
with liev. Daniel Reed officiating, in the summer 
of 1867. There were at organization fourteen 
members, and services were held in private resi- 
dences until 1870, when a log church was con- 
structed at -a cost of S150, on the shore of Horse- 
shoe Lake, in section seven. Rev. Uriah Cook is 
the present minister. 

The Albright Society. — This denomination 
effected an organization in 1863, and in 1873, 
erected their present neat and substantial church 
edifice, at a cost of $1,400, in the southeastern 
part of section thirty-four; there is now a mem- 
bership of thirty on the church rolls. There is 
also a cemetery ground j^latted adjoining the 
church, in which peacefully repose the remains 
of about fifteen departed friends. 

German Ldtheran. — This society effected an 
organization in 1868, at the house of John Weber 
iu section four, and services were held at various 
places in the northern part of town until 1881, 
when their church was erected in section four at 
a cost of $600. There is a burial ground con- 
nected with this church, located in section five, 
called the Weber cemetery, that was laid out in 
1874, at the time of the demise of John Weber, 
who was the first to find a last resting place iu it. 

educational. 

Morristown is well up to the average towns in 
educational matters, and many neat and commo- 
dious schoolhouses dot the surface of the town- 
ship. Not much can be said of them in general, 
except that these districts are all in good condi- 
tion, and are ably and efficiently managed. Be- 
low we give a short sketch of the organization of 
the various districts, together with their 1 ocations 



MORRISTOWN TOWNSHIP. 



587 



MoEKiSTOWN GuADBD SoHOOLS.— The flrst school 
held in the village of Morristowu was iu a little 
log shauty, 12x1-4 feet, aud was taught by Isaac 
Hammond iu the winter of 1855-56, there being 
twelve scholars present. In 1857, the district in 
the meantime having been legally organized, a 
frame sohoolhouse was erected, 24x40 feet, at a 
cost of $800. This building served the purposes 
for which it was erected until 1873, when the 
present neat and substantial building was erected 
at a cost of $2,000. It is a two story building 
with a seating capacity of about 120. The flrst 
olBcers of the district were, Messrs. Andrew Story, 
Levi Coen, and Hilton Bloomer. The present offi- 
cers are: Director, Charles Grant; Clerk, Baron 
Hopkins; and Treasurer, William Crawford. The 
principal of the school is C. A. Slieridan. 

District No. 7. — This was about the first dis- 
trict to effect organization in the township, dating 
its existence back to 1856, when officers were 
elected to take care of school matters, as follows : 
Director, H. Blanco; Clerk, Uriah Northrup; and 
Treasurer, C. M. Benson; and Mr. Joseph Baker 
called school to order the winter following with 
fifteen pupils in attendance. The district now 
has a neat and commodious school building in the 
northern part of section twenty-nine. The Sak- 
ata Literary Association was organized at this 
schoolhouse in February, 1877, aud is a meritori- 
ous and commendable institution. 

Dkttict No. 40. — Effected an organization one 
year later than the above, in 1857, and the dis- 
trict shortly after erected a school building. The 
first ofiicers were as follows : Director, James K. 
Davidson; Clerk, Lewis McKune; and Treasurer, 
John McKune. The first instruction was diffused 
by Miss Nettie Davidson. The location of the 
sohoolhouse now in use is the eastern part of sec- 
tion thirty-five, the district embracing the terri- 
tory in the southeastern part of the town. 

DiSTEiCT No. 54. — Embraces under its educa- 
tional jurisdiction the territory lying just north 
of the village of Morristowu. The organization 
was made substantial in 1859, the meeting being- 
held at the residence of H. Hershey, which re- 
sulted in the election of first officers, the names of 
whom have escaped the memories of those whom 
we have interviewed. The first school was taught 
by Miss Harriet Wood, with an attendance of 
twelve juveniles. The present school structure is 
in the northeastern corner of section fourteen. 



District No. 60. — Was organized in 1867, hav- 
ing, prior to this, been merged into other districts. 
The first school board was: Director, Peter 
Ruthen; Clerk, Soth H. Kenney; aud Treasurer, 
Samuel Donarh. The first school was taught by 
Mr. Eli Smith with twelve pupils on the benches. 
The district embraces the northwestern part of 
the township as its territory. 

DiSTKKvr No. 89. — The organization of this 
district took place in the year 18G6, aud the first 
officials were: Director, .lohn Hile; Clerk, Benja- 
min Hershey; and Treasurer, William Haines. 
The location of the house now in use by this dis- 
trict is the northeast corner of section seventeen. 

District No. 99.— Commenced its existence in 
1872, being the youngest district in the township. 
The first school was taught l)y Miss .Jane Chapin 
with an attendance of twelve pupils, in a building 
on section two, and the officers at that time were: 
Director, Richard Cooley; Clerk, Horace Green; 
aud Treasurer, Richard Newell. The location of 
the school structure now in use by the district is 
the southeast corner of section three. 

industrial enterprises. 

Under this head the matters pertaining thereto, 
in both town and village, being identical, are 
combined. Probably no township, away from 
railroad connections and its accompanying advan- 
tages, in the state of Minnesota, is as well sup- 
plied, and therefore so prosperous, with manufac- 
turing interests as is Blorristown, and too much 
praise cannot be bestowed upon those who have 
devoted capital and energy to industries that fur- 
nish employment to a large number of bauds and 
bring thousands of dollars annually to the local- 
ity, the most of whicli is expended here, mutually 
benefitting all classes. 

Mokristown MimjS. — This is the largest man- 
ufacturing enterprise in Morristowu and one of 
the largest in the county. In 1876, a stock com- 
pany was formed tor the purpose of erecting a 
mill, and elected the following gentlemen as offi- 
cers: President, A. E. Barkley; Directors, C. D. 
Adams, William Shaw, Tobias Ohler, and Chris- 
tian Ramund, and this board superintended the 
erection of the mill building. It is situated on 
the south liank of Cannon River, in the village, a 
four-story frame building, with a stone basement 
and engine house, aud cost about $43,000, Its 
propelling power was a 120 horse-power steam en- 
gine, and with eight run of stones the capacity 



588 



nrSTORT OF RICE COUNTY. 



was about 200 barrels per day. The mill was 
operated by tbe company, but did not prove an 
eatire success to them, and in 1880, George W. 
Newell, the present proprietor, purchased the 
property. In 1881, he had the mill remodeled 
and all the modern improvements added for mak- 
ing the mill a flrst-class merchant mill, with im- 
proved rollers, burrs, packers, cleaners, etc., the 
mill having co.st, as it now stands, not less than 
$65,000. About thirty men find employment in 
the mills — fifteen cooj^ers and fifteen mill men, — 
and the capacity of the mill is now about 250 
barrels per day. Altogether it is the pride of the 
township and surrounding country, and has been 
and wid continue to be the nucleus to the pros- 
pering little village, and a magnet that cannot 
fail to draw other business interests to this point. 

Hershet Grist-Mill. — The foundation of 
this mill was commenced in 1855, when Jonathan 
and Walter Morris erected a saw-mill on the same 
site and began active operations the same year. 
Owing to some flaw in the foundation the water 
found its way under the same, which resulted in 
the destruction of the mill. Mr. Walter 
Morris then secured the site and immediately 
commenced the construction of a new mill, which 
he comj)leted and put in operation early iu the 
fall of 1856, and once more the manufacture of 
lumber was commenced in earnest and continued 
until June, 1858, when the dam was washed out. 
Steps were taken to re2:)air the damage, and so 
thoroughly was the work done that the same dam 
remains to this day. In the autumn of 1858, Mr. 
Nathan Morris purchased the property and oper- 
ated it for a time. In 1860, the Messrs. Hershey 
secured it and erected a good two and a half story 
building, put in one run of stones and the neces- 
sary flouring machinery and commenced grind- 
ing. It was operated in this shajje until 1877, 
when it was partially remodeled, many improve- 
ments added, aud a wooden re-action water wheel 
made the motor, increasing the capacity to 100 
barrels per 2i hours. The mill is owned aud op- 
erated by Christian Hershey, Jr. 

Hopkins' Head Linino Factory. — Thi.s, now 
important enterpri.se, was originally commenced 
as a soiglnim mill in 1867, by Seth H. Kenuey 
and E. Hopkins, on section six, and after being 
operated for two years as such they came to the 
conclusion that a saw-mill would be more profita- 
ble, info which they thereupon converted it, and 



continued its operation until it was destroyed by 
fire in 1870. In 1872, J. B. Hopkins & Bro. pur- 
chased the machinery that had fortunately been 
saved, and moved it to the village, where they 
erected large buildings, and with a 45 horse- 
power engine kept turning out lumber until 1877, 
when the head lining machinery was put in for a 
capacity of 400,000 per day. In 1878, J. B. Hop- 
kins became sole proprietor and still operates it, 
employing fifteen hands and shipping produc- 
tions all over the country, forty millions of them 
being shipped every year to St. Louis. The tim 
ber north of the Cannon River furnishes material 
for the mills of this description, and the business 
is one of the most valuable elements of industrial 
interests iu the county. 

Heesuey Saw-mill. — This enterprise origin- 
ated in 1865, when Mr. Chris. Hershey erected a 
building 30x40 feet, put in an upright saw, a 
dam, and wooden re-action water-wheel, on the 
east side of the bend of Cannon Kiver, near Mor- 
ristown, and commenced running with a capacity 
of about 3,000 feet per day. It was managed and 
operated in this condition until 1875, when the 
water played havoc with the river bank, and it 
has not as yet been repaired. The remains of the 
mill still occupy the old site but the bank wash- 
ing away has left it almost in the middle of the 
river. 

OsTEEHOUT ct Co.'s FACTORY. — In the year 
1866, James Osterhout and his son Charles erected 
a saw-mill, 20x60 feet, equipped it with a circular 
saw, and with a thirty-five horse- power steam en- 
gine commenced ripping up lumber at the rate of 
8,000 feet per day. The original firm operated it 
until 1870, when they sold it to Daniel Scott, who 
in turn, in 1876, turned the property over to Eli- 
jah Spaulding. In 1878, the latter gentleman 
remodeled the mill, and put in head lining ma- 
chinery, made an addition of 30x100 feet, and af- 
ter running a short time sold to the present firm, 
H. II. Osterhout & Co., who have added many im- 
j)rovements and douliled the capacity. They are 
manufacturers principally of heading aud curved 
head lining, furnishing employment to nine men 
aud four teams, and the mill has the reputation of 
being equal to any iu this region. 

MoREiSTovTN Stave Factoey. — This industrial 
enterprise was started in 1867, by 0. D. Adams 
and George Smith, who erected a building 24x60 
feet, aiul with a fifteen horse-power engine com- 



MOIllllsraWX TOWWsllir 



589 



menceJ operatious. Au ecjnipmeut of carding 
machinery was also put in tho factory and it was 
run by this firm until 1870, when Mr. Adams bo- 
came proprietor. It was burned soon afterward. 
J. B. Buck, architect and builder, established 
himself in Morristown in 186(;. In 1881, he pur- 
chased a building formerly used as a livery stable. 
and putting in the necessary machinery and a fif- 
teen horse-power engine, is now doing a good 
business in his line. 

The first blacksmith shop was opened in 1857, 
in a little log shop 16x20 feet, by W. S. Craw- 
ford. In 1862, he bought a building of Mr. 
Adams, in which he worked until he was burned 
out in 1875, when he erected his j)resent shop and 
is stUl hammering away with two assistants, hav- 
ing been twenty years on the same spi^t. 

Kennet's Sorghum F.vctoey. — This manufac- 
turing institution is located in the northwestern 
part of the township, on the farm of the owner in 
section six. It was originally established in 1860, 
consisting of two wooden rollers made by Mr. 
Stevens, father of the proprietor, and was run 
each season until 1862, with a yoke of oxen and a 
caj^acity of thirty-two gallons per day. In this 
year, seeing that it could be made a success, he 
purchased an iron mill, doubled the capacity, and 
began running it with horse-power. During the 
war he disposed of his sorghum at from SI. 00 to 
•SI. 25 per gallon. In 186(), the establishment was 
enlarged and a twelve horse-power engine put in, 
increasing the capacity to twelve barrels per day. 
This was the first mill of this nature run by steam 
in the State, and only partial success attended the 
experiment. In the fall of 1868, the mill was en- 
tirely destroyed by fire, and in the summer of the 
year following two mills and two horse-power.^ 
were brought into requisition to replace it. In 
1879, a fifteen horse-power steam engine was at 
tached; and, as the mills now stand, it having 
been since refitted, they have cost S5,000. They 
consist of a five ton mill, a storage and granulat- 
ing house, 30x40 feet, three stories high, with a, 
storage capacity of 16,580 gallons; engine house, 
22x26 feet; mill house, 30x62 feet; boiling house, 
16x30 feet; refinery mill, 20 feet deep, and a Cen- 
trifical for draining the sugar, that was purchased 
in Germany at a cost of .'$500. Thus it will be 
seen that the establishment is a costly one, and in 
fact it is the finest and best managed mill in the 
State. Its capacity is 700 gallons per day and 



600 pounds of sugar, its productions being ship- 
ped all over the United States. The proprietor, 
Seth H. Kenney, is president of tiie Aliiinesota 
Amber Cane Association. 

DuiiiiiN Saw-Mill. — In 1856, two young men 
mamed Norton and Webster came from Californiai 
bringing with them considerable capital.and erected 
the second steam saw-mill in the county, in IMor- 
ristown, on the present site of Hopkins' factory. 
It w;i.<j a good mill and they operated it until the 
spring of 1857, wlien they left it with a cousin, K. 
Norton, who ran it ror a time, but it ilnally became 
the prciperty of the present proprietor, E. P. Uur- 
rin, and was moved to the timber in section three. 
The mill was destroyed by fire early in the seven- 
ties lint was almost immediately replaced with a 
building 18x26 feet, a fifty two inch circular saw, 
and a thirty -two horse-power steam engine, giv- 
ing it a capacity of 6,000 feet per day. a majority 
of the work being in furniture lumber. 

In 1866. Mr. C. C. Aldrich established an apiary 
on his farm in section twenty-seven, which has 
grown with each year until it is now one of the 
most extensive enterprises in the town, with an al- 
most endless number of swarms and a regular 
feeding or pasture ground sown in buckwheat for 
the bees. In connection with this, in 1877, Mr. 
Aldrich put in necessary machinery and a ten 
horse-power steam engine, and commenced oper- 
ating a first class sorghum factory which he still 
continues. 

VILL.VGE OF MOKEISTOWN. 

This is the only village in the township, and has 
a beautiful location on the Cannon Kiver, in the 
corners of sections twenty-two, twenty-three, 
twenty -six, and twenty -seven. The river furnish- 
es excellent water-power, and it is suri-ouuded 
with the best timber and prairie farming land in 
the county. It is the fourth place, of size and im- 
portance in Rice county, and, when tho railroads 
which are now being graded are in working order, 
it bids fair to beeomo a formidable rival for a 
higher place. The village has a population of 
about 600, and according to the last assessment 
the total value assessed in the limits is .§67,546, 
of which $25,546 represent the personal, and .S43,- 
100, the real property. 

To give some idea of what was thought of the 
village in an early day, below is a short sketch of 
it made by Mr. C. Williams, in 186)0; it says: 
"Morristown is another important village on tho 



590 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



Cannon Biver in the extreme western part of the 
county, and ten miles from Faribault. It contains 
two stores, one steam saw-mill, one water saw and 
grist miU, two taverns, one cabinet shop with water- 
power, two blacksmith shops, one schoolhouse, 
one house of public worship, and a Post-office. 
The village contains 100 inhabitants. The farm- 
country around it is very flue, oombiniug the ad- 
vantages of prairie, wood and water." 

In 1874, the village was incorporated, embrac- 
ing in its limits sections twenty -two, twenty-three, 
twenty-six, and twenty-seven, a square of two 
miles. 

Early Settlement. — The first settlement of 
the village commenced shortly after that 
of the township, and since the beginning 
has been rapid and constant. About the mid- 
dle of April, 185.5, Mr. Jonathan Morris, who 
Lad the year before settled at Faribault, star- 
ted up Cannon Kiver, in company with Walter 
Morris, in search of a mill jjower. They followed 
the course of the river as far up as the present site 
of Waterville, then returned as far as Mr. Story's, 
where they remained over night, receiving at the 
hands of Mr. Story and his excellent wife, true 
pioneer hospitality. Finding that nature had 
provided a splendid water power at this point, they 
decided upon locating at the present site of Mor- 
ristown, and in a few days thereafter, erected a 
log cabin near where Mr. Hershey's dwelling now 
stands, and moved in the same. 

They immediately commenced the construction 
of a saw-mill, which was comjileted and in active 
oparatiou early in the fall of the same year, a 
history of which has already been given. 

During the summer and autumn of 1855, 
Joseph Dixon, Isaac Hammond, Reuben Morris, 
Daniel Wilkins, Richard Miller, Harrison and 
Jackson Willis, Thomas and James Sjirague, Cole- 
man Bloomer and brother, and several others, 
moved into the township and made claims, thus 
forming quite a little community, and Mr. Jona- 
than Morris decided on laying out a. portion of 
his claim into village lots, but owing to hard work 
and exposure incident to the building of the mUl 
referred to, Mr. Morris was taken sick, which re- 
sulted in his death, being the first death in this 
part of the county. After the death of Mr. Mor- 
ris, his widow, Mrs. Sarah Morris filed ujion the 
tract of land she and her husband had settled 
upon, and during tlie winter of 1856-57, went to 



Winona and pre-empted it, and in the spring fol- 
lowing secured the services of Mr. C. C. Perkins, 
who surveyed a portion of her claim into town 
lots. About this time Mr. Thomas Dexter moved 
into the place and put up a small frame house, 
and opened the same as a hotel, which was known 
as the "Delaware House," Mr. and Mrs. Dexter 
proved well adapted to the business, and did a 
flourishing trade for several years. 

Early in the spring of 1857, Messrs Locke & 
Pope commenced the construction of a large hotel, 
at that time one of the largest in the country, and 
when completed, was known as the "Eagle Hotel." 
This house continued to do a good business until 
a road was opened up on the north side of the 
river, which changed the travel so much as to ma- 
terially effect the business, since which time the 
house has changed hands several times, and to-day 
stands without a tenant. 

In the summer of 1855, Walter Morris built a 
small log buQding near where Mr. Hershey's mill 
now stands, which he fitted up as a store, and com- 
menced the sale of goods, and continued till the 
fall of 1856, when he sold out his entire stock to 
Messrs Locke & Pope. In the fall of 1856, Mr. 
Collins came from Hastings and opened a store on 
the corner where Mr. Crawford's black smith shop 
stands, but failing to meet his obligations, was 
compelled to surrender his stock to his creditors 
early the next spring; the store passing into the 
hands of Messrs .Adams & Allen. Mr. Adams took 
charge of the store, but immediately sold out to 
Reuben Morris, taking in exchange for the same, 
Mr. Morris' claim of 160 acres lying immediately 
west and adjoining the original survey of the vil- 
lage, the consideration being estimated at .$1,600 
Soon after Mr. Lewis McKune purchased an in- 
terest in the store with Mr. Adams, whereupon 
Walter Morris took charge of the store, and in the 
winter of 1857. sold the siock to Messrs Hayden & 
Graves. 

In the month of January, 1857, Mr. Charles D. 
Adams returned to Morristown bringing with him 
a stock of merchandise, and opened up for busi- 
ness in the store formerly occupied by Mr. Collins. 
Daring Mr. Adams' absence one Benjamine Dexter 
jumped the claim of Adams & Allen, which creat- 
ed quite an excitement, and on the return of Mr. 
Adams, several members of the "claim society" 
proposed to remove Dexter from the claim. In 
the early settlement of this country, the claim 



MORlil STOW K TOWNSHIP. 



591 



societies often resorted to violence to accomplish 
their object, but Mr. Adams bein^ a man of peace 
desired to avoid all trouble and finally paid Dax- 
ter $212 to leave the claim, and Uext.-r found it 
convenient to leave the country, it not being con- 
sidered a very healthy locality for claim jump- 
ers. 

In the autumn of 1857, Mr. Adams erected a 
large store building, and immediately moved into 
it. This was erected on what is known as Adams' 
& Allen's addition, and is still doing excellent duty 
as a tenement house, and is an evidence of the 
pluck and energy of the oldest mercbant of the 
place. 

In 1856, Messr* Webster & Norton located here 
and put into operation the first steam saw-mill in 
this part of the country, which they continued to 
run for some time, but finally transferred it to 
Rnfus Norton, who operated it for several years. 

During the summer of 1858, Mr. (3sterhout set- 
tled in the village and put up another steam saw- 
mill, making at that early day, one water and two 
steam mills in town. Besides these mill there was 
a cooper shop, cabinet shop, and two blacksmith 
shops. 

The town having gone ahead of the country it 
was evident that a standstill would follow, until 
the surrounding country was better improved, and 
it was some years before any other improvements 
were made worthy of notice. What there has 
been are noted under the head of "Industrial Enter- 
prises." 

The early settlers of this section were princi- 
pally young and energetic men who had left 
their homes in the East to endure the hardships 
and privations incident to settlement of new coun- 
tries, and during the long winters, when one and 
all were compelled to be more or le.ss inactive, the 
want of some kind of amusement suggested the 
idea of organizing a mock legislature, and during 
the winter of J856, a society was organized, the 
hall in tlie Eagle Hotel was secured, where, once 
a week, the old and young, male and female, for 
miles around, would attend to hear the boys dis- 
cuss questions usual to such societies, and listen 
to the reading of a paper, which purported to give 
the current news of the day. The local depart- 
ment of the paper proved of great interest to one 
and all, and the settlers now living look back up- 
on the winter of 185G-57. as ttte most pleasant 
and enjoyable one they ever experienced. 



Time or space will not admit of giving a full 
account of every event that transpired in the early 
days of wliat is now the lieautiful and flourishing 
village of Morristown. Where but a few years 
ago the wigwam of the untutored savage stood, 
has, by the hand of industry, been transformed 
into a tliriving village, containing churches, 
schools, stores, milts, hotels, and in short, all the 
conveniences of civilization. 

Morristown Post-opfu^e. — Was established in 
1856, Walter Morris having been appointed Post- 
master, with jDowor to appoint a carrier at an ex- 
pense not to exceed the net proceeds of the office, 
whereupon, Dr. Ward took the contract and con- 
tinued to carry the mail from Fariliault until a 
mail route was established, and M. O. Walker 
commenced running his stage from Hastings to 
St. Peter. Owing to the rush of immigration in 
1856, Mr. Morris deemed it best to run a stage 
from Hastings to this place, whereupon, he pur- 
chased stock and commenced running a convey- 
ance twice a week, and continued until M. O. 
Walker liegan running his stages over the same 
route. 

Mail now leaves Morristown for Faribault at 
eight o'clock in tlie forenoon and arrives at Fari- 
bault at 11 o'clock. Leaves Faribault at one 
o'clock r. M., and arrives at Moyistown at four 
o'clock, daily. Charles Dolan is contractor and 
driver, and Mr. Walter Morris is the Postmaster, 
with the office in his store. 

"Not Dead." — A very peculiar circumstance is 
reported in the various papers of the county as 
occurring near Morristown on the 17th of Novem- 
ber, 1872, and we give it, unvouched for, as we 
get it. A lady whose name is withheld, was ex- 
tremely ill; she sank slowly away until it was 
whispered, "She is dead." Friends gathered and 
wept tears of sorrow over her departure; neigh- 
bors were called and slie was shrouded for burial. 
Arrangements were fast being made to deposit 
her remains in the narrow house. The time was 
fixed, — but, to the joy of friends, signs of life 
were visible^ breathing apparent; life struggled; 
the eyes displayed their original beauty, and she 
lived, while the friends joyfully dispiirsed, 

BIOORAPHIC^L. 

OyRus 0. Aldriou, a native of New York, was 
born in Chenango county on the 5th of August, 
1833. He was married on the 18th of February, 
1851, to Amanda Chapin. The year following 



592 



Ul STORY OF RKJE OOUNTT. 



they moved to Wisconsin, a year later to Fari- 
bault, and iu 1859, to Morristown, locating in sec- 
tion seven. Mr. Aldrich enlisted in the 
First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company G, 
on the '21st of April, 1861, served three months 
and then re-enlisted iu the Fourth Minnesota 
Regiment, was wounded iu the battle of \ltooua 
and discharged for disability. After returning 
from the army, being unable to perform heavy 
manual labor, he engaged in the manufacture of 
sorghum and bee culture and is at present pro- 
prietor of the Central Apiary depot of supples, 
hives, and honey. Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich have 
had six children, five of whom are living. He 
was one of the Councilmen the first two years 
after the village was incorporated. 

Heert Blbncoe was born in Chenango county, 
New York, on the 1st of June, 1837. He was 
married on the 18th of March, 1863, to Mrs. 
Mary Ann France, and Lis native place claimed 
him as a resident until 1865. He came from there 
to Minnesota and for two years lived in Waseca 
county, then moved to the village of Morristown, 
and in 1869, to his present farm in section twenty- 
nine. Mr. and Jtrs. Blencoe have two children 
both girls. 

C. M. Benson, one of the early settlers of Mor- 
ristown, is a native of Vermont, born on the 7th 
of August, 1836. In 1853, he removed to Illi- 
nois and the following year to this township 
where he took a claim, but as he was not of age 
it was "jumped" and soon after his twenty-first 
birthday he made another, in section twenty, 
which has since been his home. In 1861, he en- 
listed in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, 
Company G, served three years and partici])ated 
in thirty battles, in the last of which he was shot, 
the ball entering his left side passed through him 
and lodged in his knapsack. He received an 
honorable discharge, returned to his home, and on 
the 31st of May, 1866, married Miss Ann Eliza 
Pool. The result of the ULion was eight children, 
six of whom are living. Mr. Benson is always in- 
terested in all school matters. 

Alonzo BuRcii, a native of Michigan, was born 
on the 18th of December, 1844. In 1856, he 
came with his parents to Steele county, Minne- 
sota, and two years later moved to Faribault. He 
enlisted in the army iu 18(52, and served till the 
close of the war, then returned to Faribault and 
engaged in mechanical pursuits ten years. He 



was joined in marriage on the 16th of November, 
1867, to Ardella Hammond. They came to this 
township in 1875, purchased land in section five, 
and Mr. Burch has since devoted his time to its 
cultivation. 

TnoM.\s Bennett was born in Licking county, 
Ohio, on the 7th of October, 1816, and resided there 
until the age of twenty -two years. He then, in 
the spring of 1839, moved to Indiana, where he 
married Miss Sarah Baker, the event taking place 
on the 8th of May, 1846. In 1863, they came to 
Morristown and two years later moved to Le 
Sueur county, where Mr. Bennett was a member 
of the board of Supervisors and Treasurer of his 
school district. In 1873, he returned to Morris- 
town and bought land in section six, where he has 
built up a comfortable home. Mr. and Mrs. Ben- 
nett have had eleven children, seven of whom are 
living. 

Joseph DrsoN was born on the 15th of April, 
1830, in Highland county, Ohio. He was married 
in Owen county, Indiana, on the 12th of Septem- 
ber, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth Morris. Four years 
later they came west to Faribault, and the follow- 
ing spring to Morristown, where they were pio- 
neers, and staked out a claim in section twenty-six, 
now known as Nathan's addition of the village of 
Morristown. On the 30th of April, 1864, he en- 
listed in Company I, of the Fourth Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, and served till the close of 
the war. He then returned to his home in this 
place and has since devoted his time to its culti- 
vation. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon have ten children, 
five of whom are married and five stOl remain at 
home. 

C. Hekshey, Jr., one of the early residents of 
this county, is a native of Canada, born on the 
12th of September, 1836, and emigrated with his 
parents to Wisconsin when three years old. In 
1855, they moved to Warsaw township where Mr. 
Hershey remained until 1859, then came to Mor- 
ristown and has since made it his home. He 
erected a saw and grist-mill, the latter of which 
he still operates. He was married on the 1st of 
January, 1869, to Miss L. A. Hurt and the union 
has been blessed with three children. Mr. Her- 
shey was elected Town Treasurer at the last elec- 
tion. 

J. B. Hopkins was born in St. Lawrence coun- 
ty, New York, in 1837, and received an academic 
education at Governeur Wesleyan Seminary, and 



MoniiTsrow.Y 7Y)\vNsirrp. 



593 



studied law at the Albany University. He was 
married on the (ith of March, 1801, to Miss Eninui 
Lynde. In 18(i5, they removed to Missouri, two 
years later to Faribault, arriving on the -ith of 
July, and in a few months located in jNIorristown. 
lie has been Justice of the Poaco several terms, 
and in 187:-i and '7") was a memlicr of the Legisla- 
ture. He is proprietor of the head lining factory 
and also manufactures lumlier and shingles. He 
is tlie father of three children. 

WilijIa.m H.iLEiN, a native of Germany, was 
born on the 18th of 'Nobember, 1825. He was 
married on the 12th of November, 18.'55, to Miss 
Eugle Neymier and the same year emigrated to 
America and settled in Illinois. In 186.5, he 
moved from there to Waseca county, Minnesota, 
and remained engaged in farming until 1881, 
then came to this place and purchased land in 
section thirty-four, where he now resides. Of 
fourteen children born to him, t;m are living, two 
married and eight at home. Mr. Halein has been 
a school Director ever since his residence in this 
State. 

John Hilb was born in Northumberland coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, on the 17th of July, 1828. In 
1844, he moved with is parents to St. Joseph coun- 
ty, Michigan. In the spring of 1853, he left 
home and went overland to California, crossing 
the plains with an ox team, was engaged in min- 
ing and lumbering until 1859, then returned by 
wav of the Isthmus of Pannama. He reached 
Michigan in August, 1859, and the 1st of tlie fol- 
lowing November, married Miss Sarah Jane Reed, 
who bore him three children, two of whom are 
living. She died on tlie 8th of A))ril, 18(54, -soon 
after which Mr. Hile enlisted in the Fourteenth 
Michigan Light Artillery and served till July, 
1865. He then returned to his home and children, 
and on the 3rd of September, 18G5, married Miss 
Henrietta E. Vincent, who has borne him four 
children, three-of whom are living. A month 
after his marriage, Mr. Hile brought his family to 
Minnesota and lived in the village of Morristown 
till the following spring when he purchased land 
in section seventeen and in March moved his fam- 
ily to the farm which has since been their home. 
He has been a member of the board of Supervis- 
ors and is at present Chairman; in 1880, was elec- 
ted Assessor of the town and u])on the organiza- 
tion of his school district was chosen Director and 
is now Treasurer. 
38 



C. B. Jackhon was born in Tipton county, In- 
diana, on the 12th of Jiiiy, 1842. In 1854, he re- 
moved with his parents, Thomas and Margaret 
Jackson, to Webster county, Iowa, and in 1856, 
to Waseca county, Minnesota. In April, 1861, he 
enlisted for that month in Company (t, of the 
First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and on the 
29th of the month ro-enlistcd in the same regi- 
ment for three years. He was discharged and re- 
turned to his home, but in February, 1865. again 
re-enlisted, in Battery L, of the First Minnesota 
Heavy Artillery, was promoted from Sergea^it to 
Commissary of the Regiment, and received his 
discharge on the 27th of September, 1865. the 
close of the war, having participated in twenty- 
two battles. Mr. Jackson's military record was 
not excelled by any private soldier,and it is stated 
by one of his comrades that at the battle of 
Gettysburg he took at least fortj' prisoners, single 
handed and alone, wliich fact can be attested by 
Sergeant C. 0. Parker and many others of the 
company. On the 22d of November, 1865, he 
was married to Miss Mary E. Donaldson, who 
has borne him five children, four boys and one 
girl, the latter of whom died on the 12th of Au- 
gust, 1881. After returning from rhe war Mr. 
.Jackson removed to Morristown, and was em- 
ployed as an engineer in a mill for three years. 
Finding that the business did not agree with his 
health he rented a small Imildiug and opened a 
tin shop, employed a tinsmith and learned the 
trade in his own shop. He now carries a good 
stock of general hardware. He was elected Jus- 
tice of the Peace in 1877, and held the office until 
1882, when he resigned. 

Aabon Ivisoh is a native of Ohio, born on the 
13th of October, 1833. When ten years old he 
moved with his parents to Wisconsin where he 
was engaged in agricultural |)nrsuits until 1859, 
then removed to Le Sueur county, Minnesota. 
While in Wisconsin he married Miss S. G. Dun- 
lavey, a native of New York City, the ceremony 
taking place on the 15th of September, 1855. 
They have had eleven children, ten of whom are 
living, eight boys and two girls. In 1875, they 
moved to this township and settled in section fif- 
teen, where they still live. Soon after his arrival 
here Mr. Kisor was elected Town Treasurer, and 
in 1879, Cliairmau of the board of Supervisors. 

Skth H. Kenney, a native of Massachusetts, 
was born m Williamstown, Berkshire county, on 



59i 



HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY. 



the 22d of February, 1836. In 1848, he moved 
■with his parents to Franklin county, and after- 
ward resided in different counties in the same 
State, remaining until 1857, when he moved west 
to Minnesota and settled in Faribault, and the 
following year bought land in section sis, Mor- 
ristosvn. He has since made the place his home 
and added to his farm, which now contains tliree 
hundred and thirty-eight acres. On the 29th of 
July, 1859, he was united in marriage with Miss 
Olive Purinton, of St. Lawrence county. New 
York, and they have four children, three sons and 
one daughter. In 1869, he was chosen Chairman 
of the board of Supervisors; in 1870, was elected 
Justice of the Peace, and several times has been 
clerk in his school district; in 1878 and '79, was 
a Bepresentative in the State Legislature. Mr. 
Kenuey devotes his entire time to the manufac- 
ture of sorghum and aml)er sugar, has a fine mill 
and makes the best article in the State. 

John Larson was born in Norway on the 39th 
of December, 1830. He was married in his native 
land on the 1st of October, 1858, to Miss Anna 
Anderson. They have had five children, four of 
whom are now living, two boys and two girls, the 
oldest having died after coming to this place in 
1881. Mr. Larson came to America in 1869, re- 
mained in St. Paul one year, during which time he 
earned money with which to send for his family. 
Soon after he purchased land in Morristown and 
has since enjoyed life in a comfortable home. 

Walter Mobris, one of the early settlers in 
this place, having come as early as April, 1855, 
was born in Ohio on the 12th of January, 1833. 
In 1846, his parents moved to Indiana, and in 

1853, to St. Paul, thence to Hastings until 1854, 
when they settled in Faribault where our subject 
was one of the original proprietors, selling his in- 
terest to John W. North. An event of his life, 
which he wdl always remember, happened in 

1854, when he assisted Alexander Faribault in 
getting five hundred Indians across the Kedwood 
to receive their pay. While on their way thither 
the Indians obtained liquor, got drunk and made 
numerous threats, but were finally sobered down 
and reached their destination in safety. After 
leaving Mankato they traveled two and a half 
days with nothing to eat and when finding a 
skunk, which made them a meal, they thought 
themselves fortunate. Mr. Morris was married on 
the 4th of July, 1857, to Miss Anna Chilstrum. 



She died on the 17th of June, 1858, leaving one 
child. His present wife was formerly Miss Solina 
McGindlsy, whom he married on the 18th of Sep- 
tember, 1860. Of four children born to this 
union, two are living. In 1855, Mr. Morris was 
appointed by Gov. Gorman, Justice of the Peace, 
and afterward elected to the office, holding the 
same four terms. In 1861, he removed to Owa- 
tonna, where he was County Auditor and Register 
of Deeds. In the fall of J863, he resigned, and 
the following spring made a trip to Colorado, en- 
gaged in farming and remained two years, but as 
the grasshoppers harvested both crops he removed 
to Mason, Missouri. There he was Deputy Clerk 
of the Court and Register of Deeds and remained 
until 1870, then went to St. Louis, and in 1875, 
returned to Morristown, which has since been his 
home, engaged in mercantile pursuits. He is 
Town Clerk and Postmaster. 

Matuias Nelson is a native of Norway, born 
on the 6th of January, 1837. His father died 
leaving his mother and three children who emi- 
grated to America in 1847. They first settled in 
Waukesha county, Wisconsin, and remained until 
coming to this township in 1856, being among 
the first settlers. Mr. Nelson's brother, Nels, en- 
listed in the army in 1862, and never returned; 
his sister, Mary E., is married and lives in Lyon 
county, and his mother, Catharine Nelson, died on 
the 11th of June, 1881, in her seventy-sixth year. 
He was married on the 3d of April, 1864, to Miss 
Elizabeth Lind, a native of Germany. They have 
five children, two boys and three girls. He has 
been a school Director the past term. 

H., H. OsTBRHouT was born in Detroit, Michi- 
gan, on the 28th of April, 1832. He remained at 
home until reaching the age of manhood, when he 
engaged in the lumber business and as a mill- 
wright. He was married on the 13th of April, 
185>7, to Miss Alvah A. Hall, who has borne him 
four children, three of whom are living. In 1866, 
Mr. Osterhout was made a member of the Post 
Hope Masonic Lodge of Michigan, No. 138, and 
in 1876, was converted and joined the Methodist 
church. On removing to Morristown in 1877, he 
joined the lodge in this place and also the M. E- 
Church, of which he is class-leader and local 
preacher. Soon after comming he purchased the 
saw-mill and hsading factory of which he is pro- 
prietor. 

C. H. Pdrinton was born in New York on the 



MORIilSTOWN TOWNSHIP. 



595 



15th of October, 1851), and resided in his native 
Statu until the age of seventeen years. He then 
came to Minussota with his parents and settled in 
this township iu section eighteen, which has since 
been his home. He is at present school Clerk (or 
district No 90. 

Joseph K. Southwiok was born in Moummith 
county, New Jersey, on the 12th of May, 1832. 
For a time he was engaged in rnnuing a saw-mill, 
and in 1848, moved to Indiana where he speut si.K 
years, then retnrned to his native place. On the 
10th of February, 1856, he was joined in marri- 
age with Miss Susan Williams. They have had nine 
children, seven of whom are living. In 18G9, he 
came west to Minnesota and purchased his farm 
which has since been his home. He is one of the 
school Directors in district No. 90. 

Fkanz Schneider was born in Germany on the 
5th of April, 1830, and in 1856, emigrated to 
America; first located in Wisconsin, where he en- 
gaged in farming until 1878, then removed to this 
place and bought his present farm of one hundred 
and thirty-six acres. Mr. Schneider has been 
married; first on the 4th of April, 1857, to Miss 
Mary Hienz, who bore him eight children, six of 
whom are still living. .She died fm the 9th of 
September, 1879. The maiden name of liis pres- 



ent wife was Miss Johanna Gudenschwager, whom 

he married on the 2d of June, 1882. 

WiLLi.\M Riley Soule was born in Albany 
county. New York, on the 22d of July, 1837. 
His father died when William was ten years old, 
leaving nine children dependent on their mother. 
In 1848, she removed to Watertowu, Wisconsin, 
our subject remaining with hi.s brother, B. F., in 
New York, until the next year, when they too 
moved to the same place. In 1850, William went 
to Iowa, and four years later came to Morristown, 
staking out land in section twenty-three, but be- 
ing too young to hold it he was offered and accep- 
ted $200 for it and the improvements, which con- 
sisted of some house logs, four thousand rails, and 
ten acres broken. In March, 1855. he removed to 
his present place on section thirty-three, and soon 
returned to Wisconsin for his mother, brothers, and 
sisters. In 1805, he enlisted in the First Minne- 
sota Heavy Artillery, Company L. ; was in several 
skirmishes and at the close of the war received an 
honorable discharge at Nashville, Tennessee, and 
came directly home. He has been elected to local 
offices several times, but refused to serve. He was 
m-irried on the 21st of February, 1880, to Miss 
Mary E. Veal and the union has been blessed with 
one child, Rebecca Jane. His mother died the 
llthof Julv, 1876. 



»->= 



50fi 



INDEX. 



INDEX. 



EXPLOEEES AND PIONEEES OF MINNESOTA. 



PAGE 

Abraham. Plains of 1 

Accault (Aku) IMichael. cinnpan- 

ion of Heuneiiin. 10, IS, 'AS, 23, 2i, 26 

Described In- La belle 18 

Leader of Mississippi Explo- 
rations 19 

Achiganaga arrested by Perrot. . . 12 
Tried for murder before Du 

Luth 13 

Aiouez, see loways 

Albanel. Jesuit missionary at 

Sault St. Marie 11 

AUouez, Jesuit missionary visits 

La Pointe 4 

Meets the Sioux at the ex- 
tremity of Lake Superior.. 4 

Ames, M. E., early lawyer 122 

Anderson, Captain in British ser- 
vice 81 

Andrews, Joseph, killed by Sifise- 

tnn Sioux 92 

Aquipaguetin. Sioux chief men- 
tioned by Hennepin 21, 27 

Assineboines 2, 9, 23, 43, 46. 65 

Augelle, .\nthony, alias Pieard 

du Guy. associate of Hennepiu 

10, 18, 23, 21, 26 

Ayer, Frederick, missionary to 

Ojibwavs 107 

Baker, B. F., Indian trader 112 

Bailly. Alexis, drives cattle to 

Pembina 93 

Member of Legislature 93 

Biloombe, St. A. D 127 

Bilfour, Captain 62 

Bass, 3. W., early settler at St. 

Paul 116 

Beauharnois, Governor, favors 

Verendrye 68 

B'^aujeau, urged by Langlade of 

Wisconsin, defeats Br.addock.. 61 
BcUin alludes to Fort Itouge on 

Ued river 87 

Fort on St. Croix river 112 

Beltrami. G. C, notice of 93 

Discovers northern sources of 

the Mississippi 94 

Bishop, Harriet E., establishes 

schoolatSt. Paul Ill 

Blue Earth Kilmer explored 4.1, 47 

D'Evaque visits 48 

B'>al, J. M., early settler at St. 

Paul in;, 118 

Bottineau, J. B., exposed in a 

snow storm 102 

Jloisguillot, early trader on Wis- 

(Nuisin and Mississippi 32 

i;<iuclu!r, I*i(!rre, described Lake 

Siiperior copper mines 7 

Father of Sieur do Le Per- 

rierc 51 

Boudor trades with the Sioux 48 

Attacked liy tlu; I^'oxes 49 

Bougainville, mentions Indian 

tri i»os seen by Verendrye 60 

Boutwell. Uev. \V. T., Ojibway 

missionary 11)6, 113 

Removes to Stillwater Ill 

Noticeof stillw.ater Ill 

Eraddock's defeat 61 



PAGES 1 TO 123. 

^.^GE 
Bremer, Frederka, Swedish nov- 
elist in Minnesota 122 

Brisbin, J. B 127 

Brisbois, Lieutenant in British 

service 81 

Brissette, Edward, notice of 114 

Brown, Joseph K.. drummer boy 

at FortSnelling 95 

Trading Post at Lake Trav- 
erse 102 

Keeps a grog shop for sol- 
diers 103 

At Grey Cloud Island 113 

Member of Wisconsin Leg- 
islature 113 

Makes a towu site near 

Stillwater 113 

Secretary of Council 1819.. 119 

Bruce, trader at Green Bay 63 

Brunson, Key. A., Methodist Mis- 
sionary Ill, 113 

Brunson, B. W 119 

Brusky, Charles, Indian tr.ader.. 77 
Bulwer, Sir E. L.. translaticm of 

Sioux Death Sonfr 67 

Cameron, Murdock, sells liquor 

to Indians 74 

Campbell. Colin, interpreter 92 

Carver's Cave mentioned... .06. 78 81 
Carver. Capt. Jonathan, early life 

of 64 

In battle of Lake George 64 

Arrival at M.xckinaw 64 

Describes the fort at Green 

Bay Bi 

Visits Winehago Village 61 

Visits Fox Village 64 

Describes Prairie du Chien... 64 
Describes earth works at 

Lake Pepin 65 

Describescave at St. Paul 66 

Describes Falls of St. Au- 

thony 66 

Describes Minnesota river. . . 66 

Describes funeral rites 67 

Translation of Bulwer ana 

Herschell 67, 68 

His alleged deed for Sioux 

land 70 

Grandsons of, visit Minne- 
sota 82 

Charlevoix on La Hon tan's fab- 
rications 96 

On Le Sueur's mining opera- 
tions 45 

Chatfield, A. G., Territorial 

Julge 125 

Chouart, Medard, see Crroselliers 

Chiistinaux mentioned !43, 44 

Clark, Lt. Nathan, at Fort Snel- 

ling 90 

Letters from Gen . ( i i bson 94 

Coe, Rev. Alvan, visits Fort Snel- 

lingin 1829 106 

Convention to form a State Con- 
stitution 128 

Cooper, David, Territorial Judge 118 
Copper mines of Lake Superior, 

Early uotice of 7 

Notice of lele Royal 7 



PAGE 

Notice of Ontaiiag..;; 7 

Copper mines spoken of hy 

Talon, A. D., 1669 7 

Cociuard, Father, accompanies 

Verendrye 60 

Mentions Kocky Mountain 

Indians 60 

Dakotahs or Dahkotahs.see Sioux 

D'Avagour. Governor of Canada. 

opinion of the region West of 

Lake Superior i 

Day, Dr. David 124 

De Gonor, Jesuit, visits Lake 

Pepin 51, 68 

Keturn to Canada 64 

Couver.ses with Verendrye..! 68 
De la Barre, Governor, notices 

Du Luth 11 

De la Tour. Jesuits missionary..! 13 
DelaTiuiiette. Greysoloa, broth- 
er of Du Luth 16 

Denis, Canadian voyageur, joins 

Le yueur 42 

Denonville. Governor, attacks 

Seneccas 15 

Orders Du Luth to build a 

„*'urt-- 16 

Send^ for western allies 30 

Commissions Du Luth 32 

Denton, Rev. D., missionaJy to 

Sioux Ill 

D'Esprit, Pierre, seeRadissoii.!!! 
D'Kvaque, in charge of Fort 

L'HuiUier 48 

Devotion, M , sutler at Fort 

Suelling 91 

D'Iberville, Gov., criticises Hen- 
nepin 28 

Relative of Le Sueur 39 

Dieskau, Baron 61 

Dickson, Col. Robert, visits Lt. 

Pike 77 

Trad ing post at Grand Ilapids 78 

At Jlendota 78 

During war of 1.^12 80, 81 

At Lake Traverse 89 

At FortSnelling 93, 96 

William, Sim of Robert 98 

Du Chesneau, intendant of Can- 
ada, complains of Duluth 11 

Du Luth, Daniel Grevsolon, early 

lifeof 9 

Various spellings of his name 6 
Establishes a Fort at Kaman- 

istigoya 9 

Descends the St. Croix river 

11, 112 
Arrests and executes Indians 

at Sault St. Marie 11 

Brintrs allies to Niagara, for 

De la Barre 15 

Establishes a Fort on Lake 

Erie 15 

Returns to Lake Erie with hia 

cousin Tonty "^ 16 

Brother of, from Lake Nepi- 

gon 16 

In command at Fort Fronte- 

nac 16 

Death of 17 



INDEX. 



597«" 



i' VtlE 

At FaiJs ul St. Aiith^^y IS, 'ili 

Meets IleniK.jiu 25 

Tribute to 27 

His t'tur from Lake Superior 

to Mississippi 112 

IMcets Afcault :md Hennepin 112 

Du Pay, a vuyageur 10 

Durantayc, commander at Mack- 
inaw x\ 

At Tieonderojja tVi 

At N-ajjara 15 

Ely. E. F., mis^; -nary teacher... lio 
Enjali •. .Jesuit missionary at 

SauU St. Maire II. 13 

FatTart. interpreter for Da Luth lU 

Visits the Sioux 11 

Falls of Saint Anthony, first 

white man at 25 

Firstmill at US, HI 

Described by L^SiUc HI 

Described bvHennr^piii.2L25, 2(i 

Descrilied by Lt.Z.M.Pikc. 75. 7() 

Descrilifd ity ^lajor Luni^ 85 

First newsjiaper at 123 

Bridge, tirst across Missis- 
sippi 12rt 

Fisher, tra ler at Green Biy 03 

Fitch, pioneer ia St. Croix Val- 
ley 112 

Flat Month, Ojibwav Chief, vis- 
its Fort SnelUn*,'. A. D. 1SJ7 .... 97 
Forsyth. Major Th<»mas, accom- 

ftanies tirst troops to Fort Sncl- 

in^ 91 

Pays Indians for reservation. . . 91 
Fort Beauharnois established A. 

D. 1727. at Lake Pepin 51. 52 

Commanded by St. Pierre, 50, 57 

Fort Crawford UH) 

La Reine. oii River Assine- 

boine :W, H7 

Le Sueur, below Ilasting.s ... 37 
L'HuiUier on Blue Karth 

river 43 

Left in charge of D'Evaiiue 47 

McKay 81 

Perrot, at Lake Pepin 29 

Shelbj', at Prairie du Chien 

80. 81 
Fort Snelliug site secured by Lt. 

Pike 75 

Troops for, at Prairie du 

Cliien 90 

Birth of Charlotte Ouiscon- 

sin Chirk 90 

Col. Le; venworth arrives at 

Mend< ti 91 

First officers at cantonment. . 91 
Major Taliaferro Indian 

agen t at 91 

Cass and Schoolcraft visits. . 92 
Col. Siieliing .succeeds Leav- 
enworth . , 92 

Events of A. D. 1S21 93 

Advance in buildinii 93 

Events of A. D. l^22. A. D. 

1H23 93 

First steamboat at 93 

Beltrami, the Italian, at.. 93, 94 

Blajor H. S. Lon^ arrives at. . 94 

Government null uear 91 

Sunday School at 94 

EventsofA. D 1H21 95 

General Scott suggests name 

for fort 95 

Euents of A. D. 1825 and 1H2(3, 9fi 

Mail arrival at SKi 

Great snowstorm I\[arch.l82H, 90 

High water at. April 2!. 182«. 97 
Slaves belonging to oflicers 

at 97 

Steamboac arrivals to close 

of ls2f) 97 

General Gaines censures Col- 
onel of 97 

EventsofA. D. 1827 9S 

Flat Mouth. Ojibway chief. 

visits, in 1827 93 

Col. Sneliing delivers mur- 
derers for execution 99 

Construction of. criticised by 

General Gaines 100 

Rev. Alva Coe in 1829 preach- 
es at 106 



1 AOii 

J. N. NicoUut arrives at 102 

Marriages at Ht2. Hi8, 120 

Steamer Palmyra at. in July, 
ls:i,s, with notice of ratifica- 

tion of Indian treaties 112 

Indian council held at. by 

(Jovernor Uamsey 121 

Fort St. Anthony, uow'Snellmg. . 95 
St. Ciiarles, on Lake of the 

W(tods 58 

St. Joseph, on Lake Erie, es- 

tal)Iished by Du Luth 10 

St. Pierre, on Rainy Lake.... 58 

Literview with Perrot 81 

Mentioned. 33. 37, 38, 48, Ui. 51, 55 
Franklin, Sir Jf»hn. relics of, pass 

thrc>u;,'h St. Paul 12M 

Frontfiiac. Governor of Canada. U) 

Friend of Duluth 11 

Encourages Le >neur 39 

B'razer, trader 78 

Fuller. Jerome, Territorial Chief 

Justice 123 

Furber. J. W 127 

Gal tier. Rev. L.. builds first 

chapel in St. Paul 114 

Gavin. Key. Daniel missi<)nary. . Ill 
Gibson, General, letters relative 

to St. Anthony np:tl 94 

(lillan. Gapt. Zachary, of Bos- 
ton, accompanied by Grosel- 
lirs and Kidi.sson, sails for 
Iludsim's Bay in ship None- 
such 5 

Goodhue. James M., first Minne- 
sota editor 117 

Death of 121 

Goodrich, Aaron, Territorial 

Judge 118 

Gorman. Willis A. Governor 125 

Gorrell. Lieut, at Green Bay 62 

Graham. Duncan, arrives at Fort 

Sneliing 100 

Grant trader at Sandy Lake, vis- 
ited' by Pike 77 

Gravier. Father James, criticises 

Hennepin 28 

Greeley. Elam Hi9 

Griffing La Salle's ship 10 

Voyage to Green Bay 19 

Grignod, Cabtain in British ser- 
vice 78, 81 

Groselliers. Sieur. early life 1. ti 

Visits Mille Lacs region 2 

iMoets the Assineboiues 2 

Visits Hudson's Bay 4 

Name given to what is now 

Pigeon river 5 

Visits New England G 

Encouraged by Prince Ru- 
pert 5 

Death of 6 

Guignas, Father, missionary at 

Fort Beauharnois 51 

Guignas, Father, captured by In- 
dians 54 

Returns to Lake Pepin .5t) 

Gun, grandson of Carver 82 

Hall. Rev. Sherman, Ojibway 

missionary li)7 

Moves to Sauk Rapids HI 

Hayner. H. Z., Chief Justice of 

Territory 12t 

Hempstfacl accompanies Major 

Long. A. D. 1817 82 

Hennepin, Louis, Franciscan mis- 
sionary, early life of 19 

Depreciates Jesuits 18 

At Falls of St. Anthony 

Hi* 22, 24, 25 

Denounced by La Salle 19 

Chaplain of La Salle 2<) 

At Lake Pepin 22 

Met byDu Luth 25 

Careor on return to Europe. . 25 

His later days 28 

Opinion of Jesuit Missions.. 106 

Henniss C. J.. Editor 122 

nerschell. Sir John, translates 
Schiller's song, Son of Sioux 

Chief 63 

Historical Society, first public 

meeting 119 

Hobart. Rev. 1!0 



i'AUE 

Holcomb. Capt. William 110 

Hole in-the-Day, the father at- 
tacks tlie Sioux 103 

Hole-in-the-Day. Junior attacks 

Sioux near St. Paul 121 

On first sti?amboat above falls 

of St. Anthony 121 

Howe, early settler at Marine. . .. 113 
Huggins. Alexander, mission 

farmer 107 

Hurons (irl ve.n to Minnesota 2 

At war with the Sioux 4 

Indiana Territ<)ry organized 73 

Indians of Mississippi Valley, 
earliest comniunication about. 46 
Upper Missouri, seen by Ver- 

endrye 60 

Minnesota. 104 

lowavs. visited by Hurons 2 

Visit Perrot at Lake Pepin... 29 
Iroquois, Virgin, her intercession 

Bouj'ht by Du Luth 17 

Isle, Pelee, of the Mississippi, 

below St. Croix River 37 

Isle Royal, c()pper in 10^57, noticed 7 

Itasca, origin of word 107 

Jackson. Ilenrv, early settler in 

St. Paul ." 114, 115 

Jemeraye, Sieur de la, with the 

Sioux 56 

Explores to Rainy Lake.. 58, 59 

Death of 59 

Jesuit. Father AUouez 4 

Chardon 52 

De Gonor 51 

De la Chasse 51 

Guignas 51, 54. 55, 56 

Marquette 5 

Menard 2, 3 

Messayer 58 

Jesuit missions unsuccessful 106 

Johnson. Parsons K 119 

Judd, early settler at Marine 113 

Kaposia, Chief, requests a mis- 
sionary 114 

Kennerman, Pike's sergeant 79 

Kickapoos, at Fort Perrot 80 

Capture French from Lake 

Pepin 54 

King, grandson of Carver 82 

LaHontan, his early life 35 

Ascent of the Fox River 35 

Criticised Carlevoix 36 

Noticed by Nicollet 36 

Laid low travels from Selkirk set- 
tlement to I'rairie du Chien 91 

At Fort Sneliing 83 

Lae (^ui Parle Mission 109 

Lake Calhoun, Indian farm es- 
tablished 106 

Lake Harriet missirm described.. 109 
Lake Pepin, called Lake of Tears 

Described in A. D. 17(0 41 

Fort Perrot at 29 

Fort Beauharnois at 53 

Lake Pokeguma Mission 109 

La .Mtmde. a voyager lo 

Landsing. trader, killed 63 

Lambert, David, early settler in 

St. Paul 118 

Lambert, Henry A., early settler 

in St. Paul 119 

Langlade, (»f Green Bay, urges 

attack of ikaddoek 61 

La Pt-rriere, Sieur de, proceeds to 

Sioux country 81 

S<m of Pierre Boucher 51 

Arrives at Lake Pepin 52 

La I'orte, see Lovigny 

La Potherie describes Fort Per- 
rot at Lake Pepin 29 

Larpcnteur, A., early settler in 

St. Paul 116 

La Salle licensed to trade in Buf- 
falo robes 10 

Criticises Du Luth 10, 18 

First to aescribe Upper Mis- 
sissippi 18 

Describes falls of St. .Anthony 19 

La Tanjiine. see Moreau 

Laurence. Phineas, pioneer at St. 

Croix Valley 113 

Leach. Calvin, a founder of Still- 
water U» 



598 



INDEX. 



PAGE 

Lead inineB on MiRsissippi 33 

Leavenworth, Colonel, ewtab- 

lishes Fort Snelling 90 

Le^ardeur. Augrustine. associfttc 

of Herrot 33 

Leiiislature. Territorial.... lilt to 127 

' First State Legislature \'1% 

Leslie. Lt., command at Macki- 
naw 62 

L'Huillier. Fort, why named 43 

Le Sueur, associated with Per- 
rot. builds a Fort below Has- 

tiuLTs 82 

At Lake Pepin in lti8;j and 

ir.H9 :i7. -JO 

At La Ponte of Lake Supe- 
rior, 1692 37 

Brings first Sioux chief to 

Montreal 37, S3 

Visits France.. 38 

Arrives in Gulf of Mexico... 39 
Passes Perrot's lead mines... 40 

At the iiiver St. Croix 42 

Holds a council with the 

Sicmx 44 

Returns to Gulf of Mexic<).45, 74 
LihViev. Washington, pioneer at 

St. Oroix Falls 113 

Li^'iicry, commands at Macki- 
naw no 

At Fort Duquesne 61 

Linctot. commander at Macki- 

n;tw. ill 

Littl^Crow, Sioux chief, goes in 

IVJ 1 to Washington S5 

L(>n<4. Major Stephen H.. tour to 

St. Anthony. A. D. 1S17 82 

Burial place 83 

Kaposia Village 86 

Carver's cave 84 

St. Anthony Falls 85 

Opinion of the site of Fort 

Snelling 86 

Loomis, Captain Gustavus A., 

U.S. A 108 

Loomis. D. B., early settler of St. 

Croix Valley 122 

Loras, Bishop of Dubuque lU9 

Louisiana, transfer of 73 

Lowry, Sylvanus. early settler... 127 

Macalester College 125 

Mackinaw re-occupied 5n 

Presbyterian mission at 106 

Rev. Dr. Morse visits 19t) 

Robert Stuart resides at lo6 

Rev. W. M. Ferry, mission- 
ary at IftS 

Maginnis makes a claim at St. 

Croix Falls 112 

Map by Franquelin indicates Du 

Lnth's explorations 9 

Marcst. James Joseph, Jesuit 
missionary, signs the papers 
taking possession of the Upper 

Mississippi •• 82 

Letter to Le Sueur 39 

Marin, Lamiirque de, French offi- 
cer 60 

Marine, early settlers at 112 

Marshall, Hon. W. R. mentioned, 

\\'\ 126 

Marquette. Jesuit missionary at 

La Point.e 4 

Martin, Abraham, pilot 1 

Maskoutcns mentioned 87 

Massacre Island. Lake of the 

Woods origin of the name .^9 

McGillis. Hugh.N- W. Co. Agent, 

Leech Lake 78 

McGregor, English trader ar- 
rested 1!) 

McKay, trader from .Mbany 03 

Lt. Col. William attacks 

Praric du Chien 81 

McKeau, EUas, a founder of Still- 
water 113 

McKenzie, old trader S7 

McKusick J., a founder of Still- 
water 113 

McLean, Nathaniel, editor 119 

McLeod, Martin, exposed to snow 

storm 102 

Menard Rene, Jesuit missionary 
letterof 2 



PAGE 

Among the Ottowas of Lake 

Superior 3 

M-^dary, Governor. Samuel 127 

Meeker, B. B., Territorial Judge 

118, 119 
Messaver. Father, accompanies 

the Verendrye expedition f»8 

Miami Indians visited by Perrot, 30 
Ask for a trading post on Mis- 

sippi 33 

Mill, lirst in Minuesr.ta 93, 98 

Mi lie Lacs Sioux visited by Du 

Luth 9 

Hennepin 22 

Minnesota, meaningof the word, 116 

River, first steamboat in 122 

Historical Society 119 

Territory, proposed bounda- 
ries 115 

Convention at Stillwater ll.i 

When organized 117 

First election 118 

First Legislature 118 

First counties organized 119 

Recognized as a -State 128 

Mitchell, Alexander M., U. S. 

Marshal IIS 

Candidate for Congress 125 

Missions, Jesuit 5. 16. i06 

Mission Stations lllB to 111 

Missirmaries. Rev. A Ivan Ctn' 

visits Fort Snelling 107 

Frederick Ayer 107 

W. T. Boutwell 107 

F.F.Ely, (teacher ) IdS 

Mr. Denton Ill 

Sherman Hall 107 

Daniel Gavin. Ill 

John F. Alton Ill 

Robert Hopkins 117 

Gideon H. Pond Iti7 

Samuel W. Pond 107 

J. W- Hancock Ill 

J. D. Stevens 107 

S. R. Riggs Ill 

T. S. Williamson, M. D in; 

M.N. Adams Ill 

Rloreau, Pierre, with Du Luih at 

Luke Superior 9 

Morrison, William, old t:nder,73, 67 
Mnss. Henry L., tf. S. District 

Attorney 118 

Nadowaysioux, see Sioux 

N'-wspapers, first in St- Paul 

117 to 123 
Nicolet, Jean, first white trader 

in Wisconsin 1 

Nicollet. J. N., astronomer and 

geologist 102 

Nivervule, Boucher de, at Lake 

Winnipeg' 60 

Norris, J. S 120 

North, J. W 122. 128 

Northwest company trading posts 73 
N >ue. Robertal dela, rr-occupies 
Du Luth's post at the head of 

Lake Superior 50 

Ochagacbs, draws a map for Ve- 
rendrye 58 

Mentioned by the geographer 

Bellin 87 

Ojigways or Chippewas. . . .30, 31, 37 

Early residence of 105 

Principal villageB of 105 

Of Lake Pokeguma attacked 110 

Treaty of 1837 112 

Oliver, Lieut. U. S. A., detained 

by ice at Hastings 91 

01nistead,8. B 126 

Olmsted, David, President of 

first council 119 

Candidate for Congress 122 

Editor of Democrat 125 

One Eyed Sioux, alias I'ourgne 
Original Leve, Rising I^Ioose.. 85 
Loyal to America during war 

of 1812 81 

Ottawas. their migrations 2 

OLtoes, mentioned* 42, 43, 41 

Ouasicoude. ( Wah-zee-ko-tay ) 
Sioux chief mentioned by Hen 

nepin 23, 27 

Owens. John P.. editor 123 



PAGK 

Pacific Ocean, route to 

3K, ro, 58, 6 J, 69 

Persons. Rev. J. P 119 

Potron, uncle of Du Luth H 

Penicaut describes Fort Perrot.. 29 
Fort Le Sueur on Isle Pelee. . 37 

Mississippi river -12 

Describes Fort L'Huillier... 47 
Pennensha, French trader among 

the Sioux 53 

Pere see Peirot. 

Perkins, Lt. U. S. A., in charge of 

E< -rt Shel by 80 

Perrierre, see L- Perrierre. 
l\rrot, Nicholas, arrests Achiga- 

naga at Lake Superior 12 

Early days of 20 

Account of Father Menard's 
ascent of the Mississippi 

and Black Rivers 2 

Suspected of poisoning La 

Salle 29 

Associated with Du Luth 29 

Presents a silver ostensorium 30 

In the Seneca expedition 31 

His return to Lake Pepin' 31 

Takes possession of the coun- 
try 32 

Conducts a convoy from Mon- 
treal VA, 38 

Establishes a post on Kala- 
mazoo river 31 

Threatened with death by 

Indians 38 

Peters, Rev. Samuel, interested 

in the Carver claim 70,71, 96 

Petuns, seeHurons. 

Phillips, W. D., early lawyer at 

St Paul llii. 119 

Pike, Lt. Z. M.: U- S. army at 

Prairie du Chien ,. 74 

Address to Indians 74 

Description of Falls of St. 

Anthony 75, 76 

Block house at Swan River.. 77 

At Sandy Lake 77 

At Leech Lake .\. 78 

.A.t Dickson's trading post... 78 

Confers with Little Crow 78 

Pinchon, see Pennensha. 
Pinchon, Fils de. Sioux chief, 

confers with Pike 78 

Editor of Dakotah Friend... 122 
Interpreter at treaty of 1851. 124 
Pond, Rev. Samuel W- notifies 

the agent of a Sioux war party 103 
Porlier. trader near Sauk Rapids 

76, 78 

Poupob, leadore, killed bj Sisse- 

ton Sioux 92 

Prairie du Chien described by 

Carver 64 

During war of 1812-1815 80 

McKav at 81 

Pr(Bcott> Philander, early life... 91 
Piiivencalle. loyal to America in 

warof 1812 81 

(^uinn, Peter 103 

Raelos. Madeline, wife of Nicho- 
las Perrot 34 

Kadisson, Sieur, early life and 

marriage 2 

Rae, Dr., Arctic explorer at St. 

Paul \U 

Ramsey, Hon. Alexander, first 

G o vernor 117 

Guest of H. H. Sibley at Men- 

dota 118 

Becomes a resident of St. 

Paul 118 

Holds Indian council at Fort 

Snelling 121 

Randin. visits extremity of Lake 

Superior 110 

Ravoux, Rev. A., Sioux mission- 
ary 109 

Reaume, Sieur. interpreter 52 

Red River of the >(orth, 'men- 
tioned 87 

Renville, Joseph, mention of. .76, 109 

Ren vil le. John 109 

llepublican convention at St. An- 
thony 126 

JUice, Hon. Henry M., steps to or- 



INDEX. 



r>i»9 



TAHE 

ganizc Minnesota Territory, 115. 110 
]''Iertod tc» Congress .....125, \'1\\ 

U. 8. Senator I2S 

KtrhardH, F. S., trader at Lake 

Pepin 117 

Rig^s, Kev. S. 11., Sioux mission- 
ary, letter of HI 

Itohninette, pioneer in St. Croix 

Valley 112 

Robertson, Daniel A., editor, .124. 125 
liogers. Captain, at Ticoniieroffa 02 

In charge at Mackinaw ti2, 66 

Uolette, Joseph, Sr., in the Brit- 
ish service 81 

Ilolette, Joseph. Jr 127 

Koseboom. English tr.idcr, ar- 
rested near !\Iacninaw 15 

Roseboora. trader at Green Bay. 03 
Kosser, J. T., Secretary of Ter- 
ritory 125 

Hnssell, Jeremiah, pioneer in St. 

Croix Valley Ul9, 112 

Scgard, in 1836 notices Lake Su- 
perior copper 7 

Saint Anth'inv Express, first pa- 
per beyoiul St. Paul 12" 

Saint Anthony Falls. Suspension 

bridge over ]?n 

fyovernment mill at 93, 91 

St. Croix county organized HI 

Court in lU 

Saint Croix river, orii^in of 

name ,42, V.'l 

Du Luth hrst explorer of , ... 112 

Pioneers in Valley of 112 

Early preachers in valley of. 113 

Saint Paul, origin of name I H 

Early Settlers of ill 

High water in 1850 121 

Firt^t execution for murder .. 121 
Effort to remove seat of gov- 
ernment therefrom 127 

Saint Pierre, Captain, at Lake 

Superior U) 

At Lake Pepin 55, 05 

Commander at Mackinaw 61 

At Fort La Heine 60 

I" N. W. Pennsylvania 60, 61 

Visited by Washington 00 

Saskatchewan, tirst visited by 

French .'i9 

Fort at 6U 

Schiller, versifies a Sioui chief's 

speech 67 

Sct)tt, Dred, slave at Fort SnelU 

ing 97 

Scott. General Winfield. suggests 

the name of Fort SnelUng 103 

Selkirk, Earl, Thomas Douglas.. 87 
Semple, Governor of Selkirk set- 
tlement, killed.. 83 

Senecas defeated by the French, 15 
Shea, J. G., on failure to estab- 
lish Sioux mission 1^6 

Sherburne Moses, Judge I'i5 

;>hields, Gen. James, elected U. 

S. Senator 128 

Sibley, Hon. H. H., at Stillwater 

convention 115 

Delegate to Congress from 



PAdE 

Wisconsin Territory 116 

l'',Iecte(l delegate to ("'ongress 122 

Sii 'U.K. origin of the wonl 1 

IVeiiliar langnagi; of 1 

Villages visited hy Du Luth.. 9 

Described by Cadillac 10 

Meet .\ccault and Hennepin, 

19, 20 

Of Mille Laos 22 

Nicolas Pcrrot 29 

Described by Perrot 31 

I\Teaning of the wor(i 101 

Different bands of lOl 

Warpay twawus I(t5 

Seeseetwawns 105 

Mantantaws 32. 41 

Sissetons 32 

OujalespoitoDS 43, \\ 

Chief's speech to Fionteriac. :'S 

Chief's death at M(»nfre:il :*s 

Chief visits Fort L'iliiillier, -13 

In council with Le Sueur It 

Visited, by Jesuits 51 

A foil to the Foxes 55 

Bands desciihed by Cirver. . . 05 
Chief's speech described by 

Carver 67 

LangungCj Carver's views on ti'.t 
Chief, Original Leve, Pike's 

friend 75. Hi 

Formerly dwelt at Leech 

Lake 78 

Sisseton murderer brought to 

Fort Snelling 92 

In ccmncil with Ojibways ... 9t 
Sioux Delegation in A. D. 1S21, 

go to Washington 95 

Delivered by Col, Snellin^'.. . 99 

Executed by Ojibways 99 

Killed by Ojibways, April, 

183.S 103 

Attack Lake Pokeguma band 

in 1811 110 

Are attacked in 1842 lU 

Treaties of 1851 123 

Attacked in St. Paul by Ojib- 
ways .' 125 

^■impso^. early settler in St. Paul 114 

naves. African, in Minnesota 97 

Smith. C. K., first Secretary of 

Territory 1 1 H 119 

Snelling. Col. Josiah, arrives at 

Fort Snelling 92 

Delivers Sioux assassins to 

Ojibways 99 

Death of 101 

W. Joseph, son of Colonel, 

career of 97 

Pasquinade on N. P. Willis... 98 
Steele, Franklin, pioneer of St. 

Croix Valley 112, 113 

At Stillwater Convention, 

1848 115 

Stevens, Kev. J. D 106. 108 

Stillwater, battle between Sioux 

and Ojibways 103 

Founders of H3 ' 

Land slide iu 1852 124 i 

Strattim, pioneer in St. Croix 1 

Valley 112, 113 I 



PAOE 

StuRrt, Robert, at Mackinaw, in- 

Uuerice of \m 

Swiss emigrants, at Red Uiver... 89 
Taliaferro. Maj. Lawreiu'c, agent 

for tlie Sioux, notice of 91 

iiCttor to C(d. Levenworth.. 92 
Takes Lidians to Washington 

A. D. 1S24 95 

Tanner, John, stolen from his 

parents 88 

Tannery for P>uffalo skins 16 48 

Taylor, Jessie B., pioneer in St. 

Croix Valley 112 

Joshua L 118 

N. CJ. U., Speaker House of 

Representatives 1S54 126 

Speech to Gov. Frontenic 38 

Tegahkouita, Catherine, the Iro- 

<|uois virgin 17 

Terry, Elijah, murdered by Sioux 

at Pembina 124 

Thompson, David, geographer, 

N. W. Co 78 

Tonty. Henry, with Du Luth at 

Niagara 15 

Treaties of 1837 with Sioux and 

Ojihways 112 

Tuttle, C. A. .at Falla of St. Croix 112 
Uuivrsity of Minnesota creatctl 122 

Van Cleve, Gen. H. P 9-' 

Varennes, Pierre Gualtier, see 

Verendrye. 
Vercheres, in command at Green 

Bay 61 

Verendrye, Sieur, early life of . 58 
Expedition west of Like Su- 
perior 58 

Return to Lake of the Woods 95 
Sieur, Jr., accompanies St. 

Pierre 59, 61 

Wahkautape, Sioux chief visits 

J^e Sueur 43, 44 

Wahmatah, Sioux chief 95 

Wait, L B 119 

Wakefield, John A 116 

Wales, W. W 127 

Washington visits St. Pierre 60 

Welch. W. H. Chief Justice of 

Territory 125 

Wells, James, trader, married. .. 102 

At Lake Pepin 117 

Wilkin, Alexander, Secretary of 

Territory. 124 

Candidate for Congress 125 

Williamson, Rew. T- S., M. D. 

early life 107 

Organizes church at Fort 

Snelling 108 

Missionary at Lac qui Parle 

Kaposia 114 

Willis, N. P., lampoons Joseph 

Snelling 97 

Winnebagocs mentioned 40, 52 

Wisconsin River called Mescherz 

Obeda by La Salle 18 

Wolfe, General, death of 1 

Wood, trader amoni; Sioux 78 

Yeis;er, Captain at Fort Shelby.. 80 
Yuhazee, executed at St. Paul... 124 



-^^-■^yk-^^- 



ffilKl 



TXDFX. 



INDEX. 



OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 



Admission or the State 12fl 

Agricultural Biiildine 1(7 

AiiBtin, Horace. sketcE of 156 

Aldrich. CyruB. sketch of isi) 

Averill, John T., sketch of IMI 

Uattle of Pittsburg Lunding 133 

Fair Oaks 133 

Savage Station 133 

luka 134 

Corinth 131 

Gettysburg 137 

Biennial session of the Legisia- 

„ture 140 

Bancroft George, speech of 141 

Blind, Education of the OH 

(Javanaufh. James M., sketch of. LW 

Cavalry C'oinpaniob 133 

UeafandUumli Institution 117 

Davis. C. K., sketch of ].'i7 

Donnelly, Ignatius, sketch of 15(1 

Dunnell. Mark, M., sketch of... l.Vj 

Ed^erton. A. J., sketch of isg 

Eignth Minnesota Kegiment 137 

First State Legislature iffl 

F'irst steamboat on the Bed River 

of the Niirth ]3o 

First white person cteeuted. ...'." 130 
First .Minnesnta lii'j;imcnt. ... 131, 1.37 
Jifth JlinncKota lte<;iment. . .131, 137 
Fourth Jliunesota IJcgiment 137 



Page 129 to 150. 

Fifth State Legislature 138 

Fillmore, ex-President, speech 

of 141 

Flag presentation 143 

Gorman. Willis A., sketch of.!!! LIS 
Hubbard, Lucius F.. sketch of. . . 157 

Insane Hospital at St. Peter U9 

Rochester 1.50 

King. Wm. 8.. sketch of i.',D 

.Miller, Stephen, .sketch of ISS 

Marshall, W. It., sketch of 158 

McMillan, S. J. R., sketch of. . .. l.W 

Minnesota in the civil war 131 

Normal School act 130 

Northfield Bank, raid on .'! 139 

Noyes, J. L . sketch of 149 

Norton, Daniel S., sketch of ir>8 

P.tge, Judge, impeachment of 140 

Pillsbury^ J. S., sketch of ].'i7 

Phelps, Wm. W., sketch of if,a 

Poehler, Henry, sketch of 16' 1 

Itiilroad land grants I'^g 

Ramsey, Governor, tenders the 

services of his fellow-citizens 

to the President 131 

Religious instruction excluded 

from schools no 

Ramsey, Ale.-sander, sketch of !'!' 1.51 

Rice. Henry M.. sket-'h of isg 

Second State Legislature isu 



State railroad bonds issued 13 1 

Capital, history of ui 

In flames 14 1 

Penitentiary ! ! ! 144 

University '. !!!! 14.5 

Faculty !!!!!!! 147 

Campus and buildings !!! 147 

Reform School 1.50 

Normal Schools ! 151 

Second Minnesota Regiment. .132. 137 

Sharpshooters 132 

Sioux Outbreak !!!!!! 13.t 

Seward, Wm. H., speech of U'l 

School for the Feeble-minded.. 149 

Sibley, H. H.. sketch of 1.13 

Swift, H. A., sketch of irw 

Shields, James, sketch of.. " ir,8 

Stearns. O. P., sketch '.f ! ms 

Strait. Horace B., sketch of 159 

t^tewart. Jacob H.. sketch of.... 159 

Third Minnesota Regiment 133 

The Rocky Mountain Locu.st 139 

Women allowed to vote for 

school officers 131) 

Wilkinson, Mortons., sketch of ! 158 

Windom, William, sketch of 158 

Wilson, Eugene M. sketch of... l.ig 

VVasriburn, W. D.. sketch of l(i!i 

V or k town, siege of 133 



INDEX. 



STATE EDUCATION. 



Introdnction im 1(52 

Colonial Period '" ' ifi^ 

Education in 1787 !..'.!!! i(U 

State Aid ""ihV lO.") 

Education in Miunesoti.'.' .'.'.'!. . . ' kjJj 



Pu'^e ICl to 176. 

Board of Regents ''*im 

Land Grant J,"; 

State University. ii-.y 

Rt lated S.vi^teni 2 

btate School Funil. .!!!.!!!!!!!!! 171 



Local Ta.Tation 172 

Gr,adeil School System 172 

Equal rights 174 

A Common foe 175 

Results hojK'd for !!! 176 



noi 



TNDKX. 



INDEX. 



THE SIOUX MASSACRE OF 1862. 



Attack on the Upper Agency 186 

Attack on Fort xVbercrombie 239 

Battle of Birch Coolie 249 

Wood Lake 249 

New Ulm 217 

At Lower Agency Ferry 221 

Near Glencoe 228 

Of Fort A Ijercrombie 285 

Baker, Mrs., flight of 195 

Byrnee, Lieut., with forty-seven 

men starts from Minneapolis 

for Meeker and Kandijohi 

counties * 228 

Carver, Jonathan 177 

Causes of irritation preceding 

the massacre ISO 

( 'ovill's Mrs , statement 209 

Chittenden's Captain, letter to 

the "New Haven Palladium".. 213 
Cox, E. St. Julien, arrives to the 

relief of New Ulm 217 

Camp Release, white prisoners 

brought into 250 

Dodd, Capt. William B., death 

of 218 

Dead bodies are found and bur- 
ied in Meeker county 225 

Davis. Captain, ordered to the 

relief of Fort Abercrombie 235 

Expedition to Fort Leavenworth 219 
Fugitives on the wav to St. Peter 2!3 

Fight at LakeSlietek 215 

Fight at the wind-mill at New 

Ulm 217 

Fort Kidgely, siege of 222 

Forest City, troops arrive at 225 

Freeman, Captain, ordered to 

the relief of Fort Abercrombie 235 

Fort Abercrombie relieved 239 

Fortitications erected at Paynes- 

ville, Maine Prairie, St- Joseph, 



Fftffe 177 to 250. 

PAOR 

and Sank Centre 231 

Galbraith. Major, statement of. . 184 

Hennepin. Louis 177 

Detained by Indians 177 

Henderson, Mrs., horrible death 

of 201 

Hayden's. Mrs. Mary, statement. 2n2 

Huran's. Kcarn. statement 2u2 

Husbands and fathers search for 

their lost families 210 

Harrington's Mrs., weary wan- 
derings 211 

Hurd, .Mrs., starts for the settle- 
ments with her naked children 215 
Hostilities in the Bed liiver Val- 
ley 234 

Indian tribes in Minnesota in 

18G2 177 

Indian treaty at St. Louis 178 

Indian reservations 17S 

Indian life, sketch of 178 

Inilians. efforts to civilize 179 

Inkpaduta Mawacre 181 

Indians, thirty-eight hung at 

Mankato 254 

Indians, annuity, paid 1.H3 

Indian chiefs at cnurch 1h8 

Indian officials changed 188 

Indians, large numbers of, ar- 
rive at YeUow Medicine 193 

Indians forcibly enter the ware 

house of Yellow Medicine 103 

Indian atrocities 204 

Indians attack Colonel Sibley's 

camp at Wood Lake 240 

Indian sympathizers 251 

Jones'. Sergeant faithful vigil... 187 

Jonfs. Mr., the first victim 195 

Koch's Mrs., escape 215 

Little Crow, deatn of 25ti 

Statement by uhjh of il56 



PANE 

MurmnnngrB of the impending 
storm '04 

Massacre begins 1H5 

Massacre at the L(.wer Agency.. 197 
Massacre at the German settle- 
ment 201 

Massacre at Lake Shetek 215 

Massacre extends into Dakota. . . 216 

Massacre at N'irw;ty Lake 2H0 

Murder of .\nn>s Huggins 2lfi 

Marsh, Capt. killed 22J 

Memorial to the President 2'2 

M i collet c< »un ty the scene of 

bloodshed 212 

New Ulm, citizens evacuate 219 

Other Day, John, rescues whites. 205 

Death of 206 

Prichette, Major, at YeUi>w :\I('d- 
icine in 1H57, holds a council 

with the annuity Indiatis 1R2 

Prescott. Philander, murdered.. 1<,'8 

Patoile's escape 205 

Robert's. Louis, store attacked.. 198 
Iledwood River Agency attacked 199 
Biggs, Rev. S. B.. escape of, and 

other? 207 

Refugees at St. Peter 217 

Rescue of women prisoners by 

the Wap<Hon Sioux 182 

Spencer's Mrs., story 197 

Strouts'. Capt . party attacked.. 227 
Trading post at Big Stone Lake 
destroyed and the whites 

killed 214 

Thomas. Kslph. statement 219 

War dance at the Upper Agency. 186 

Whiton's, Mrs statement.. 211 

Wabasha surrenders and is fol- 
lowed by over 2.UU0 wairiors... 250 




^tjHIJfl " 



602 



INDEX. 



INDEX, 



HI.STORY OF KICE OOITNTT. 



GENEKAL HISTOHY. 

Page 263-317. 

Agricultural 

(-'t'nwiis from 1850 — '80 

CV'Dtennial celebration 

Clerk of Court 

County organization 

County Cioverumeut 

County otTicers 

County Associations 3112 

Crops 

i)(>scrii)tive 

Description of Townships — 2iJi 

Documents 

Drainajje 

Early settlers 2i>!l 

(•Educational. 308 

Faribault Herald 281 

Karibault Kepublicau 

Financial report 21)1 

Frosts 

General remarks 31ti 

Geology 2fi:i 

(inpiier hunt 

ItHliatis 277 

Limestones 207 

Ladies' Aid Society 

Minnesota admitted as a state — 

Maps 

Newspapers _. .304 

Ort;ani/.ation of school districts.. 

Population in 18.")r> 

Kai Iroads aoti 

Keiiistry of Deeds 

Heli^'iouB 311 

Salaries of county officers 

Senators 

Situation and area 

Soldiers' Aid Society 

Surface and soil 

Timber 2tjt) 

Transfer of lands 

Voting precincts 

War meeting 

War record 2(l.'i 

CITY OK FAKIBAULT. 

Page 318—396. 

.\ccidental shotiting 

A Catamount shot 

.Additions 

AmlxT cane company 32S 

.\n avalanche 

]5ariking houses 

liarron Ilouse Imrned 

Biou'raphical 302 

Breweries 

Burned to death 

Business houses 

Business men 

'Bus line 

Catholic church burned 

Cemetery Association 

Churches 354 

Cigar factory 

City Government 

Congregational cliurch dedicated 
Corner stone i>f Shitttuck gram- 
mar school laid 



294 
293 
277 
291 
•2S4 
285 
•287 
314 
278 
•263 
265 
•291 
'2B4 
271 
311 
283 
304 
292 
294 
317 
268 
318 
•281 
268 
•295 
■286 
3j5 
3U5 
286 
•278 
307 
290 
312 
•288 
•293 
•263 
297 
■264 
•267 
291 
•285 
■295 
303 



321 

327 
319 
337 
319 
888 
•3'29 
396 
3.37 
321 
.T22 
323 
336 
3-23 
3^22 
3tHI 
336 
330 
321 



Crown Point Roller Mill 332 

Deaf, Dumb, and Blind, schools 

for 339 346 

Deaths 3^26 

Descriptive 318 

Disastrous fire 328 

Faribault driving park 3^27 

Faribault elevator burned 329 

Falal accident 325 

First frame building 319 

First religious meeting 3'20 

First National Bank 3^25 

Fire 3^26 3^27 

First Mayor 3^2d 

Fire department 331 

Fraternal orders 360 362 

l''reighting 3*26 

F'ruit Growers' Association 3'25 

Furniture and chair factrjry. .335 336 

Gas Company 338 

(fiuscDg 825 

Ciiiod Templars Lodge. 3"24 

(ioUien weddings 327-8^28 329 

Grange mill tiurned 3'28 

41orticnltural Society 326 

Industrial enterprises 332 338 

Iron works. 336 

Killed byafall 3-24 

Ladies' Benevolent .Association. . 321 
Ladies' Literary Association. — 324 

Legislative excursion 3'25 

Lime stone quarries 318 

Literary associations 319 3'23 

Liquor question 3",!8 

Lumber yard 336 

Manny, Rev. S. W 3-26 

Masonic Hall dedicated .3'28 

Mills 332 335 

Mills burn 3^24 

Miller's Association elevator 334 

Rlusical societies 322 

New buildings 324 

Police department 831 

Post-oHice 331 

Postmaster appointed .327 

Proprietors of the town 318 

Public schools 353 3.54 

Regatta 3^2« 

Removal of Sioux 825 

Relinimi at Barron House 827 

Reunion of First Minnesota Vol- 
unteer Infantry if28 

Robbery 322 

Saw and grist mill 3^24 

Scandinavian Literary Society.. . 8127 

Seabury Hall burned 827 

Seaburv Divinity School 349 351 

Shields, Gen 319 

Shattuck gr.'tmmar schotd burned 3'25 

Re-opened 325 

Shattuck Guards excursion 3*27 

Shattucrk school 346 349 

Silver weddings 3"29 

Stage line 321 3*22 

St. Mary's Hall opened 3'25 

Storm 3'24 

Student's Ijiterary Association.. 821 
Stone manufacturing company.. 3'29 

Straight River Flour Mill .332 

St. Mary's Hail 351 853 



Turner's Society 326 

Wagon works 835 

Whipple, Lieut. J. C 326 

Woolen mill 336 

CITY OF NOKTHFIELD. 

Page 396—437. 

Association and Societies 419 4'24 

Bank robbery and murder 401 4J12 

Banks 405 

Biographical 4'24 437 

Carleton College dedicated 409 

CarletoD College Observatory... 411 

Carleton College officers 443 

Carleton College commencement 

day ,.414 41K 

Early settlers 398 399 

Births 399 

Marriages T 399 

Deaths 400 

Educational 406 

Elevator 405 

First stores 398 

Fire 400 

I'lre department 405 

Golden wedding 400 

Indians 402 403 

Introduction 896 

Location 896 

Mills 404 405 

North, JohnW 396 

Old Town Hall 424 

Political 4113 404 

Police force 406 

Post-office 406 

Religious 117 419 

Ruby wedding 401 

Silver wedding 400 

Stage line 397 

bt. Olaf's school 406 407 

Terrible accident 400 

Water power 397 

Waterford 424 

BRIDOEWATER. 

Page 137-4.53. 

Biographical 447 453 

Dundas village 413 447 

Descriptive 437 

liarly settlers 437 140 

Educational 442 

Female monster 441 

F'irst death Ill 

Marriage 141 

Murder 411 

Post-office 441 

Political 142 

BeligiouB 145 

WHEELINO. 

Page 451—164. 

Blacksmithing 157 

Biographical :-..«,» 464 

Dfscription 454 

KducMto.nal 458 

Fire Insurance 457 

First settlers 454 456 

Births 456 

Marriages 456 



INDEX. 



603 



Town meeting 457 

Ollicers 457 

Mills 457 

Post-odice 45S 

Kcliizious 458 

Syrup manufacture 457 

Stores 457 

Town Hall 457 

liicnr.ANn. 
Page 464—470. 

Biographical 488 470 

Churches KJfi 467 

Early settlers 4W 401! 

Early events 46ii 

G-eneral description 164 

Political 466 

S^chools 46V 46S 

WALCOTT. 

Page 470—577. 

Biographical 475 477 

Early events 471 47:i 

First settlers 470 471 

Location and description 470 

Manufacturing 473 474 

Post-office 473 

Schools 474 475 

Town organization 47 1 

FOKEST. 

Page 47S-490. 

Antoine Mosher 4.S1 

Biographical 485 4ilo 

Descriptive 47-y 

Earlv settlers 478 481 

Educational 482 481 

Lester post-office J 82 

Mil lersburg village 484 485 

Mills ; 4t<4 

Post-office 481 

Political 4S1 

Religious 482 

WELLS. 

Page 4'Jl— ,501. 

Biographical 498 .504 

Births 41)4 

Early settlement 492 494 

First blacksmith shop 495 

General description 491 492 

Marriages 495 

Mills 495 496 

Political 495 

Schools 496 497 

Societies 497 498 

WARSAW. 

Page 505 - 517 

Agricultural statistics 1881 .509 

BiiUy Wells 507 



Biographical 514 517 

(bounty poor farm 5li) 

Cemetery .'Vssociation 510 

Descriptive .505 .5iH'i 

Educational 511) 512 

Early settlemcu!; .506 507 

First nuirria^e 507 

Hershey burial ground 510 

Jewett. ')r. Chas .508 

Lake City 513 514 

Manufacturing .509 

Murder .508 

Peter Dalcour 508 

i'ost-office 513 

Keligious 512 513 

Town name .507 

Town (rovernment 508 

Warsaw village 512 

CANNON CITY. 

Page 518-534. 

Biographical ,531 .534 

Church 525 

Cemetery 525 

Descriptive 518 

Drowned .526 

Earb' settlement 519 522 

Pearly items 522 524 

First saw-mill 525 

Political 521 

Schools .521 525 

Village of Cannon City .526 •'2-s 

Churches .528 

Hotels 527 

East Prairieville .528 531 

Cemetery 531 

Hotel .530 

Mills .530 

Religious .531 

Store and Post-office. 530 

WEBSTER. 

Page 534— 51J. 

Business 537 538 

Biographical 540 544 

Descriptive , 534 535 

Earlv tiirths 537 

De.nths 537 

Marriages 537 

Educational 539 541) 

First settlers 535 536 

Hazelwood Pos:;-(jffice 538 

Religious .538 539 

Saw-mlll 538 

Township organization .537 

Town name 537 



Union Lake Post office 538 

Webster l*ost-<>lfice 538 

WUEATLAND. 

Page 545-553. 

Biograph ical 550 553 

Descriptive 545 

Early events 548 549 

Mercanti le .548 

Pioneers .545 547 

Political 548 

Post-office .518 

Religious 548 

Schools 517 548 

Village of Vessley 549 550 

EUIN. 

Page 534-564. 

r.iograph i<-al 560 564 

l)i script ion of .554 

Karlv settlers 5.55 5.57 

Education .5.59 560 

Events of interest 557 .5.58 

Fowlersville post-office 559 

Political 559 

NORTHFIEI.U TOWNSHIP. 

Page 564-574. 

Biographical 571 575 

Churches 571 

Early items 568 

PMucational .570 

First settlers .565 568 

General description 564 .565 

Industries 571 

Pol i tical 56il 

SHIEI.DSVILI.E. 

Page 57.5-582. 

Biographical .581 582 

Description of 575 

Early notes .577 578 

Early settlers 575 576 

^eh.Kils... 579 

Shieldsville village 580 581 

Town government 579 

MOBRISTOWN. 

Page 583-595. 

Biographical 591 595 

Descriptive 583 .5.84 

Early settlement 584 .585 

Educational 586 587 

Industries 5,87 589 

Morristown village 589 591 

P.ilitical 585 586 

Religious 586 



ERRATA. 



On page 341, the second sentence under the 
head of "The school for Imbeciles and Idiots," 
should read ^'One of the first to cull attention to the 
matter, was the Superintendent of the Deaf and 
Dumb," &c. 

On page 341, the first sentence ot the second 
paragrapli under the same head, instead of "Under 
the same authority and management as the Deaf 
and Dumb and the Blind," should read "under 



the same Ijoard of directors as the Deaf and Dumb 
and the Blind. 

On page 34.5, the top line in first column "and 
the school for idiots and imbeciles" and in the 
second line, the name "Dr. George H. Knight" 
should be erased, so that the reading would be 
"and Prof. J. J. Dow was appointed superinten- 
dent of his respective department." 



Minneapolis & St. Louis R'y. 



The Albert Lea Route" 



FOR ALL POINTS IN 



TIBiE] CS^X-iOI^IOTTS IM-QIE^TIBai^A^ElST. 



Close coniiectious are made iu Union depots hoth in Minneapolis and St. Pinil witli trains of the 
Northern Pacitie and St. Paul, Minneapolis i- Manitoba, and St. Paul & Duluth Kailways for Duluth, 
BrainerJ. Fergus Falls. Moorhead, Crookston. St. Viincent, A\'innipeg, Grand P''o)ks, Jamestown, Bis- 
niiirek, Billings, and all points in 



MANITOBA 



at 



—AND THE— 

Red River and Yellowstone River Valleys* 

THE DIRECT LINE TO 

CENTRAL IOWA AND SOUTHWESTERN POINTS' 

Through trairns are run between Minneapolis and Dew Moines, via ALBEBT LEA, connecting 
Des Moines with the various roads centering there FOE SUCH POINTS AS 

Ottumwa, Albia. Knoxville, Council Bluffs and Omaha. 

Two trains daily betweeo St. Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago. Solid trains between Minneapolis 
ami St, Louis. The only line running EXCLUSIVELY PULLMAN PALACE SLEEP- 
ING CAF^S between St. Paul itnd Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis. 

TlflkFTSs "'■'' '"■■ ^"1" ■'■^'^ '^'- "ALBERT LEA ROUTE," at all the principal ticket offices throughout 
UUI^Llp tiig ^Vest and Northwest. 

TICKET OFFICES: 

MINNEAPOLIS: ST. PAUL: 

I .MO!> DEPOT, Cily Office No. S AVu>,liin|;toiic Avr. INION DEPOT, 

City Office «'or. Third aitd !!iibley »>treets. 

C.H.HUDSON. SAM. F. KOVI». 

General Miina(;er. 4icii^l Ticket and Puss .\gt. 

J. A. McCONNELL, Trav. Agent. 

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN 



T lEi Ei 



Northern Pacific Country, 



FKOM THE 



Great Lakes to the Pacific, 

TRAVERSES 

The Great Wheat Belt, Grazing Eaiige, 

and the Vast Gold and 

Silver Regions 

OF 

Minnesota, Dakota. Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. 

^ — -* t» I ^m 

The most attractive regions for new settlemnnt are unmiostiimahly t'lp nfraiii and <jra/,ing lands alonsr the line of the 
Northern Pacific railroad in Minnesota, Dakota. Montana. Idaho, Oregon and Washington 'i'erritorv. No section is 
settlingso rapidly. None offers such advantages to the faraier an ,1 stock raiser. The Northern Pacific Railroad com- 
pany now offers for sale 

4,000,000 Acres of the Most Productive Wheat Lands 

In the world, adjacent to its completed road in Dakota and Minnesota, which lauds are now ready fur the plow. No 
failure of crops (u apprehend. Average yield of twenty-two bushels of whe 't to the acre in Dakota last year. 
Twenty-five to thirty bnshels of wheat not an exceptional crop. No aL^ricultnral industry is more protitalde than wheat 
farmiuiiwpon these rich and rollint; plains. The country is well watered. Plenty of timber for domestic purposes* 
Low freijrht rates on farm products and settlers' household goods. 



PT5 TPff m? T A TJnC! '^^^^ **f the Missouri Kiver. in Dakota and Minnesota, $4 per acre, with a rebate 
A XV:LL/iJ wT ^iXViUO. of 25 percent, for acrea^^e cultivated within two years from purchase. West of the 
Missouri Hiver, alouT' its coinoleted road in Western Dakota and Montana, and in the beautiful valley of the Yellow- 
stone, the company offers a lar^earca of fine farming lands at the government price of f2.'ii' per acre (with a cbarge of 10 
c^nts per acre to cover cost of surveying. &c.) admirably adapted for stock raising and general farming purposes. The 
Northern Pacific is now completed and in operatum t<> a point ninety miles west of Miles City, on the Yellowstone 
Kiver in ^lontana, and will soon be opened 2i_ni miles further west. Settlers who go into this new region will have the 
advautajre nf a eh )ice of locations and lands, and of the rapid rise in the value of property. The climate of the Pacific 
country is bracing and healthful. 



IN THE MOUNTAIN REGION OF MONTANA 

Soon to be traversed by the road there are many lovely and fertile valleys awaiting settlement, and vast wealth in 
Gold, Silver. Copper and Iron offers fine openings in every kind of mining enterprise. Upon the Pacific slope the 
Northern Pacific railroad is now in operation from Puget Sound to Pen d'Oreille Lake in Northern Idaho. 10,000,00- 
acres of magnificent timber and wheat lands of unparalleled fertility in (»ret:on and Washington Territory are offered 
for sale by tlie company in the immediate vicinity of rail and water transportation at the rate of .^2 60 per acre. 

PACIFIC COAST LANDS. 

For information relating to the lands of the company west of the Rocky Mountains, address J. H. Houcjhton. General 
Land -Agent. New Tacoma, W. T.or Paul Sohulze, General Immigration Agent, Portland, Oregon, or A. S. Stokes. Gen- 
eral Agent, 52 Clark street, Chicago. 

THE NORTHERN PACIFIC COUNTRY, 

From Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean, has unsurpassed attractiims to the tourist. It offering an unrivalled rield for 
fishing and hunting. For informatifui and reduced rates for round-trip tourist and excursion tickets, address G. K. 
BATiNm. General Passenger and Ticket Agent, St. Paul. Minn. H. Haui'T, General JIanager. .J. M. Hannafokd, General 
Freight Agent. G. K. Barnes, G. P. & T, A., St. Paul, Minnesota. 

MINNESOTA, DAKOTA, and MONTANA LANDS. 

For land seekers' and colonists' rates of fare and freight, and inquiries relating to movements of colonists, and with 
reference to traveling and land agencies, address P. B. Gkoat. General Immigration Agent. 

For all information referring to location, description, and prices of the millions of acres of cheap lauds for sale by 
this company, and for maps and descriptive publications relating thereto, address K. M. Newpokt, General Land Ageut . 



#^th:e<^^ 



z 



n. 




is 4 I 




RAILWAY COMPANY 

OPERATES 



■I TWO GREAT TRUNK LINES ^ 



RUNNING 

NORTH AND WEST 

FROM 

ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS 

UNITING AT 

And forming the only line which reaches every part of the Red River 

Valley. It touches the Red River at three different 

points and connects at either with 4,000 

miles of inland navigation. 



It triivorses a section of country, whicli offers: 

TO THE FARMER 

A soil which in richness and vai-iety is uuequaled. 

TO THE BUSINESS MAN 

An agricultural commuuity who have been blessed with a succession of bountiful harvests. 

TO THE SPORTSMAN 

In its forests, on its prairies, in its numberles.s lakes or streams an abundance of game, and lish 
of (^very variety. 

TO THE TOURIST 

Not only the most attractive Summer Resort on the Continent— Lake Minnetonka^' "i* 
the matchless beaiities of the famous Park Kegion. 



A. MANVEL, 

General Manager. 



W, S, ALEXANDER, 

General Passenffor Agent. 



H. C. DAVIS, 

Ass't General Passenjjer Age nt. 



ST. ip^xjL, is/dziirnsr. 



